How is Flutter different from React Native?

Flutter and React Native are two popular frameworks for building cross-platform mobile applications. While they both allow developers to write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms, they have some key differences that set them apart.

Programming Language

One of the main differences between Flutter and React Native is the programming language they use. Flutter uses Dart, a statically typed programming language developed by Google. Dart is known for its ease of use and simplicity, making it a great choice for beginners. React Native, on the other hand, uses JavaScript, a widely used programming language with a large community and extensive ecosystem.

Rendering Engine

Another difference is the rendering engine used by each framework. Flutter has its own rendering engine called Skia, which allows it to render UI components directly on the device’s GPU. This results in high-performance user interfaces and smooth animations. React Native, on the other hand, relies on native components provided by the platform, which may result in slightly lower performance compared to Flutter.

User Interface

When it comes to user interface (UI), Flutter offers a highly customizable and flexible UI. It comes with a rich set of pre-built UI components called widgets, which can be easily customized to match the desired design. Flutter also provides a hot-reloading feature that allows developers to see the changes in real-time, making the development process faster and more efficient. React Native also provides a set of UI components, but they are not as customizable as Flutter’s widgets.

Ecosystem and Community Support

React Native has been around for a longer time and has a larger community and ecosystem compared to Flutter. This means that there are more libraries, resources, and third-party packages available for React Native developers. The larger community also means that there are more developers using React Native, making it easier to find help and support when needed. However, Flutter is gaining popularity quickly and has a growing community and ecosystem.

Code Reusability

Both Flutter and React Native allow for code reusability, but React Native has an advantage in this aspect. Since React Native uses JavaScript, which is a widely used programming language, developers can leverage existing JavaScript libraries and components when building apps. This can significantly reduce development time and effort. Dart, the programming language used by Flutter, is less widely used, so there may be a bit more effort required to find and integrate external libraries.

Choice of Framework

The choice between Flutter and React Native ultimately depends on the specific project requirements, the programming language familiarity of the development team, and the development priorities. If performance, UI customization, and fast development iteration are the main priorities, Flutter may be the better choice. On the other hand, if a larger community, extensive ecosystem, and code reusability are more important, React Native may be the preferred option.