Flutter VS React Native: Which to choose?

Flutter and React Native are both mobile app development framework for building cross-platform applications for android and IOS with a single codebase, but each have unique features and strengths that make them suitable for different use case.

Overview

Flutter:

Flutter is cross-platform framework developed by google in 2017 , it is open-source UI toolkit that allows developers to create application for mobile, web and desktop from single codebase. Flutter uses the dart programming language and provides a rich set of pre-designed widgets that enable developers to create beautiful, fast, and highly customizable UI.

React Native:

React native is cross-platform framework developed by Facebook in 2015 and is popular framework enable to developers to build mobile using javascript and React, it allows to create apps that render natively across platfoms by using native components and has large ecosystem of third-party libraries and tools.

Difference between Flutter and React native

Programming language

Flutter:

Uses Dart programming language, a less widely used language compare to JavaScript. Dart is easy to learn.

React Native:

Uses JavaScript language, the most popular language for web development.  React library, making it easier for web developers to transition into mobile app development.

Performance

Flutter:

Known for its high performance. Flutter apps are compiled directly to native machine code, which reduces the performance overhead of JavaScript bridges in React native. This makes Flutter a strong choice for apps that require smooth animations or complex graphic.

React Native:

General performs well but can experience performance issues due to the JavaScript bridges that connects JavaScript code to native components. For most use case, the performance is sufficient, but apps with heavy animations or complex interaction might encounter limitation.

Development Experience

Flutter:

Flutter Providers a highly productive development experience with its HOT RELOAD feature, which allows developers to see changes instantly without losing the app state. Flutter also has excellent documentation and robust set of developer tools.

React Native:

React native also support FAST REFRESH, a similar feature to Flutter’s HOT RELOAD. React Native benefits from large community and extensive resources, but some developers report challenging with managing compatibility issues across different devices and platforms.

UI Components

Flutter:

Flutter uses customizable widgets that replace native platform components, widgets are highly customizable, so you can have more control over the look and design of your app.

React Native:

React Native uses native components for IOS and Android, UI components look like platforms native UI components, so if IOS updates, the app will update too.

Community and Ecosystem

Flutter:

Has a growing community and ecosystem, with increasing adoption by companies worldwide. While Flutter's ecosystem is not as mature as React Native’s, it is rapidly expanding, especially after Google's strong support and promotion.

React Native:

Has a large, mature community and ecosystem due to its longer time in the market. There are numerous third-party libraries, plugins, and tools available to speed up development and solve common challenges.

Platforms

Flutter:

Support  mobile (IOS and Android), Web and desktop (Windows and MacOS, Linux), This makes Flutter a versatile choice for developers looking to build applications across multiple platforms.

React Native:

Primarily focused on mobile platforms (iOS and Android).

When to choose Flutter:

• High Performance: If your app requires high performance, especially with complex animations, graphics or real-time updates.
• Custom UI: if you need highly customized UI that looks consistent across platforms, Flutter’s rich set of widgets and customizable rendering engine.
• Multi-Platform: If you plan to support not only mobile but also web, desktop, or embedded devices, Flutter's cross-platform capabilities can save significant development time and effort.

When to choose React Native:

• JavaScript Familiarity: If your team is already proficient in JavaScript or React, adopting React Native can reduce the learning curve and speed up development.
• Native Look: If you want your app to have a more "native" appearance and leverage native components, React Native might be a better fit.
• Large Ecosystem: If you need access to a vast ecosystem of third-party libraries, plugins, and tools, React Native's mature community can provide valuable resources.

Conclusion

Both Flutter and React Native are powerful Framework for cross-platform app development, each with its own set of advantages and challenges. To chose which framework to use will depend on specific project requirements