Apple's iOS and Google's Android are two popular mobile application platforms that make use of their own technologies for development. Some famous examples include Swift for iOS using Xcode or Java, and Kotlin with Android Studio. Cross-platform frameworks, such as Flutter, have recently gained popularity. This platform combines native Android and iOS performance in a single codebase.

Is it better to design one app for two mobile platforms rather than two separate apps with separate codebases? We did this research to compare parameters such as development cost, performance, architecture, use cases, and more to make your decision-making process more pleasant. As you read this article, you will have learnt everything there is to know about Flutter and Native technologies, allowing you to choose the best option.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is a new open-source framework from Google that works with the Dart programming language (a fast, object-oriented programming language). It's frequently referred to as a better UI toolkit for creating cross-platform apps with a single codebase. The framework provides accessibility to develop a user interface that is easy to understand and versatile, as well as native performance. Smooth animations and user-friendly interface components are provided by Flutter.

What are Native Technologies?

Native application development involves developing an application-specific to either iOS, Android, or Windows. This is primarily done to allow the app to benefit from the device’s features, such as GPS, camera and so on. Native apps are installed through application platforms like Google Play for Android and App Store for iOS.Native apps are coded in languages that are supported by the device’s OS vendor:

iOS: Swift, Objective-C and Xcode 
Android: Kotlin, Java and Android Studio

The Comparison Battle:

1.Speed and Cost of Development

Flutter:
Flutter takes the strategy of "write once, run anywhere." This allows the developer to build a single piece of code that works on both iOS and Android. This means that with lower development costs, the time it takes to develop will be greatly decreased. Not only does it make it easier for developers to write code, but it also makes it easier for new developers to understand that code. Because the cost of training is low, even a new developer can be quickly trained, eliminating the need to recruit numerous expert developers.

Native Technologies:
The time it takes to develop mobile apps using native technology varies depending on your budget, timeframe, and ability to scale. The primary goal of adopting native technology to develop small-scale and enterprise-level apps is to meet the expectations of Android and iOS users. As a result, either the development team will be enormous or two separate teams for iOS and Android would be required. This method increases the investment budget by requiring the teams to build two sets of code for distinct platforms. To put it another way, native technologies follow the "write twice, run twice" principle.

2.Application Size

Flutter:
The size of an application is mostly determined by the Dart and C/C++ Virtual Machines. Flutter's "hello world" app, for example, uses about 1.5 MB of memory. Flutter, on the other hand, can be designed to hold all codes and assets in order to avoid size constraints. In Flutter, using unique tags like –split-debug-info can assist reduce code size.

Native Technologies:
Consider a simple "hello world" app to get a sense of the very minimal size that Native technologies provide for iOS and Android platforms. Android apps utilising Java are 539 KB in size, whereas those written in Kotlin are no more than 550 KB. The "hello world" app on iOS, on the other hand, is between 1MB and 3MB in size. In the case of Android, the size of an app might range from 15 to 35 MB. The size can be decreased even more by using external or third-party solutions.

3.Application Performance 

Flutter:
Flutter does not require a bridge to interact between native modules because native components are available by default. The "hello world app" performs at 60FPS, according to the performance metric used by an average device. As a result, the time it takes to render each structure is less than 16 milliseconds.
Flutter uses the Skia graphics package, which allows the UI to be redrawn whenever the app view changes. Flutter runs smoothly at 60 frames per second in this manner. At the moment, it can run at 120 frames per second.

Native Technologies:
Without relying on any external library package, Android and iOS apps perform admirably. Native performance functionality is responsible for this performance. Even when "Core Animations" are developed for your app, native apps built with native technologies operate well at 60 and 120 frames per second. The maximum GPU usage native technologies load over RAM varies from 30 to 45 percent of total GPU performance. As a result, native Technologies can take up to 118MB of device memory if you have a lot of duplicate apps. Native technologies may overflow your device indefinitely unless you use an external SDK to improve speed while using less RAM.

4.Code Maintenance

Flutter:
Maintaining a Flutter application is simple because there is only one codebase for two apps. This ease of use aids developers in identifying issues, locating and utilising external tools, and integrating third-party sources. Furthermore, Flutter's stateful Hot Reloading functionality rapidly eliminates difficulties. When compared to native structures, the time it takes to release updates and change app features and specifications is less. It also allows for flexibility, which helps to maintain business stability.

Native Technologies:
Because you'll have to programme your app for many platforms, maintaining a native app takes more time and money. The explanation is simple: maintaining two codebases requires significant effort, and developers must identify faults and problems for each platform on a regular basis in order to provide distinct updates. The cost of maintenance rises as the number of supported operating system devices grows.

5.Native Features and Integration Capacities

Flutter:
Integration of unique features of third-party libraries or plugins is not difficult with Flutter, although it may appear sophisticated to developers unfamiliar with Dart's capabilities. Add-on plugins such as CocoaPods, Android Archive (AAR), and others are required to integrate specific functionalities for iOS and Android. However, the Flutter system has a maximum capacity for adding native modules using Android Studio's default Xcode. Its documentation includes step-by-step directions for overcoming these challenges and successfully integrating it with iOS and Android devices. It may lengthen the time to market, however this is generally disregarded due to the cost savings resulting from the usage of Flutter. It's also worth noting that Flutter currently supports all current iOS versions, including iOS 14, however it has its restrictions, and the functionality may change with each new update. The combination of Flutter and iOS 14 has not yet reached its full potential.

Native Technologies:
The integration of iOS and Android apps using various frameworks and programming languages varies based on the software design pattern and app performance. The majority of native frameworks for developing iOS apps provide greater security and expressive features, as well as the ability to integrate faster.

Decision Making:

Native app development and support necessitate a large financial investment. This is due to the fact that developers must adapt business logic, interface, and layout to the platform's features. As a result, the low-cost cross-platform framework Flutter is gaining traction among high-tech companies, as opposed to native technology.

If you are looking for an option to quickly develop an application for iOS and Android without serious losses in quality and budget, give Flutter a chance now, and contact Accrete InfoTech.