What do engineers need to know about Flutter?

With the growing demand for Flutter developers, there are many questions arising, to which the mobile development department at Softonix is more than willing to provide the answers. Indeed, Flutter offers many benefits for developers looking to build high-quality, responsive, and attractive apps for multiple platforms. In this article, we will discuss in more detail about its main features.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is a mobile application software development kit (SDK) created by Google to build high-performance, high-fidelity iOS and Android apps. It is built on the Dart programming language and provides a fast development workflow with hot reloading, so you can quickly iterate on the app's design and functionality. It also allows the building of natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. Flutter has strong support for integrating other platforms and technologies, making it a powerful choice for app development.

This free and open-source mobile UI framework was released in Mau 2017. Since then, Flutter has gained a significant amount of core updates. Currently, it's the most popular solution for developing cross-platform mobile applications:

GitHub recognition

What is Flutter used for?

The main goal of the Flutter ecosystem is to create cross-platform applications that run on Android and iOS devices, saving time and resources compared to developing separate native apps. But there are more obvious reasons why developers might choose to use it for mobile app development:

• Thanks to its hot reload feature, Flutter has a fast development cycle, which allows developers to see the results of their code changes in real-time;

• It is easier to create high-quality app designs due to a rich set of customizable widgets and tools for building responsive user interfaces;

• It's a good choice for building apps that need to connect to external services or systems under Flutter's strong support for integration with other platforms and technologies;

• Being the most popular solution, Flutter has a large community of active users, making it easier to find and help resources when needed.

Is Flutter front-end or back-end?

Flutter is a front-end framework, so it is primarily used for an app's user interface (UI) rather than the back-end. However, Flutter can make network requests and connect to external services, which can also be used to build some of the back-end functionality of an app. Typically, the back-end of an app is responsible for storing and retrieving data, processing requests, and handling security and authentication. This back-end logic is often implemented using a server-side language such as Java, Python, or PHP and is accessed by the front-end app via an application programming interface (API). The front-end app, built using a framework like Flutter, is responsible for presenting the UI to the user and handling user interactions.

Is Flutter easy to learn?

Flutter can be relatively easy to learn if you have a previous experience with other programming frameworks or/and languages. Flutter uses the Dart programming language, an object-oriented language with syntax similar to other popular languages like Java and C#. The Flutter framework itself is also well-documented, with comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and examples available online.

That being said, learning any new technology can take time and effort, and app development, in general, can be a challenging field. If you are motivated and dedicated enough, you can find many free-access resources available to help you learn Flutter and start building your worn apps.

Here are a few tips for learning Flutter:

• Start with the official Flutter documentation and tutorial to get a basic understanding of the framework and its capabilities;

• Practice by building simple apps and experimenting with different features and widgets;

• Join online communities like Stack Overflow and the Flutter Gitter channel to ask questions and get help from other developers;

• Consider taking online courses or watching tutorial videos to get a more structured learning experience;

• Attend meetups, hackathons, and other events to connect with other Flutter developers and learn from their experiences.

Or you can always find a helping hand from the team of mobile developers at Softonix.

What skills are needed for Flutter?

To learn and use Flutter effectively, having some prior experience with programming and app development can be helpful. In particular, having a solid foundation in the following skills can be beneficial:

• Programming basics: familiarity with concepts such as variables, loops, data types, and functions will be helpful when learning any programming language, including Dart;

• Object-oriented programming: Flutter and Dart use object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts such as classes, inheritance, and interfaces. Understanding OOP can make it easier to learn and use Flutter;

• Mobile app development: while Flutter is a framework for building cross-platform applications, some familiarity with mobile app development concepts such as user interface design, app architecture, and testing can be helpful;

• HTML and CSS: while Flutter has its own set of widgets and tools for building user interfaces, understanding HTML and CSS can be useful for customizing the appearance and layout of an app.

In addition to these technical skills, effective Flutter developers may also have strong problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

How many companies are using Flutter?

As said before, Flutter is quite a popular framework, and many companies worldwide have adopted it. Some of the well-known companies that have used Flutter to build apps include:

• Google Pay

• Alibaba Group

• BMW

• eBay

• Toyota

• Amazon

• The New York Times

That is just a tiny segment of the companies that are using Flutter. Many other companies of all sizes and industries are using Flutter to build apps, and the adoption of Flutter is likely to continue to grow as more developers and businesses discover its benefits.

Are Flutter developers in demand?

There is a growing demand for Flutter developers in the job market as more companies are looking to build cross-platform mobile applications. Also, the average rates for such developers are higher than other front-end technologies. According to Stack Overflow and its survey in 2022, Flutter was the third most popular framework, library, or technology among professional developers. It was also the most loved framework among developers who had experience with it.

Stack Overflow survey confirming bigger demand for Flutter (May 2022)

Demand for mobile app developers, in general, is high as the use of smartphones and mobile apps continues to grow. Companies in a variety of industries are seeking developers with the skills to build and maintain mobile apps, and the ability to use Flutter can be a valuable skill for a developer to have.

In conclusion, Flutter is an excellent option for mobile development due to its cross-platform capabilities, fast development, expressive and flexible UI, growing popularity, and future-proof nature with Google's backing. It allows developers to create high-quality, native-feeling apps for both iOS and Android from a single codebase, saving time and reducing costs. The customizable widgets, animations, and graphics provide a visually attractive and engaging user experience, and the growing community makes it easier to find support and resources. Overall, considering Flutter for mobile development can lead to faster, more efficient, and higher-quality app development.

Willing to try your skills in Flutter development out? Or maybe you are ready to grow and automate your business with the Softonix development team? Contact us now.