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React Native Vs Ionic: The Battle of Two Cross-Platform App Development Frameworks

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The mobile application market is surging up and according to the current statistics; the number of apps has already exceeded 8 million as per the first quarter of 2018. The competition for the mobile app development industry is becoming more challenging and it really has a daunting task to engage customers. Most developers would agree upon the selection of platform or framework plays a vital role in increasing the customer retention and enhancing its popularity. And there is no paucity of choices as far as number of platforms is concerned. If you are planning to develop a cross-platform app, the story there is no different. With plethora of options such as Flutter, React Native, Ionic etc., you can pick the best framework that perfectly suits your project requirements. However, here we would be making a comparison between two most popular platforms; Ionic and React Native. But before we begin with the main battle, let’s start with a short introduction about both React Native and Ionic. React Native React Native made its first appearance in the year 2015, developed, and extensively supported by Facebook. It is a JavaScript framework used for creating native mobile and web applications using JavaScript. It thoroughly supports both Android and iOS platforms and uses designs similar to React, offering an interactive mobile user interface. However, remember that React Native does not offer any support to a hybrid or HTML5 app. Ionic Ionic is one of the popular open-source platforms employed for building outstanding hybrid mobile applications. It was initially introduced in 2013 by Drifty Co. As such, the apps built with JavaScript, CSS, and HTML5 basically opt for the Ionic. The framework uses Apache Cordova and Angular, which makes a preferred choice for the developers. Like React Native, it also supports the cross-platform app development. The tools like SaaS and CSS etc. further aid in the development process. The Major Difference – Native and Hybrid It is evident from the short introduction of the React Native that it only used for developing the native mobile and web applications using JavaScript. The developers can share the codes across the dais by rendering the native components. The User Experience works in close proximity with the other native apps following the models offered by the Operating System. The React Native also offers improved performance as well as seamless animations. However, you would only get the desired result if the bridge components are written for the native components and offers a default. On the other hand, Ionic is a staunch supporter of the hybrid application development framework. It usually makes use of the web-based technologies for writing and rendering the application and chooses Cordova or PhoneGap for the assessment of native features. It also comes with a feature Ionic Native. But don’t think that you can create native apps using this feature. It is also known as the ngCordova, which proves helpful in utilizing the existing Cordova and PhoneGap plugins. The Difference in Technology Stack If we talk about the React Native, it is based on the principle ‘Learn once, write anywhere’. This means that the developers will have to follow the set of rules and make use of the native components. React Native emphasises keenly on the UI with the presence of the UI components. For instance, you know that Android has a highly customizable toolbar, which is absent in iOS. So, you can use something else. A number of components have equivalents and if isn’t there you can simply segregate the platform-specific logic. The theme of the Ionic is ‘Write once, run anywhere.’ It offers a comprehensive Software Development Kit to help create hybrid apps. As told, it gets the fuel from web technology and is built on the top of Angular. You can create multi-platform apps using minimal codebase. The well-experienced Angular developers will find no problem whatsoever when working on with the Ionic framework. It also offers built-in components, which simplify the process of app development and enhances the speed as well. What about the Performance If we have to tell you who the better performer is amid the two competitors, then certainly, React Native is the winner. The reason is that it is known for its closer resemblance with native and comparatively faster. However, the developers need to make some changes in the platform-specific component. React is also known for its stability and ideally suitable for developing large-scale apps. On the flipside, building native apps are costly than the hybrid apps. Ionic is slower than React Native due to the presence of the WebView. It mainly uses the mobile-optimized HTML, CSS, and JavaScript components. When you want to add that hybrid factor in your native apps, you can choose Ionic. In addition, it is also good at developing faster prototypes. The bottlenecks in the performance also occur due to the presence of a number of callbacks in the native codes. The Ease or Difficulty of the Language The Ionic framework is closely related to the Angular, which is another very popular JS framework. It follows the Mode-View-Controller model clearly and has got the logic completely separated. It utilizes the HTML view for its views. React Native also is based on JS framework and its code is similar to HTML, known as JSX. The JSX is quite an easy codebase to work with. However, if you are not working in a team or if there is a lack of collaboration, then you might find it difficult as it wouldn’t be as easy as editing the template files and writing CSS. There’s a difference between JSX and HTML as the former does not offer the theories of CSS entirely. Community and Plugins You would be delighted to note that while working with React Native, you would come across several plugins accessible on the NPM. In fact, the plugins are also available while using the PhoneGap or Cordova allowing you to straight away receive lot of plugins from other communities as well. Again, if you compare the

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Flutter for Cross-Platform App Development: To use or not to use?

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In recent years, the popularity of cross-platform mobile app development has been increasing. As an app development platform, it has been catering to the needs of forward-thinking businesses. Android and iOS have been the most popular platforms to develop mobile apps. It is necessary to write different codes, when you develop apps on these platforms. However, with cross-platform app development, you can save your efforts and time. Various tools have been developed to facilitate cross-platform development of apps. You must be familiar with web-based tools like Xamarin developed by Microsoft, PhoneGap developed by Adobe, and React Native developed by Facebook. Developers have varying opinions on whether they should use Flutter for cross-platform app development. Here, you will come to know about its features, pros and cons. What is Flutter and Why Was It Developed? Flutter is a software development kit (SDK) for mobile apps, developed by Google. It has been developed to build mobile applications for the major app development platforms, like Android and iOS. As an open-source framework, Flutter is free and it offers a complete package of development tools, widgets and frameworks. This enables the app developers get a better experience, easing up the process. Although Flutter is a comparatively new tool, companies like Tencent and Alibaba have already embraced the technology. Besides, Flutter is being used by Google in the app called ‘Google Ads’. Therefore, Flutter has already proven its importance in developing native-looking apps on Android and iOS, using the same code base. As a full product, Flutter has made its way into the market since December 2018. Important facts about Flutter The enriched UI elements of Flutter follow particular guidelines Flutter is open source and comes free of cost The Flutter architecture is based on reactive programming The developers can benefit from its highly customizable and fast widgets An object-oriented programming language, called Dart, has been used to develop Flutter The C++ rendering engine is used in Flutter React Native app development turns out to be the main competitor of Flutter What Google has worked on Support for app development on Windows Key parts of the engine to enhance performance Tooling for Visual Studio Code and Android Studio Support for a greater number of Firebase APIs Support for ads, charts and online video Accessibility and internationalization Impressive documentation Bug fixes This software development kit, enables the developers to come up with 2D mobile apps. It can be used to build feature-rich apps, which support, geolocation, cameras, storage and network. To develop high-quality stock apps or branded designs, Flutter is perfectly suitable. Pros and Cons of Flutter Before you consider using Flutter to develop your business apps, have a look at its pros and cons. Pros of Flutter Flutter has many advantages that attract app developers as well as business owners to choose this framework. Here are some of the major benefits of Flutter: Developing Android and iOS Apps Simultaneously The same code base is used in Android and iOS apps that are built using Flutter. Therefore, it is not necessary to develop a particular system and then repeat the same mechanism for the other. Apps that are developed using Flutter are equally effective on both Google and Apple platforms. The process requires less coding during development and business firms can launch the apps on both the platforms simultaneously. Faster Prototyping The hot reload feature of Flutter is one of the core aspects, which convinces the developers. Using this feature, they can perceive any change that is made to the code in real time. They need not restart the app. The source code, which is updated, can be injected to the app under a running condition. The widget tree is automatically built by Flutter, so that the changes show up in real time. The benefit of hot reload is that, the process becomes dramatically faster. The entire process is improved and the developers are able to identify the bugs, no sooner than they appear. Eventually, they can test the new features or UI without any hassle. Lesser Coding The Dart programming language used in Flutter app development is strongly typed and object-oriented in nature. In Flutter, the programming style is declarative and reactive. The JavaScript bridge is not necessary in Flutter, that enhances the overall performance and startup time of the app. The AOT (Ahead-of-Time) compilation makes it possible for Dart to achieve this. Dart also uses the JIT (Just-in-Time) compilation that enhances the development workflow, permitting the hot reload feature to get the UI refreshed during the development process. Therefore, it is not necessary to build it from the scratch. Suitable for MVP At times, business firms need to showcase their products to investors in a short time. In these situations, a Flutter mobile app can serve the purpose. On both Android and iOS platforms, the apps look native. This will enable the investors gain a better idea on the final look of the MVP. It costs more money and takes far more time to develop two separate apps. Evidently, it can enhance the productivity of your business. Widgets Regardless of the size of the screen, the widgets should be having a natural look. These are needed for the view and interface of the apps. Besides, your widgets should be easily customizable, extensible and fast. Flutter comes with an enriched set of widgets, which offers extensive capabilities to create intricate customized widgets. Besides, these can be used for the app itself as well as for the entire screens. The documentation in Flutter states that each widget comes as an absolute declaration of the user interface. Other frameworks separate view controllers, views, layouts and various other properties. On the other hand, Flutter comes with these widgets as a unified object model. Cons of Flutter The Flutter framework is comparatively young, and it will still be developing. The toolkit comes with certain flaws, as presented here: Limitations in Libraries Although Flutter has several important libraries, the framework is comparatively new. You might not find all the

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Kotlin Vs Flutter: Which Should You Choose For Cross-Platform App Development?

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Let’s face it. Now, it is hard to imagine life without apps. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go back to sleep, a plethora of apps surrounds us. As per eMarketer, an average American spends over 3 hours 43 minutes on mobile devices! With the world of app development, the cross-platform app development market is experiencing immense growth with every passing year. To say that they are the new norm of the app development industry wouldn’t be wrong. Cross-platform app development allows developers to use one code to develop an app for multiple platforms. According to Stat Counter, approximately 98 percent of the total mobile operating system sector is accounted for by Android and iOS. Therefore, cross-platform apps that cater to both allow the app developer to reach a broad market for a lower deployment cost. Previously, to develop cross-platform apps, developers had to either rely on Flutter or React Native. However, now a new competitor has entered the market and is a force to be reckoned with- Kotlin. Between Kotlin and Flutter, it is easy to get confused about which solution is better. Kotlin Vs Flutter: An Introduction Before we compare the two platforms to see which one is better, it is first imperative to understand what the two platforms bring to the table. What is Flutter? It is safe to say that the Flutter has managed to become quite popular ever since its launch in 2015. According to AppBrain, Flutter accounts for 0.24 percent of the app market and 0.07 percent of downloads. The open-source SDK of Flutter enables the creation of the native-looking web, mobile, and desktop apps using a single codebase. What has allowed Flutter to reign the cross-platform app development market is Google’s insights regarding the technological and market challenges being faced by the industry. Flutter’s UI emerged as an effective solution for the obstacles, and soon, big brands like Square, Groupon, eBay, The NewYork Times, and Alibaba Group leveraged the platform for the development of their apps. One key distinguishing feature of Flutter is its ability to secure apps with the same level of protection as websites. What is Kotlin? Kotlin is rapidly emerging as one of the most highly adopted languages, only second-best to Java. The platform is supported by Google and is often considered to be the preferred language for Android App development. According to AppBrains, over 82,000 apps currently use Kotlin. And its overall market share stands at 9.93 percent apps, and 22.36 percent of downloads. Microsoft Word, Huawei Video Player, and Samsung Experience Service are some of the most popular apps that make use of Kotlin. Kotlin was designed by JetBrains. The language makes use of Java Virtual Machine and bridges it with unique functional pieces. Together, Kotlin delivers new development properties to app developers. Since the Kotlin language successfully overrides general programming errors and misconceptions, it is among the most reliable languages and platforms out there. This property also ensures that the apps developed via Kotlin experience minimal crashes and system failures. Kotlin multiplatform is an additional feature of Kotlin that can be compiled to JVM bytecode, JavaScript or native LLVM code. It can be used for Android, iOS, Web, Desktop, and in backend development in Java framework. Kotlin Vs Flutter: Let the Battle Begin Both Kotlin and Flutter have great things to offer to app developers. But, a choice must be made between the two. Here is the Kotlin vs Flutter comparison, based on some of the most imperative metrics there are in the world of app development. Performance Flutter delivers excellent hot reloading functionality to its users. What does this translate to? Well, high-quality reloading functionality allows for convenience in the process of making alterations at the backend while simultaneously viewing the difference of the modifications in the front-end. In other words, Flutter allows you to easily decide, on-the-go, whether different elements look perfect. Kotlin doesn’t disappoint with its performance either. The advantage of the Kotlin language for cross-platform app development is that multiplatform compiles the code in the same format as the platform you are using its form. This allows for better and customized performance. In fact, the performance is comparable to Native apps. Programming Language Flutter is one of the top cross-platform app development frameworks that use Dart Programming Language, which was introduced by Google. The chances are you haven’t heard of this programming language. This is because it is rarely used. Yet, it doesn’t mean that it is not effective. Dart syntax, though rare, is quite easy to understand and learn. Especially for those developers that have already mastered JavaScript. Kotlin itself is a programming language which is quite similar to Java. As mentioned above, Kotlin was created to interoperate with Java. Hence, just like Flutter, it is easy to comprehend for those who are well-versed on Java. UI Experience Flutter app development allows developers to take help from a variety of widgets as provided by the platform. This aids in creating customized and effective mobility solutions. Kotlin multiplatform, on the other hand, does not require the following of any set-in-stone instructions. Instead, it gives liberty to the UI developer to create an app, without any restrictions. This allows for customized UI experience. In other words, you can create an app that is genuinely unique and aligned with your vision. Price and Testing Support Both Flutter and Kotlin are open source and hence free to use. So, there is no better player in these metrics. But, the testing support, the two provide differ from one another. While Flutter tends to deliver a wide variety of testing features, including a unique widget testing feature, Kotlin focuses more on delivering backend development services. It uses Firebase to offer secure backend options. Why Choose Flutter? All in all, here are the things Flutter gets right: Hot Reload Functionality One of the most significant reasons big brands prefer Flutter is because of its hot reload functionality. This feature aids developers in streamlining the

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