The Best Mobile Development Framework: React Native Or Flutter?

React Native and Flutter have always been the two popular cross-platform app frameworks for building native-looking applications for multiple platforms, such as Android and iOS, using a single codebase. However, one discussion always pops up among the developers: React Native vs Flutter.

Sharable code is one of the key advantages of cross-platform mobile app development over native app development. However, the Stack Overflow Developer Survey reported that 8.23% of developers use React Native while 9.12% use Flutter. Why is that so?

Considering that React Native uses JavaScript, a programming language that experienced programmers are already familiar with. Meanwhile, Flutter requires programmers to learn a new programming language, Dart. This may make most programmers reluctant to learn Dart.

On the other hand, newer programmers are leaning towards Dart due to its modern structure and beginner-friendly nature. Before delving into React Native vs Flutter topic, let’s learn some key features of both these mobile frameworks and why they seem so popular among the developers!

React Native

React Native was developed by Facebook and released in 2015. It uses the same design as React, allowing developers to build mobile apps using JavaScript and React. React Native compiles to native app components and allows full access to native platform APIs. Some of the key advantages include:

Fast refresh for instant updates
Large ecosystem of libraries and tools
Code reuse by sharing code across iOS, Android and web
Popular among JavaScript developers

Some of the prominent apps built with React Native include Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and Skype.

Flutter

Google launched Flutter in 2017. It uses the Dart programming language and provides a library of visual, structural, and platform widgets for developers. The key features of Flutter are:

Fast development with hot reload feature
Expressive and clean UI development
Excellent documentation and widget libraries
Single codebase across web, iOS and Android

Many well-known apps such as Google products, eBay, BMW and Toyota are built with Flutter.

The Framework Face-Off: React Native VS Flutter

	React Native	Flutter
Performance	Slower UI rendering and navigation	Faster UI rendering and navigation
Cost Considerations	Lower learning curve for JavaScript developers	Dart programming language is easier to learn
Scalability & Adaptability	Relies on third-party libraries for complex UIs	More built-in widgets for faster UI building
Support & Maintenance	Limited flexibility due to native bridge	Powerful widget set enables custom UIs
Community/Support	Larger React community and abundant libraries	Smaller community but growing quickly
Integration/Compability	No native Google integrations	Native integration with Android and Google services

Performance

Winner: Flutter

Flutter apps generally have faster UI rendering and navigation performance compared to React Native. Flutter uses its own rendering engine called Skia (impeller, Flutter’s new rendering engine was recently introduced, but as of August 2023, it’s only available for iOS.) to draw widgets whereas React Native converts to native UI components. This gives Flutter an advantage in terms of speed. In terms of performance, both Flutter and React Native provide 60fps rendering capability for high quality mobile experiences. Properly optimized code in both frameworks can deliver smooth UIs and navigation.

Developer Friendliness

Winner: Tie

Flutter uses Dart as its primary programming language, while React Native uses JavaScript. For developers already familiar with JS, React Native may have a lower learning curve. Dart is easy to pick up but is less commonly known compared to JavaScript. Both frameworks have excellent documentation and active communities. The setup and getting started experience is easy for both.

Developer Experience

Winner: Flutter

Flutter has more widgets and UI elements built-in such as Cupertino widgets for iOS-style design. This makes building UIs and prototypes faster. React Native relies on third-party libraries or custom views for complex UI needs. Flutter’s hot reload helps accelerate development and testing cycles. Changes are reflected in real-time without losing the app state. React Native’s live reloading is slower in comparison.

UI Capabilities

Winner: Flutter

Flutter’s layered architecture and powerful widget set allow for fluid UI development and customization. React Native bridges to native UI components which limits some flexibility. Developers often have to use third-party libraries or custom components for UI needs. Flutter makes it easier to build and customize complex UIs aligned to brand guidelines.

Community and Support

Winner: React Native

React Native benefits from React’s vast community and abundance of third-party libraries. Flutter is newer and has a smaller community, though it is rapidly growing. Documentation and learning resources are more prevalent for React Native. However, Flutter’s official documentation is quite thorough.

Integration and Compatibility

Winner: Flutter

Flutter is developed by Google, which allows it to natively integrate with other Google services like Android, Google Cloud, and Google Firebase. This can make integrating things like Google Maps, location services, and databases more seamless for Flutter developers. React Native is developed by Facebook and does not have the same native integrations with Google’s ecosystem.

However, both Flutter and React Native have robust package ecosystems that allow developers to add integrations with external services like Google’s through third-party libraries. So while Flutter may have an advantage when integrating Google services, React Native developers are still able to achieve similar integrations through community-built packages.

When To Choose Flutter?

Performance-Critical Application: Choose Flutter for better performance due to its compiled nature, which is closer to native code.
Consistent Brand Experience Across Platforms: If you need a highly consistent UI across multiple platforms, Flutter provides a more uniform look and feel.
Custom UI Designs: Flutter makes it easier to create custom and complex animations and transitions.
Interest in Dart: If you or your team are interested in using Dart or wish to explore a new programming ecosystem.

When To Choose React Native?

Existing JavaScript Knowledge: If your team is proficient in JavaScript, React Native can be a more natural fit and can leverage existing skills.
Rapid Prototyping: For projects where speed of development is critical, especially if leveraging existing JavaScript and React libraries.
Integration with Existing Apps: If you need to integrate with a larger existing native application, React Native’s integration capabilities are beneficial.
Utilization of a Larger Ecosystem: Access to a vast range of libraries and tools in the JavaScript ecosystem can be a decisive factor.

The quality of the developed mobile app also depends on how well the developer knows the programming language, which will affect the quality of the app.

When it comes to coding skills, the debate on “React Native vs Flutter” does not really matter!

Selecting the right framework that aligns with the developer’s experience and proficiency in the respective language, whether it’s Dart for Flutter or JavaScript for React Native.

Further Reading:

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