Flutter vs Kotlin: Who Will Be The Guardian of The Cross-Platform App Development?
Actually, it is quite weird to compare Flutter and Kotlin, because one is a framework while the other is a programming language.
Flutter is a framework originally released to build applications for Android, iOS, and the Web from a single codebase. It later announced that the Flutter framework can be used to build applications for Desktop too. The main selling points of the Flutter framework are rich and colorful User Interfaces(UI) with strong native performances in any of its supporting devices. There are more benefits to using a flutter framework. Let’s state some of them.
1. Flutter has features such as hot-reload and hot-restart pre-installed in it. The hot-reload feature displays the changes done in a codebase and makes changes to the software accordingly. It works within seconds which makes it very fast. The hot-restart feature restarts the whole application in seconds.
2. Flutter is made up of widgets. Flutter Widgets are really the building blocks of an application. Even a flat button is a widget in the Flutter framework which makes code more readable. Developers can move widgets as per their requirements. This makes the process less cumbersome and fast.
Kotlin, a programming language that is multi-paradigm and object-oriented in its manner. It was designed by Jetbrains. It is a cross-platform tool that helps to build software in Android, iOS, Windows, and several other platforms. According to statista.com, Kotlin is in the list of “Most used programming languages among developers in 2020”. Kotlin is JVM-centric but it also compiles to Javascript in the making of Web apps. Previously, Android applications were made with the help of Java. Kotlin was introduced to replace Java to make Android Applications. Well, most people think that it did better than Java.
There are many questions raised regarding Kolin and what difference it has with Java. Well, there are some differences. But let’s state some reasons why Kotlin would be a good option to make applications.
1. Kotlin helps us to make better User Interfaces(UI).
2. More than two-thirds of developers say that Kotlin has helped them make them more productive while writing code for their software.
3. With the introduction of Null Pointer Exception and various other ways for safer programming in Kotlin, it has made Android applications crash less than before. Meanwhile, it is easy to debug applications in Kotlin.
4. Kotlin provides us to work on a single module and then one can move along to other modules if everything works to their wishes.
We have listed various benefits which give us a basic idea about them. To assess more, why don’t we compare them with various factors?
The factors are:-
The Backend Support
Time-oriented approach
Performance
UI/UX
Community
Programming Language Support
- Performance
As mentioned, the Flutter framework has a hot-reload function which plays a major role in providing favorable conditions for a developer while writing code. Flutter does provide us with a stellar front-end for our applications because of its abundance in selecting a widget.
Kotlin also gives us fine performance because of its sound tuning with cross-platform applications. It gives us an advantage to explicitly code in the same format for all the platforms.
2. Backend
For flutter, Firebase comes to the scene to provide backend support. Flutter works very well with Firebase. To make it more convenient for a developer, there are several plugins available that help to integrate Firebase in a Flutter code.
Kotlin itself is a great fit for server-side tasks, which allows us to write concise code in it. It supports coroutines which is a great boost for the clients who have high requirements for their app.
3. Time-oriented
If you want to make an application with MVP(Minimum Viable Product), then Flutter is your go-to response. Yes, flutter takes less time to make a prototype. It is quite cost-efficient too.
Kotlin doesn’t suit this factor. It does take a huge chunk in the budget if you’re preferring Kotlin to make your application.
4. UI/UX
Flutter does take a lead in this. With the help of its components and widgets, Flutter does help us to make dynamic and dazzling User Interfaces(UI). Flutter several choices to build a beautiful interface. With its abundance in Widget selection and Material Components, it does beat Kotlin to this. So, if you want to impress your clients with alluring designs in your application, Flutter is your partner.
5. Community
According to AppBrain, 1.10% of apps in Google Play Store use Flutter in their codebase. Whereas, in the case of Kotlin, 12.59% of apps use it. Companies with a larger user base for an application choose Kotlin. Still, you can’t underestimate Flutter. Major android apps in different sectors are made in Flutter. Such as:
Google Pay
Alibaba.com
Yandex Go
Nubank
Mi Fit
Kotlin has earned its name in the tech stack of major companies. Large android apps made in Kotlin are:
Google Drive
Microsoft Office
TikTok
Google Classroom
Conclusion
It’s quite difficult to pick out one from the choices. Both are highly reliable to make your applications. The thing is that both have their pros and cons, you need to pick according to the resources, developers, and budget you’ve got.
