Is it worth learning Flutter in 2024 and Beyond? | Explained | Senior SWE

Summary

This video explores whether learning Flutter in 2024 is worthwhile. It compares Flutter to other technologies like React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform, and native development across various parameters: job prospects, funding, community support, user experience, and performance. Flutter is shown to have strong community engagement and corporate backing from Google. Despite some challenges in job availability and app size, Flutter’s growing popularity, powerful developer tools, and ease of learning make it a valuable choice for mobile developers looking to work cross-platform. Ultimately, Flutter remains a solid technology to invest in for 2024.

Takeaways

• 😀 Flutter is not dead and continues to be a strong cross-platform framework, supported by Google.
• 😀 Job prospects for Flutter developers are limited compared to React Native, Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP), and native Android/iOS development.
• 😀 The number of Flutter job openings is relatively low, especially when compared to React Native and native app development jobs.
• 😀 Despite lower job openings, Flutter has strong developer engagement and community involvement, surpassing other frameworks in activity.
• 😀 Google, as the primary stakeholder in Flutter, has contributed significantly to its growth, and major companies like Google, eBay, and Alibaba use Flutter.
• 😀 React Native has a more mature ecosystem with better job prospects and more packages available, including a large number of JavaScript packages.
• 😀 Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) has native performance and small app sizes, but lacks a rich ecosystem of packages compared to Flutter or React Native.
• 😀 Flutter has high engagement on platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and Stack Overflow, showing that the community remains actively involved despite the limited job market.
• 😀 In terms of performance, native apps outperform cross-platform frameworks like Flutter, React Native, and KMP, but Flutter still offers impressive speed.
• 😀 The learning curve varies depending on your background: Flutter is easiest for Java developers, KMP is ideal for Android developers, and React Native suits JavaScript/TypeScript developers.
• 😀 Flutter’s developer tooling is top-notch, offering powerful debugging and performance optimization tools, which makes development smoother.

Q & A

Is Flutter dead already?

No, Flutter is not dead. It is still actively maintained and used by many large companies and developers, and it has a vibrant community backing it.

What are the key parameters to evaluate the worthiness of a framework like Flutter?

The key parameters to evaluate a framework's worthiness include job prospects, funding and stakeholders, learning curve, popularity in the developer ecosystem, user experience (such as performance and app size), and developer engagement.

How does Flutter compare to React Native and native development in terms of job prospects?

Flutter has fewer job openings than React Native and native Android/iOS development, especially in the U.S. React Native and native development are more commonly used in larger companies, while Flutter is more popular in startups and smaller projects.

What is the current state of Flutter’s funding and stakeholders?

Flutter is primarily funded and supported by Google, with large companies like Google, Alibaba, eBay, and Tencent using it for their apps. This support helps Flutter maintain its relevance and growth in the industry.

How does Flutter's developer ecosystem compare to other frameworks like React Native?

Flutter has a very engaged developer community, as evidenced by its high number of GitHub stars, Reddit followers, and Stack Overflow questions. Despite having fewer job openings, Flutter's community shows strong developer interest and activity.

How does the popularity of Flutter compare to other frameworks over time?

Over time, Flutter’s popularity has grown significantly. It surpassed React Native in developer interest according to Stack Overflow surveys, and its community engagement on platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and GitHub is strong.

Why does Flutter have a larger app size compared to Kotlin Multiplatform and React Native?

Flutter apps tend to have larger sizes because they include the Flutter engine, which provides core functionality and rendering. In contrast, Kotlin Multiplatform and React Native have smaller app sizes due to their different architectures.

How does the performance of Flutter compare to other frameworks like React Native and Kotlin Multiplatform?

Flutter generally offers good performance, but Kotlin Multiplatform and native development offer the best performance. React Native faces performance issues due to the JavaScript bridge, but these are not typically noticeable in most use cases.

What is the learning curve like for Flutter compared to other frameworks?

Flutter is easiest to learn for developers familiar with Java, as Dart (Flutter’s language) is similar to Java. Kotlin Multiplatform is easiest for Android developers, while React Native is most accessible for those with experience in JavaScript and TypeScript.

What role does developer tooling play in Flutter's success?

Flutter has excellent developer tooling, which provides robust debugging features, performance tracking, and UI hierarchy inspection. These tools enhance the developer experience and contribute to Flutter's growing popularity.