Flutter vs React Native: Which One is Better for Software Development?

Summary: Want to develop a cross-platform app quickly? And that too in a pocket-friendly way? But are confused about which technology to choose? In this article, we have compared two leading market players- Flutter and React Native. Let’s have a look at how and which app development framework will fit into your software idea- Flutter vs React Native.

WebMob Technologies is a web and mobile app development company with over 12 years of experience. We are specialized in building native and cross-platform software solutions for startups & enterprises.

Introduction

The two popular cross-platform app development frameworks Flutter & React Native are the buzzwords of the developers’ community. So, both technologies are proficient enough in building native applications.

Moreover, according to recent statistics on cross-platform mobile frameworks in 2022, Flutter emerged to be the most popular software development tool followed by React Native.

12.64% of developers use Flutter libraries to build their apps, while 12.57% of them use React Native for software development. The numbers are quite impressive, right? Cross-platforms allow developers to code on various platforms. The proficient individual just has to create a foundation for the app to run effortlessly on all the respective platforms. Some many tools and features are equally good in both of them. Along with that, the technologies also allow code reusability & hot reload facility to make instant changes in the development. Another major advantage of using these application frameworks is Flutter works with the use of additional APIs & also connects the divide between the device and the codebase. On the other hand, React Native allows native appearance through a dynamic & flexible API. 

So, let’s begin the article with a short introduction to both tech stacks.

What is Flutter? 

An open-source, Dart programming language, was invented by Google in 2017. It consists of a UI toolkit to build efficient cross-platform applications using a single codebase. And so, it is suitable for all platforms namely- Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, & web apps. Recently, Flutter has been upgraded with more latest functionalities in May 2021. Presently, famous app developments like Google, Alibaba, eBay, and PostMuse, are made by Flutter.

With varied flutter app development services, one can beautifully compile their user interface & fully customizable widgets. So, being in the IT sector for over a decade, we have seen technological innovations & the growing online space.

When to use Flutter?

• Budget constraints
• Short development timeline
• UI-centric app
• Hot-reload

Pros	Cons
Quick development with the same database	Growing framework, with common issues
Hot Reload ensures easy changes & quick bug resolution	Apps do take up a lot of space
Layered architecture, allows customization & control	Constant updates for Dart & the overall framework
Animated UI for any complex customization is available	The support community is impressive but not as productive as the native development

What is React Native?

An open-source Javascript framework was invented by Facebook in 2013 and released to the public in 2015. This technology is built upon the React library, so it helps ship iOS & Android apps with a single code base. It uses a combination of XML and Javascript Esque mark-up JSX. In addition, to create a native look & feel of the digital solution, it creates easy-to-integrate native elements and user interfaces. Presently, famous apps built by React Native development are Instagram, Walmart, and Tesla.

When to use React Native?

• No budget constraints & complex projects
• Complex cross-platform apps
• Reusability of code for mobile and desktop apps
• Extensive documentation support leads to a budget-friendly development team

Pros	Cons
Due to Javascript applicability, it has a wide range of packages	Needs a native developer
One code base to develop an app for multiple devices	Performance issues as compared to Flutter
It is a pocket-friendly development with a code reusability advantage	Debugging issues
Active & large community	Fragile UI & apps are bigger than Native ones

Flutter vs React Native: Who is the Better One?

The market situation is in favor of flutter app development. But such an increase does not mean the former has lost touch with the digital world. It has been giving neck-to-neck competition then the other cross-platform frameworks.

Let’s quickly compare both developments

Flutter vs React Native: The Comparison of Functionalities

React Native VS Flutter: Performances

Flutter is superior when it comes to carrying out heavy operations & data storage, maintaining overall performance. So, if you are planning for an attractive animation with exclusive UI, this software development will not disappoint you.  

React Native lacks in performance compared to Flutter. It also uses a combination of native and Javascript languages to maintain its user interactions & application performance fast and smoothly.

Flutter VS React Native: Architecture

If a developer plans to build an application architecture with a separate presentation layer and business logic, Flutter is a great choice. It provides BLoC architecture for layered architecture.

While on the other hand, the React Native architecture bridges the gap between native & Javascript. The Javascript code communicates seamlessly with the native API for a robust user experience online. Thus, this one gives more flexibility than the latter for a strong architecture.

React Native VS Flutter: Testing

With the automated Flutter unit test, the tech stack provides detailed documentation for performance testing at all the levels of integration, widget, & unit level. While React Native does not support UI levels or integration testing. It just has a few unit levels and so the developers are allowed to use Apium, Detox, unearth bugs, etc. tools for testing the app solutions. Thus, an individual needs to deploy the app using Xcode.

Widgets & Third-party Libraries

Both frameworks have different levels of relying on third-party libraries. Moreover, Flutter has extensive widgets and libraries that allow easy app development with identical user interfaces for Android & iOS. On the other hand, React Native, needs third-party libraries. The widget testing in Flutter makes the tasks easier, while in React Native developers need third-party tools for testing.

React Native VS Flutter: Components

Flutter has its components. If you want the same components throughout their applications and a ‘no update’ approach, then you can vouch for Flutter. With React Native, the advancement transforms Javascript components into native ones. Thus, to include the latest native components, you must manually update the application.

React native components update themselves automatically and are free, i.e. if you are after adapting towards trending inventions, then opt for react. 

Flutter VS React Native: Debugging

React native has a problematic debugging facility. So, if there is any error or issue on the Javascript side, react native code, dysfunctionality in third-party libraries, etc. Thus, it has more complexities when it comes to eliminating errors. 

While Flutter provides easy debugging as it has supporting tools in the form of OEM and DevTools. And so, the advancement fixes visual and Android studio errors by providing beforehand issue elimination. 

React Native VS Flutter: Community 

React Native has been for a while among us then Flutter. So, irrespectively the former has a large community than the latter. Flutter is young and gaining popularity, but it still has a long way to go. 

React native is getting vast community exposure because it does help React developers in making the best applications with a quick development & deployment facility. 

Also, the React community has more experienced developers than Flutter. The latter also has issues like large-sized files that hinder the community built up. However, it is a matter of time; we never know which technology will conquer the other.

Flutter VS React Native: Cross-platform capability

React native developers can easily build iOS, Android, and web apps via React. Microsoft also declared that developers could easily generate desktop apps in react native. 

React native developers are ready to improve the cross-platform experience with Typescript by default. Moreover, react native architecture updates and layout management has given a huge scope of high-performing applications.

In contrast, Flutter develops apps for the web, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS, and embedded systems. With each version, the young framework promises a new SDK letting developers share single code across the platforms. Also, Flutter will focus on desktop app development boosting the overall functionality of the solution.

Flutter vs React Native: Hot reload

Hot reloading is a feature available in both React Native and Flutter that allows developers to see changes to their code in real time without having to refresh the application manually. It can save significant time during the development process as it eliminates the need to stop and restart the application every time a change is made. 

In React Native, hot reloading refreshes the UI of the application with the new changes made to the code while preserving the current state of the app. Thus, the feature is enabled by default and can be accessed through the development menu in the app.

 In Flutter, hot reloading works similarly to React Native, allowing developers to see changes to their code in real time without losing the app’s current state. 

Overall, hot reloading is a powerful tool that can greatly improve the development process in both React Native and Flutter.

React Native VS Flutter: Programming language

This uses JavaScript as its programming language, while Flutter uses Dart.

React native uses a version of JavaScript called JSX, which allows developers to write HTML-like code in JavaScript to create UI components. On the other hand, Dart has a strong type of system that can help catch errors before runtime and is optimized for building UI-intensive applications like Flutter.

Both JavaScript and Dart have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice between them ultimately comes down to personal preference and the project’s specific needs. 

However, developers familiar with JavaScript may find it easier to start with React Native. In contrast, those who are new to programming may find Dart and Flutter to be more beginner-friendly.

Flutter VS React Native: Packages & Libraries

React Native has a huge ecosystem of packages & libraries as it is a part of Javascript. And thus, with the accessibility of Node’s npm repository of packages, it has over 1.8 million packages hosted on it. 

While Flutter’s pub-dev repository is young and dynamic, it does not have many ready-made solutions than React. On the other hand, react native chart libraries are also gaining traction for their data representation. There are more and more updates in the React offerings than in Flutter.

According to GitHub, in Feb 2023, Flutter had 496357 repositories, and Reacted Native UI library stands at 361,813. Thus, Flutter has grown its number, but if we look into it for technological advancement, React Native has the best offerings. 

Head-to-Head Difference Between Flutter VS React Native

Particulars	Flutter	React Native
Programming Language	Dart	Javascript
Component Libraries	Smaller library	Larger library
Performance	High-performance	Slow performance
Adaptive Components	Manual configuration of components. Not adaptive	Adaptive components
Architectures	BLoC	Flux & Redux
Hot Reload	Supported	Supported
First Releases	May 2017	Jan 2015

React Native Use Cases

1. Simple cross-platform applications

React native developers can easily build a cross-platform app with Javascript. One can build it using JSX and create a native application with powerful tools & interactive UI. As a result, it is a very cost-effective & convenient app development for front-end developers.

2. Quick prototyping applications

Prototypes are trending. React native is used to build one, to remain ahead of their competition. Thus, there are agile development methods for enabling clients with quick prototypes.

4. Building apps with reusable components

The businesses are after developing their applications at low cost, faster, and with utmost updating capabilities. And so, with React Native, the developers can achieve two different applications with a unique code on Android & iOS platforms. Once the code is written, you can use it to create React Native applications for many platforms.

Flutter Use Cases

1. Scalable application development

Flutter is an excellent choice for building mobile apps for iOS and Android platforms. It offers a rich set of UI widgets, development tools, and libraries, making it easier for developers to create visually appealing and responsive solutions. 

Flutter also allows developers to build high-performance, responsive web applications using the same codebase used for mobile apps. 

2. MVP mobile applications

Flutter is a popular choice for building Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) because it allows developers to build and deploy apps quickly. It is particularly useful for startups or small businesses looking to validate their product ideas in the market.

3. Enterprise applications

The advancement’s modular architecture, fast development cycle, and ease of maintenance make it a popular choice for building enterprise-grade mobile applications. It offers features such as real-time data sync, push notifications, and security features that are important for enterprise applications.

Thus, choose your favorite tech stack as per your project requirements & budget.

How WebMobTech Can Help You With Flutter or React Native?

Both frameworks work effectively in their specific areas. However, the major factors playing in your selection are budget and targeted audiences. Being a digital solution-providing firm, for us, both technologies serve different purposes. Our experts are always on the move when it comes to integrating such advancements into a suitable project for online success. 

React Native vs Flutter, the comparison in this article has helped you in setting a priority between the two frameworks. Consult us for more such insights for your app development idea or cross-platform development. Get a free quote for the same.

FAQs

1. What is the biggest difference between React Native and Flutter?

All components are rendered by Flutter using its canvas. While React Native converts JavaScript components into native. This can either be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. For instance, Flutter’s method will satisfy you if you want your components to remain exactly as you want them to. However, React Native is the way to go if you want your app to “catch up” with the most recent native component designs; this upgrade occurs automatically and is free with React Native.

2. Will Flutter take over React Native?

As per the StackOverflow survey of 2022, there is a significant growth in Flutter utilization than React Native. 12.64% of developers use Flutter whereas 12.57% of developers use React Native. Thus, such statistics state that Flutter might conquer space with time, but still, we never know what may come in the next innovation.

3. What are the popular apps that use Flutter?

Alibaba, BMW, eBay, and Groupon, are the popular ones that use the Flutter tech stack for their online ventures. 

4. What are the popular apps that use React Native?

UberEats, Skype, Coinbase, and Instagram, are the popular ones that use React Native tech stack for their online ventures. 

5. What are the benefits of using React Native?

Code reusability, live-to-reload, third-party plugins, large community support, and a component-based approach are some of the benefits of React Native applications.

6. What are the benefits of using Flutter?

Faster development, fewer errors, pre-built widgets, and hot reloaded features, all these are the core benefits of Flutter applications.