Flutter Development

Flutter is an open-source UI software development kit created by Google. It is used to develop cross platform applications for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, Google Fuchsia, and the web from a single codebase.

Without knowing it, you’ve probably already used the apps made with Flutter. Whether you shopped on Alibaba, ran an ad campaign on Google Ads, made payments with Google Pay, or used a digital coupon, you’ve likely witnessed the results of Flutter’s still comparatively short history.

Flutter is Google’s open-source technology for creating mobile, desktop, and web apps with a single codebase. Unlike other popular solutions, Flutter is not a framework or library; it’s a complete SDK — software development kit. Let’s briefly clarify it here to make sure we’re on the same page.

A library is basically a reusable piece of code that you put in your application to perform a particular function.

A framework is a structure that provides you with a skeleton architecture for building software. It’s a set of tools that serves as a foundation for your app, requiring you to fill in the blanks with your code to complete the entire structure and get the desired functionality.

An SDK has a much wider scope as it’s a collection of tools, including libraries, documentation, APIs, sometimes frameworks, and more, giving you all you need for software development. And that’s the case with Flutter — it already contains everything necessary to build cross-platform applications.

Other technologies such as Xamarin, React Native, Ionic, or NativeScript are also used to develop apps that work across multiple platforms. We have a detailed comparison of these cross-platform tools in a dedicated article. So what does Flutter have to offer?

The three main architectural layers of Flutter are

1. an embedder that uses a platform-specific language and makes the app run on any OS;
2. an engine written in C/C++ that provides a low-level implementation of Flutter’s core APIs. That includes graphics (through Skia 2D graphics library), text layout, file and network I/O, accessibility support, plugin architecture, and a Dart runtime and compile toolchain; and
3. a framework based on the Dart programming language. Its implementation is optional, but it provides a rich set of libraries that can be divided into layers: basic foundational classes, rendering layer, widget layer, and Material/Cupertino libraries.

What is Flutter used for?

Many large businesses have chosen Flutter to design branded mobile apps capable of providing a great customer experience. Among famous clients are Toyota, BMW, eBay, Alibaba Group, Groupon, and Etsy, to name just a few.

The SDK also perfectly fits into the startup ecosystem since it’s open-source, feature-rich, and cost-effective. Some startups that have been scaling with Flutter are

• Nubank, a Brazilian neobank and the largest digital bank in Latin America, as of today;
• Invoice Ninja, an invoice and payment platform for small businesses; and
• Reflectly, an AI-based mental health app.