What is Flutter Web? We can cut the costs of developing your app.

You've come up with an idea for a product, but you require a strategy to get it into the world. To make your service available to the widest audience feasible, you require mobile and web-based apps. 

Your short study is a nightmare - even though you only have one small idea, it will require three different applications (Android, iOS, Web) and three distinct types of experts (Kotlin, Swift, JavaScript) or perhaps three different vendors.

You're not the first to find yourself in this situation. The developers of apps such as Airbnb, Uber Eats, and Discord were also in the same position as you are. They have all chosen to use a cross-platform application. In 2020, the biggest participant in this field was Flutter.

What exactly is Flutter?

Flutter is a Google framework that lets developers create mobile apps that work simultaneously on iOS and Android with a single codebase. The initial stabilized version of Flutter was launched towards the end of the year. Google invented Flutter as a reaction to the high budgets of mobile applications and the increasing popularity of React Native, becoming its primary rival.

Flutter attracted attention to Dart, an object-oriented language developed by Google that, according to several domain experts, is the future of the entire Web, mobile as well as desktop-based development. As opposed to JavaScript used by React Native, Dart is entirely object-oriented and highly written. What is this going to mean for your company? The code provided in Dart is far more robust to mistakes. It is much simpler to keep up after several years within a constantly changing team.

Flutter for Web conquers browsers

How can this be translated into what happens on the Web? 2020 is a crucial year for Flutter because it presents an entirely new challenge. The framework is preparing to take on bigger screens and browsers. 

Over the last two years, besides Flutter, there was an ongoing research project named Hummingbird that was meant to develop web-based applications using Flutter. It's the same Flutter software used by iOS, and Android apps rely on.

The project has been maturing in the last year, and the core team incorporated it into the framework. As of today (as of May 2020), it's in an alpha branch. What is this? It is still possible to create web-based applications with Flutter, and the Google team may declare it stable at any point. Just one code, just one technique, Three stones. Your project seems to be an ideal fit.

A cross-platform application model is not uncommon. Many of the most well-known and popular solutions have utilised this approach to cut down on time and cost. For example, Walmart, Soundcloud, and Bloomberg have all opted for cross-platform mobile apps. I'm sure you've some cross-platform program on your phone.

The possibility of developing web-based applications in the process was open to us only a few months ago. While none of the major companies have decided on this option yet, it's evident that sooner or later, it is a great device for startups as well as easy PoCs.

Flutter is a great app for you to use.

Costs of development reduced

Utilising Flutter for Web, three apps can be created with the same codebase within a technologically connected team at the same speed. 

It is not necessary to search for three vendors using different technologies to connect their efforts. Likewise, it's not necessary to duplicate the exact payment processor authorization for social media three times.

But this isn't a guarantee that you'll be able to reduce the number of expenditures to three-fold. It's usually more complex to offer an exact function for cross-platform. From my experience, there exists something called a multiplier factor across platforms equal to 1.2-1.5. 

That means that if a feature requires X hours to develop for one platform, it will take (1.2-1.5) (1.2-1.5) X in the case of cross-platform. But, x1.5 compared to x3 could be a good argument about your financial budget.

Faster app development

The above all make Flutter a great choice for PoC and the verification of ideas for your product. In just a few weeks, you can have an application that is functional and can quickly release onto app stores.

 Once you have achieved some success, you may want to consider rebuilding apps using native technologies. This is the same path followed by Airbnb. After the success of their cross-platform mobile applications, They decided to move to native apps in the year 2018.

Simpler maintenance process

Keep in mind what happens when your app finally succeeds. If it enters maintenance, it's much simpler to manage the application with one person who is a Dart/Flutter expert. The business may not be able to locate jobs for three different developers full-time only by keeping the code. In the same way, any disparity in their abilities will cause changes in the rate of work.

The abilities of a team member are crucial when it comes to the common look and feel on various platforms. Three projects are being developed. The final form depends on the developer's skills and attitude towards UI. For example, suppose the iOS user prefers rounded corners while the Android one isn't attracted to them. In that case, it may result in the two apps being different in how they affect the company's image.

Flutter for Web risks

Technology issues in the development

Okay, But do you have any concerns or disadvantages with using Flutter as a Web? There are always two perspectives. In terms of technical points, it is important to be aware that this is still an early stage technology. Therefore, it's not completely stable, and it is possible to confront a difficult issue. The support for co-existing Flutter libraries cannot always be complete. 

It's normal for a library to function flawlessly on mobile devices but fail on web applications due to it not being optimised to work on network applications. This is a minor issue that is limited to the user interface; however, it could cause problems when it's your primary payment integration.

Web application exceptions

A different issue is that even if there are many similarities between Android and iOS apps with the codebase, which in many cases is 95-100% identical, it may not be the case for web browsers. For example, a drawer on the bottom of the sheet or menu with a bottom tab, as well as horizontal and vertical carousels, are all great mobile UX designs that don't work for the Web. Most of the time, you have to make exceptions only for web apps.

 Designing for architecture often has to be distinct on the Web and mobile. So at the beginning of the project, it's best to arrange an open discussion between developers and designers. They should share their points of view and then try to reach an agreement in particular if you're concerned about the budget and timeframe.

Flutter vs. React Native

What, however? Is Flutter for the Web your only option? It isn't. The most effective option is React Native. React Native is the rival framework that Facebook developed and supported long before Flutter. It lets you achieve the same result to build iOS, Android, and web-based applications (similarly to Flutter in the same amount period).

I've spent the last two years working on React Native, recently jumping into the Flutter world to provide some suggestions when you have to choose between the two. First, there isn't a single winner in this contest as both are mature and excellent cross-platforms. However, some subtleties could provide advantages when working on an individual project.

• If you are particularly interested in gesture-based UI (swiping and dragging, pulling drawers out, etc.), Flutter is the superior choice due to its structure and support for gestures for native users. RN often struggles to provide the best combination of animations and gestures performance.

• If the internet is your business's main point of contact, you should choose React Native. RN creates a browser app that is much more compatible with native products and allows you to debug it using native tools. In contrast, Flutter for web applications isn't able to transpile to the standard DOM and requires adapters.

• Suppose your application needs to be developed and maintained over time (or the team working on it might alter in time). In that case, the alternatives are Flutter and Dart might be the best option.

• If your app uses more sophisticated methods (Bluetooth biometrics, biometrics, geolocation) or integrations with external sources (payments and social networks), React Native has been in use for a longer time and offers a wider variety of libraries. The Flutter for Web ecosystem is expanding each month; however, researching libraries available must be conducted before any project.

Are you looking to gain more insight into these two popular frameworks? Then, please take a look at our comparison to React Native and Flutter!

Summarising

In the past, users have never been so dispersed between different platforms. However, web browsers and mobile devices are only the beginning of the Iceberg. Most users use apps in their watches, cars, and televisions, and voice assistants are becoming more sought-after. 

This means that there is an imperative to streamline the process and lower the cost of producing software. A single codebase that can be used for mobile and web creation is already a popular pattern, and Flutter for the Web is a great model.

For a long time, I have thought of the Flutter Web as new technology. Recent work has changed my opinion, and I'm convinced. Flutter is a young adult man who is looking forward to an exciting future. It is certainly worth considering. It's an appealing option for those with limited funds and tight deadlines. It's for those looking to test their ideas quickly, with minimal expense, and for those that have the idea but are responding to the demands of the marketplace. It's the exact concept that Flutter did for software development.

Sounds promising?

Are you wondering if cross-platform development could be the best solution for your company? Then, contact us and receive an estimate for your project.

Author Bio:

ManMohan is the founder and CEO of NogaTech IT Solutions LLC, one of the leading app development companies in the USA, having a team of the best app developers who deliver the best mobile solutions mainly on Android and iOS platforms. He regularly contributes his knowledge on leading blogging sites like top app development companies.