Flutter or Ionic: Which Hybrid App Development Platform Should You Choose?

Given the popularity of mobile apps as well as the abundance of OS platforms available in the market, it is no surprise that hybrid app development is all the rage right now. But to glean value from such development, one must choose the right tools. Today, we will compare 2 such leading tools: Flutter and Ionic for hybrid app development.

And, regardless of having a common goal of developing high-performing mobile apps, both frameworks are inherently different. Detailed analysis helps with the selection of the right framework for business. It is across UI, performance, learning curve, etc. So without wasting any time let’s explore how Ionic’s standard web-based approach contrasts with Flutter’s custom approach.

Flutter: Created by Google, Flutter is a Dart-based open-source framework used for cross-platform app development. Time to take a closer look at what this development tool is about:

Pros:

1. It gets the hot reload feature which allows changes and updates to be reflected without reloading the entire app every time.
2. It can be easily integrated with Java, Objective C, Swift, etc., thus eliminating the need for rewriting code.

Cons:

1. Animation support and vector graphics often struggle with rendering plug-ins.
2. Flutter’s collection of libraries and tools is smaller than that of Ionic

Use cases:

• Apps with extensive data integration
• MVP mobile apps

Popular apps:

• eBay
• Google Ads

Ionic: An open-source UI toolkit, Ionic makes use of JavaScript, Angular, Vue, etc. Now, a deeper dive into this hybrid app development tool:

Pros:

1. Since it is a cross-platform development solution, Ionic helps cut down the resources, effort, and time required for the development of apps without affecting their native-like appearance.
2. Ionic further helps developers save precious time by providing a rather straightforward interface that helps access the native APIs and SDKs for each OS platform.

Cons:

1. Ionic is not suited for the development of apps that are either complex or memory-intensive
2. Even though Ionic provides developers access to a world of plug-ins, developers may still find themselves needing to build certain specific features from scratch

Use cases:

• High-performance UX apps
• MVC mobile apps

Popular apps:

• Microsoft Flow
• Sworkit

Now, let us compare Flutter and Ionic based on some key factors.

1. Code maintenance: Dart may be a tad complex, but it has no bearing on the code one needs for Flutter-based apps. The code of a Flutter app is not only simple but also enables developers to easily find bugs, leverage third-party libraries, etc. Unfortunately, Ionic lacks a bit in this regard, often requiring developers to rewrite code to ensure proper app maintenance.
2. User experience: There is no doubting the fact that Flutter is an excellent tool for delivering rich, high-quality user experiences, thanks to the plethora of easy-to-use tools and other development elements such as tailored widgets. Plus, Dart is great for preventing UI clutter and animation lag during the development process. Ionic is also not lacking in the user experience department. It enables the delivery of impeccable in-app user experiences with both iOS and Android apps.
3. Testing: Flutter is a Dart-based tool, meaning it supports automated testing. Now, about testing an Ionic-based app: since the app is made using web-based technologies, it is conducive to easy testing. Furthermore, browsers come with integrated testing and debugging tools, thus making the entire process that much easier.

Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen, a quick and yet extensive guide to choosing between two leading hybrid app development tools. To ensure you make the right choice, make sure to compare your project’s unique requirements against what Flutter and Ionic offer. After that, you can confidently decide if you need to hire a Flutter mobile app development company or one for Ionic.