Flutter is one of the newer but promising app development frameworks, and your business could benefit from adopting it for new projects. Flutter offers a range of benefits that can make it a better fit for cross-platform development, which makes building and managing your apps much easier. Before you begin your next project, here is why you should consider Flutter for your next app development project.
What is Flutter?
Flutter is the answer to a major problem that developers have. When they build apps, it often requires maintaining separate codebases for every environment that the app operates in. That means having code for Android, iOS, the web, and any other environments.
Flutter lets developers create cross-platform apps that are capable of deploying to almost any environment using a single codebase. That way, they save time on development and maintenance.
What Makes Flutter a Good Choice for App Development?
Flutter is great for business app development for several reasons, including:
Hot Reloading
Like other programming languages, Flutter is developed in an IDE where you can run previews of the app. Hot reloading allows you to quickly and easily preview changes made while coding. Instead of having to stop the program, make changes, restart the app, then reset the conditions you were testing, Flutter lets you reload with new code without having to take all of those steps. This is a great way to quickly test out ideas and get feedback on the look of your app.
Cross-Platform Development
The biggest benefit of using Flutter is that it is built for cross-platform development. Flutter makes it easier for developers to create apps that look and feel the same across multiple platforms. This means that developers can write one codebase and have it run on both Android and iOS devices, without having to worry about creating separate versions of the app for each platform.
Widgets
Flutter can also save time and make it easier to build features by using widgets. Widgets are pre-built components that can be reused in different parts of an app. This allows developers to quickly build out features without having to write code from scratch.
Open Source Development
Open source development has revolutionized the way we build apps, with Flutter app development being no exception. Since Flutter's source code is freely available to anyone, there is a community of developers that provide support for development projects, as well as develop new libraries and widgets that anyone can use.
The Flutter APP Building Process
Building apps using Flutter is like many other app development processes. If you follow app development best practices, the results will be good. Here is a deeper look at what developing with Flutter is like.
Start With the UI and UX Designs
Like any other project, start with the UI and UX designs. Without good designs, it will be very difficult to create a successful product.
You should start by identifying the user's needs and goals, then create a design that meets those needs. Once you have a good design, create wireframes that show the user how to interact with the product. This will help you visualize how the product will work and make sure it meets the user's needs.
One thing to consider is that if your company previously developed without a cross-platform system, then you may be able to plan for more using Flutter. The time and resources saved from using a cross-platform system mean that you may be able to plan and implement more features than before. Adjust your plans accordingly so that you can deliver a product that more than meets customers' expectations.
Install the IDE
To develop and run programs in Flutter, you need to use an IDE (integrated development environment). The most popular IDE for Flutter development is Microsoft Visual Studio Code. It is available for free on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Other options include Android Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, and Xcode.
Set Up Projects for Specific Platforms
Flutter has an internal system that lets you setup code for specific environments based on how you structure your projects. It will still let the code work for other environments, but you can focus on a coding style that your company is used to. You can also define other types of code, such as widgets, that you can develop and reuse later in the project.
Build and Run Programs
Finally, you can start to program your app and run tests. As you run tests in the IDE, remember that you can take advantage of hot reloading to save testing time. That way, you can run a test without having to do a lot to reset all of the conditions and parameters that you are testing.
Learn More About Flutter Development as You Go
One of the best ways to learn about Flutter app development is to try it out. If you don’t have the resources to spare or you need to create a new app quickly, then partner with KitelyTech for your project. We have the experience and resources to work quickly and deliver high-quality results. Call us at (800) 274-2908 to discuss your project.
