Flutter vs Kotlin Multi-platform: The 2023 Guide

Exploring the Competitive Edge: Flutter vs. Kotlin Multiplatform

In this blog post, we delve into the comparative aspects of Flutter and Kotlin Multiplatform to determine their respective strengths. Our analysis will shed light on whether Kotlin Multiplatform provides a competitive advantage over Flutter, and which platform emerges as the dominant force. Let's examine both frameworks, weigh their pros and cons, and unravel their contrasting performance characteristics.

What is Kotlin Multiplatform?

Kotlin multiplatform is an experimental feature enabling developers to use one codebase for Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and Web applications. Leveraging Kotlin's advanced capabilities across multiple platforms greatly reduces development time by allowing code sharing.

Pros of Kotlin Multiplatform

Here are some of the advantages of Kotlin Multiplatform-

1. Easy Syntax

Kotlin's syntax is simple, similar to Swift and Java for iOS and Android. It's easy to learn due to these similarities.

2. Modular Integration

The greatest advantage of Kotlin is that it functions as an SDK rather than a framework. This distinction allows existing applications to seamlessly incorporate a module or migrate a small section for evaluation, without the need for a complete development overhaul. Kotlin effectively addresses the challenges associated with transitioning to a new codebase.

In simpler terms, you don't have to migrate the entire application at once. You can start with a single feature or module, assess its functionality, and gradually migrate other parts of the application.

3. Excellent Performance

Kotlin multiplatform apps leverage native components to achieve exceptional performance, rivaling that of native apps. By optimizing the use of these components, apps developed with Kotlin multiplatform deliver remarkable efficiency and seamless performance.

4. Native UI Experience

Unlike Flutter, Kotlin multiplatform doesn't impose its own UI on developers. Instead, it empowers them to leverage all native UI elements to their maximum potential, enabling the creation of apps that boast a truly native appearance and user experience.

5. Single Codebase For Business Logic

Kotlin multiplatform: one codebase, multiple platforms. Share logic and libraries beyond UI. Directly interact with the native environment.

Cons of Kotlin Multiplatform

Kotlin multiplatform also has some disadvantages-

1. Still in Alpha State

Despite being unveiled in Kotlin 1.2, Kotlin multiplatform's SDK remains in the alpha stage, causing companies to hesitate in migrating due to the absence of a stable release.

2. Limited Community and Libraries Support

Since Kotlin multiplatform is relatively new, it currently lacks extensive community and library support. However, it has the potential to rival Flutter over time. Some fundamental libraries, like data serialization and HTTP clients, are actively being developed and enhanced.

3. Not Familiar With Other Tech Stacks

To work with Kotlin Multiplatform, you need familiarity with various tech stacks. Unlike Flutter, where you can solely rely on Flutter itself, Kotlin Multiplatform relies heavily on native components. It's crucial for mobile app development companies to possess basic knowledge of each platform and API since Kotlin Multiplatform isn't meant to replace all platform-specific APIs.

4. High Development Cost

Unlike Flutter, Kotlin is not ideal for building MVPs or application prototypes due to its requirements for semi-native components. This increases development costs in terms of time and resources.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is Google's cross-platform mobile development framework. It uses Dart programming language and enables developers to create stunning, native-looking apps for mobile, web, and desktop. With a single codebase, Flutter's open-source SDK offers a rich collection of ready-to-use widgets and delivers superior performance by compiling machine language.

Pros of Flutter

Take a look at the benefits that Flutter offers-

1. Hot Reload

Flutter's hot reload enables developers to instantly evaluate and preview code changes without restarting the application.

2. Reduces Debugging Time

Using a single app for both platforms with a shared codebase saves you from the hassle of debugging twice for each platform.

3. Perfect for Creating MVPs

Flutter's rapid and efficient cross-platform development capabilities make it an ideal choice for MVPs. It excels in speed, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, enabling developers to build apps for Android and iOS swiftly and effortlessly.

4. Open-Source and Free to Use

Unlike app builders or no-code solutions, Flutter is free to use. Its programming language, Dart, is also open-source and free. This means app developers can access documentation, seek help in forums, and learn and implement code at no cost.

5. Fluid UI and Great App Design

Flutter, powered by the Skia Graphics library, provides a swift and smooth UI experience. With every view change, the UI is redrawn promptly. Moreover, Flutter offers its own custom widgets, eliminating reliance on native system components for a seamless user experience.

Cons of Flutter

Let’s have a look at the disadvantages of Flutter-

1. Large App Size

One drawback of using Flutter for app development is its large app size. Compared to Xmarin and React Native, even a simple "Hello World" app in Flutter can be around 6.7 MB in size.

2. Dart Language

Dart, although easy to learn and implement, lacks the popularity of Java, C, and JavaScript. Additionally, to develop Flutter apps, you must acquire specific knowledge of Dart, which can be challenging for JavaScript users.

3. Lack of Third-Party Libraries

Third-party libraries and packages are vital in software development, offering free, pre-tested, open-source solutions that are readily available. However, in the realm of app development with Flutter, locating suitable packages and libraries can be challenging due to its newness.

As Flutter is still in the development stage, it is constantly evolving and improving, making it difficult to keep track of all the necessary components at present.

4. Lack of Password Manager Support

Flutter apps currently experience issues with autocomplete input fields, especially when implementing password extraction from built-in or third-party administrators.

The Bottom Line

While both Flutter and Kotlin multiplatform have common components, Kotlin multiplatform focuses on extracting business logic, while Flutter primarily deals with extracting view definitions. Despite their different points of emphasis, many believe that they work well together.

Migrating from Android to Flutter poses challenges, particularly for well-built apps adapting to Dart language and Flutter frontend. Kotlin Multiplatform emerges as an excellent solution for this hurdle.

Flutter often outperforms Kotlin Multiplatform due to its freshness and novelty. However, developers seeking future investments should monitor both platforms. Despite its numerous benefits, Flutter is not widely recognized as the go-to solution for cross-platform development. Therefore, in a direct Flutter vs Kotlin Multiplatform debate, Flutter would currently come out on top, but this is contingent on the team's requirements and the growth of JetBrains' community support.

#flutter #kotlin #flutterdeveloper #kotlindeveloper #kotlinmultiplatform