The two most popular frameworks, Flutter and Kotlin, are always caught in a contentious difficulty because of the rising popularity of cross-platform application development. However, many companies aiming to build up their cross-platform application pay attention to comparing Flutter and Kotlin.
Introduction to Flutter
Google first inquired about Flutter in 2013, when it had started collaborating with major players in the sector. Flutter is an unequivocally game-changing framework that is both free and open-source. With it, you can develop apps that boast a native look and feel, all while utilizing a single codebase. With the help of Flutter Desktop app development, thousands of new Flutter apps are produced daily.
Features of Flutter
Essential features of Flutter are as follows:
Availability of Widgets:
The widgets are used to build specialized, adaptable designs. Flutter offers Cupertino widgets and Material design, ensuring a bug-free experience on all platforms.
Minimal Code:
JIT, AOT, and Dart programming are used by Flutter, which uses less code, to improve an app’s overall performance and speed.
Open-Source:
Developers can leverage the Flutter framework to craft applications compatible with desktop and mobile platforms.
Hot Reloading:
It lets us see the Flutter code’s modifications immediately. With the help of this functionality, the developer may swiftly fix the bugs.
Introduction to Kotlin
JetBrains created the general-purpose programming language Kotlin in 2016. Kotlin strongly emphasizes interoperability, clarity, and safety. Amazon, Netflix, Uber, Trello, and other tech behemoths use Kotlin. The extra feature of Kotlin multi platform lets developers reuse the business logic without being constrained in how they can design the user interface for their app.
Features of Kotlin
Thanks to various intriguing features, Kotlin is one of the top cross-platform frameworks. Let’s examine a few of them:
Null Safety:
The language is excellent for null safety.
Smart Cast:
The data type of the unchangeable values is clearly defined and then securely cast.
Extension Function:
Using extension functions and attributes, you can increase the functionality of classes in Kotlin without altering their source code.
Concise Nature:
Using the Kotlin language, developers can create fewer pointless lines of code, ultimately leading to shorter code.
Which One Is Best? Flutter Or Kotlin (Comparison)
Flutter or Kotlin, which do you want to decide between these two frameworks for your Android app development? This comparison can help you understand their similarities and differences. Here are some of the differences we’ve noticed so far to help you make an informed decision.
Popularity
Kotlin and Flutter are free and open-source tools, although Flutter is more extensively used and is becoming more well-known. From a business perspective, Kotlin and Flutter have different network sizes. Hiring experienced Flutter developers might be more business beneficial compared to Kotlin developers. Flutter has a larger community size with 90.4k stars and 12.1k contributors on GitHub, indicating a vibrant and active community of developers.
Learning Curve
Kotlin outperforms Flutter when the learning curve is used as a metric for comparison. Google used to offer a variety of Kotlin training courses. It is noticeable how unique the situation is for Kotlin and Flutter. Kotlin multiplatform is a young ecosystem with limited commercial resources compared to Flutter.
Other programming languages have similar syntax to Kotlin. As a result, Kotlin developers can spend a little bit of time learning the language from scratch.
Performance
The building of Flutter apps uses the Dart programming language. Because they are promptly converted into machine code, these applications run quickly. Furthermore, it alters the rendering engine to draw each view component independently from the web view and the OEM widgets of the device.
Kotlin is a language that is often used as a benchmark. However, an object-oriented programming language is used to construct the majority of Android and cross-platform apps. Programs written in Kotlin run faster and offer better performance on all platforms.
Backend Capabilities
Flutter is recognized for its beautiful user interface. This tool provides numerous options to customize widgets and is user-friendly. Despite its visually appealing interface, it also has a strong backend.
On the other side, because Kotlin is a general-purpose programming language, it gives developers a tonne of flexibility to design and modify their programs as necessary. Consequently, it’s an excellent choice for developing intricate and substantial apps that can be a little more difficult to complete employing a framework like Flutter.
For instance, eBay Motors said that by using Flutter to create new apps, they cut development time by over 98%.
User Interface
A cross-platform widget-oriented framework is called Flutter. Its unrivaled customizability enables Flutter developers to produce one-of-a-kind, practical, and scalable applications. Because Kotlin is a general-purpose language, it can run on multiple operating systems. Kotlin developers may easily and without problems design useful apps using this language.
Integration
Flutter is the ideal platform for creating a minimally viable product because it connects with both platforms rapidly and effectively. Integration is not a problem with Flutter, but Kotlin users do not need to integrate. Yes, you’re right. With the help of Kotlin, users may operate within their native framework on several platforms. Because of this, developers may utilize their native libraries and tools to create cross-platform programs without the requirement for integration.
Kotlin or Flutter: Which Should You Use When?
Kotlin and Flutter both have pros and cons for cross-platform app development. The comparison can help you with the right choice:.
Use Flutter When,
- Creating a prototype or minimum viable product
- Creating an intense, rapid, and inexpensive solution
- developing applications quickly and under pressure
- Interactive and attractive user interface
- Creating applications with native-like functionality, such as geolocation, cameras, etc.
Use Kotlin When,
- Updating or changing the current applications
- To create complex and demanding codes
- Creating a different cross-platform application instead of your extensive application
- Integration of cross-platform applications
- Rapid bug detection and correction
- Creating server-side code quickly and effectively
Conclusion
After analyzing parameters such as popularity, performance, learning curve, and time to market, we have determined that Flutter vs Kotlin have distinct features.
Flutter and Kotlin are both reliable for building cross-platform and native apps. Hence, choosing the best cross-platform app development platform will be better depending on your specific project requirements and objectives.
If you want to develop Android applications, Kotlin is a good option. If you want to build a strong and efficient MVP, consider using Flutter. If you’re not sure which one to choose, it’s best to seek advice from experts.