Flutter

Flutter is an open-source software development kit (SDK) developed by Google. It enables the developers to build native-looking, high-performance mobile, web, and desktop applications from a single codebase. It uses Dart programming language and includes various widgets and tools.

Flutter is a popular choice for building mobile apps and is also used to build web and desktop apps. Some popular apps built using Flutter include Google Ads, Hamilton, SoundCloud, Pinterest, and Etsy.

Native App Development

Native app development is application specific to Android or iOS. It means that the app is written in the native programming language for the platform, and it uses native APIs and frameworks.

For instance, Android apps are typically written in Java or Kotlin, while iOS apps are written in Swift or Objective-C. Native apps can take advantage of all the features and capabilities of the platform they are designed for, leading to a better user experience.

However, it can be more time-consuming and expensive than cross-platform, it requires separate teams for each platform. Native apps are not as easily portable as cross-platform apps.

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How Flutter is Better?

Performance:

Native technologies allow developers to use the platform’s native programming language and tools, resulting in better performance and a native-like user experience.

Flutter apps are built using a single codebase, saving resources like time and money. Flutter apps are developed and deployed quickly and they are more maintainable than native apps, as changes to the codebase can be applied to all platforms at once.

While Flutter apps can provide a good UX they might not perform as well in native-built apps, As Flutter apps run on a Flutter rendering engine which interprets the code at runtime adding overhead.

However, flutter apps can still provide a good performance, especially on newer devices since the performance gap is narrowing between the two technologies as flutter continues to improve.

Speed:

Flutter is generally considered to be faster than native app development because of the single codebase. Flutter provides a fast development cycle, with its hot reload features, any changes made in code will be immediately reflected in the app.

In addition, the Flutter widget library has a variety of customizable UI elements, saving developers time as they do not have to build anything from scratch.

Native apps typically require separate teams for both platforms. The apps must be developed and maintained separately for each platform, this can slow down the development process.

Features and Documentation:

Flutter has a rich set of widgets allowing developers to build unique UI elements. Flutter’s hot reload feature makes it efficient to develop and debug apps. It has a visual layout editor making it easy to design and preview user interfaces.

Flutter has a large and active community of developers and designers who provide support and assistance to each other, contributing to the development of the framework. Although it's a newer technology, there are 167,000+ Flutter-related questions on stack overflow. 

Flutter has comprehensive and well-written documentation, covering a wide range of topics from getting started to advanced topics. Flutter documentation is available in multiple languages making it accessible to a wider range of audience.

Native development tends to have more specialized documentation, this can be helpful for developers who are already familiar with the platform but it can be difficult to understand for beginners. They also have less documentation in languages other than English.

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Popularity:

Flutter is becoming increasingly popular among mobile developers. According to a recent survey, Flutter is the most popular SDK among developers who are building new apps. As of August 2023, there are over 2.5 million Flutter developers worldwide. Flutter is used by over 150,000 organizations, including Google, Alibaba, and BMW. The Flutter community is growing rapidly, with over 100,000 GitHub stars and over 10,000 new apps released each month.

The popularity of native technologies is declining, A 2022 survey by Stack Overflow found that only 39% of respondents said they would prefer to develop native apps, down from 53% in 2020.

A 2023 report by Statista found that the global market for cross-platform app development is expected to grow from $11.6 billion in 2022 to $21.6 billion in 2027. 

Native technologies are losing favor as hybrid technologies like Flutter continue to evolve and become more sophisticated.

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Testing and Integration:

Flutter has strong support for testing and continuous integration. It includes a range of tools and frameworks for testing apps at different stages of development such as unit testing, integration testing, and end-to-end testing. Some of the testing tools available in Flutter are:

Flutter driver allows writing automated tests for Flutter apps.

Flutter test provides a range of testing utilities for widgets and other flutter components.

Flutter CI is a continuous integration (CI) service for Flutter apps, it can be used for testing and deployment of Flutter apps.

In addition, Flutter provides integration with a range of external APIs and services, including support for accessing and working with data from external databases and servers.

The best choice for testing and integration will depend on the specific needs and requirements of the project. If it is to be deployed on multiple platforms then Flutter is a very good choice.

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Conclusion:

Flutter has emerged as a strong competitor to native development. It presents a modern solution for building and maintaining cross-platform applications. Its single codebase approach streamlines the development process saving time and resources. While native-built apps are faster and more efficient, Flutter’s continuous improvements are bridging the performance gap. 

The SDK’s diverse widget library, growing community, and comprehensive documentation further add to its favor.  The shift towards hybrid technologies like Flutter can be observed in both developer preferences and market trends. Ultimately the choice depends on project priorities; however, development speed, cost-effectiveness, and appealing features make Flutter a compelling choice.
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