React Native Vs Flutter - Which one to build your apps on in 2023?

Only a decade ago, it was hard to imagine life without mobile apps. They now make our lives easier, with some even assisting us with our daily chores. Statista reports that mobile apps are expected to generate $935 billion in revenue globally in 2023.?

Businesses today need mobile apps faster, and they want apps that perform equally well across all the platforms. But do all businesses have the time and resources for the same?

Enter React Native and Flutter - two of the most popular cross-platform mobile app development platforms.?

How did React and Flutter enter the mobile universe?

Facebook launched its open-source framework, called React Native back in 2015. It was the company’s attempt at equipping developers with a JavaScript-based framework for the development of cross-platform apps. React eliminates the need for compiling other technology stacks for mobile app development. Companies such as Uber Eats, Instagram, and Skype have since used React Native for their mobile app development needs.?

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In 2017, Google launched an open-source User Interface (UI) framework that was targeted at aiding developers to design cross-platform apps to run on mobile, Windows, macOS, and Linux. Flutter’s framework is built upon Dart.?

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Soon after, many big companies such as Philips Hue, Hamilton, Alibaba, etc began developing mobile apps using Flutter. Ever since, Google has frequently provided updates for Flutter, improving its performance with each update.?

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Why are React and Flutter so popular?

While native apps work better on mobile phones, developing native apps for each platform is quite a waste of time. As a result, businesses are always looking for technologies that would help them build cross-platform apps that would run as well, if not better, than native apps. Both React and Flutter offer open-source frameworks that solve this problem. Both the frameworks offer many tools and features, such as code reusability and Hot Reload with its ability to make changes on the fly etc - a freedom that makes mobile app development faster.?

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React Native?

Based on React.JS, React Native uses JavaScript to create mobile applications for iOS and Android. It also allows developers to develop apps using one codebase. React offers fast mobile application development and allows access to some third-party UI libraries with ready-to-use components. React also enables the delivery of new functionalities to supported platforms immediately.?

Pros of React Native?

• One codebase to build apps for two or more platforms?
• Uses JavaScript that makes mobile app development smoother?
• Has a faster learning curve for developers?
• It saves upto 50% time on the testing?
• Growing and active community of developers?

Cons of React Native?

• Has limited components?
• The user interface is easily broken
• Apps are larger than native ones?

Flutter?

Flutter helps create cross-platform applications using a single codebase. So you don’t have to develop separate apps for mobile, web, and desktop. Being an open-source platform, any business owner can download it and get started. Apps built using Flutter are intuitive and easier to navigate.?

Pros of Flutter

• Offers a rich library of widgets?
• Well-structured documentation?
• Apps are fast and easy to navigate, and they require less testing?
• Flutter helps to create the same UI for older devices?
• Flutter 2 helps in web app development?
• Has rapidly growing community?
• Offers Hot Reload feature?

Cons of Flutter?

• Apps built on it are larger than native apps?
• Limited set of tools and libraries?

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How to choose between the two?

Performance: React uses JavaScript while Flutter uses the Dart programming language, which has a higher compilation rate than JS. As a result, Flutter’s apps deliver high performance by default. So if performance is one of your chief goals, you should choose Flutter.?

Learning curve: According to Statista, only 6.54% of developers use Dart that makes it harder to find Dart developers or for developers to learn the language. React has a shorter learning curve.?

Testing: For testing a React Native app, you will need a third-party testing framework such as Detox. If that’s a challenge, then it is better to choose Flutter because it is enriched with integrated testing features.?

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Final thoughts?

Statista states that 38% of developers used React Native in 2021, whereas 42% used Flutter for development. However, you should make a decision based on your overall goals in terms of your cross-platform mobile app development needs. If you need help or advice on what’s best for you, do give us a call.?