While building mobile applications, development speed and app stability are very important. Two of the most popular frameworks in recent years have been React Native and Flutter. Both frameworks have their pros and cons, and in this post, we’ll take a closer look to help you decide which one is the right fit for your next project.
React Native
React Native is a framework developed by Meta Platforms and is being used by a lot of applications nowadays. It is based on the current most popular framework, React. Twitter, Instagram are some of the most popular apps built with React Native.
Writing apps in React Native allows developers to write in JavaScript with which most developers are already familiar with. Also, developers can further add type safety, IntelliSense support and more with TypeScript.
Developing apps with React Native allows developers to use the same codebase as they’ve previously used on web apps, albeit with some slight differences.
For example, React Native has components which provide an abstraction over the iOS and Android components and layouts. Also, in recent years, it has changed its organizational style from class-based to function-based, making it somewhat easier to use.
One of the biggest pros of React Native is its use of JavaScript and numerous packages built for RN. With React Native, you can build apps for both iOS and Android using the same codebase, which can help to streamline the development process. This is especially useful for companies that need to release apps on both platforms simultaneously.
However, React Native does have its downsides as well. One of the biggest downsides is that it can be slow and unresponsive, especially when dealing with complex animations and interactions. Although there has been added support for animations running in the UI thread, the framework is still lacking in speed, as per recent research. Additionally, the framework is reliant on third-party libraries, which can make it difficult to build customized components that work seamlessly with the rest of the app.
Flutter
Flutter is a framework developed by Google Platforms, used for developing cross-platform applications. Some of the most popular apps built with Flutter are Google Play Store, BMW app, eBay, etc.
If you want to write an app in Flutter, you will have to learn a new programming language called Dart, which is an object-oriented language similar to C.
Flutter has a rich set of customizable widgets that make it easy to build visually appealing apps. Additionally, the framework is lightweight and easy to learn, which makes it a great option for developers who are new to mobile app development. As per recent research articles measuring the performance of different cross-platform frameworks
On the other hand, Flutter is a relatively new framework, and it doesn’t have the same level of support and resources as React Native. It has a smaller number of packages, which in some cases might mean that you will have to spend more time on developing your custom solutions which could’ve been already solved in React Native.
Conclusion
In conclusion, React Native and Flutter are both powerful frameworks that have their own set of pros and cons.
React Native is a great choice for developers who need to build cross-platform apps quickly, while Flutter is a great option for developers who want to build visually appealing apps with a fast development cycle.
Ultimately, the choice between the two will depend on your specific needs and the type of app you’re building. So, it’s better to weigh the pros and cons and decide which one to pick based on your project requirements.
