What drives the choice of Flutter over React Native?

For those looking for open source options for apps, this might mean choosing between Flutter and React Native. While there are pros and cons with each, and React Native has been around longer, Flutter may be the better choice right now.

And if you're looking to launch apps but can't find the development team you need. And you have been told that your runway is now shorter in anticipation of a recession and rising inflation. Your software development framework may play a bigger role than expected.

Many mobile-focused companies considering cross-platform solutions choose Flutter over React Native. For example, listen to what Betterment's Sam Moore had to say on the Venturi's Voice podcast earlier. And according to JetBrains' 2021 State of the Developer Ecosystem Survey, Flutter has "surpassed React Native to become the most popular cross-platform mobile framework." What drives this?

Speak the language of talent

Take a step back from talent and ask yourself what factors drive your choices between open source development kits for your cross-platform mobile development. How does this impact your ability to grow? Here are eight questions to consider:

Do we want to be cross-platform (iOS, Android, Desktop, Web, Embedded) or is mobile cross-platform (iOS and Android) enough? Which options give us the best performance and quality? Which option grows and provides the best long-term benefit? Which approach provides the best developer experience? What is the learning curve and impact on productivity? Will we be able to train/hire effectively? Will our team benefit from streamlining our engineering management process? Do we value building and learning in a community-driven way?

Let's go through these questions in a bit more detail.

Multi-platform and multi-capacity

Do you need to be cross-platform? React Native helped popularize the cross-platform approach. But Flutter's cross-platform ability to go beyond mobile to include web, Mac, Windows, Linux, and more. was a significant breakthrough and selling point. Also consider multi-capacity dimensions. Can a SDK be useful for anything other than building apps targeting different screens?

Here, Flutter allows developers to go beyond traditional app development. They can move into areas that might have required entirely new workflows and tools before. These include games, backend code, and experiences for embedded devices. Flutter uses familiar tools without requiring proficiency with a new tech stack.

You can then program on a Raspberry Pi, like this project by Flutter GDE Roman Jaqeuz, start a game with 2D effects and physics, or even power up an infotainment system in a motor vehicle.

Plus, with so many changes in devices, Flutter's platform independence is a big risk-reducing factor. As David DeRemer of Very Good Ventures points out - "Flutter is about platform 'independence' as much as it is about the 'cross-platform' engine.

This is important because if you are a hardware startup and your device has a screen UI, but you are early in the development phase and have not finalized your OS , what are you doing ? Do you go for Linux, Android or possibly Windows? This decision should not be a trigger that slows you down, and you can change your operating system later if needed.

Catch up

Insiders say React Native has caught up and fixed a number of areas where Flutter was ahead.

Commentator and programmer