Flutter Apps — The Best of Both Worlds
Introduction
HyperSense develops both native mobile apps (limited to one platform, either iOS or Android) and cross-platform apps (fully functional on both iOS and Android). The focus of this article will be Flutter, our framework of choice for building cross-platform apps.
What is Flutter?
Flutter is a Google software development kit (SDK). It allows for the rapid design of robust and scalable cross-platform apps for mobile, web, and desktop. Flutter is used by leading firms like The New York Times, Tencent, and Square for cross-platform app development.
Advantages of Flutter
The main benefit of Flutter is that it allows developers to build an app that works on both iOS and Android without having to construct two separate codebases, saving significant amounts of development time and money. In addition, apps developed with Flutter use a programming language called Dart that allows them to run natively (just as if they were regular iOS or Android apps). This avoids the need for the complex and time-consuming JS, CSS, and HTML required for mobile websites. Running natively also means faster performance, quicker start-up times, and better battery life than mobile websites.
Flutter also offers a continually-updated catalog of widgets (UI elements like pop-up boxes and dialogue buttons) that speed up the design process. To your customers, apps designed with Flutter look and feel like native apps. A Flutter app can seamlessly emulate Google’s Material Design paradigm, making the UX resemble an Android app, as well as utilize Cupertino Widgets to produce an experience indistinguishable from a native iOS app.
Finally, Flutter is just as secure as a native app. Flutter apps built by HyperSense offer dependable protection for the user data stored in the iOS Keychain or Android Keystore. They also incorporate specially-designed security to control access to sensitive features like fingerprint readers and Face ID.
Native Feature Support
Flutter supports most native iOS and Android features, allowing apps built with Flutter to access tools like device cameras and accelerometers that mobile websites cannot.
In the unlikely event Flutter does not support a given native feature, it’s easy for HyperSense to build a custom native plugin and integrate it into your final product. There is also an extensive online database of open-source libraries and packages created for Flutter to help quickly handle any of these issues.
Third-Party Integrations
When HyperSense builds a Flutter app, we also handle third-party integrations with providers of push notifications, cloud computing, payment services, and more. We make sure your Flutter app is well-integrated into the broader online ecosystem and performs well across devices and user channels. HyperSense can incorporate the following into your Flutter app:
- Payment providers like Stripe, PayPal, Plaid, and iDEAL
- Location tracking and maps like Google and Apple Maps
- Push notification managers like Firebase Cloud Messaging and Twilio
- Analytic software like Firebase Analytics and Mixpanel
- Social media services like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
- Crash reporting providers like Native and Sentry
Contact Us
If you’re interested in having HyperSense build a Flutter app for your business, use the button below to reach out. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.