Flutter Forked | Flutter++ is here

Summary

The video discusses the recent fork of Flutter called 'Flock,' initiated by developers concerned about the stagnation of the official Flutter team amid its growing user base. While Flutter has attracted millions, its development team remains small, raising questions about its future amidst Google's shift toward AI. Flock aims to enhance the framework by facilitating faster contributions and merges, but the long-term viability of this fork is uncertain. Developers are advised to weigh their options carefully, considering the stability of both Flutter and Flock before making commitments.

Takeaways

• 😀 Flutter has seen numerous forks, but the new fork, called Flock, aims to address specific concerns within the community.
• 😀 Flock was initiated by experienced developers who are frustrated with the current direction and support of Flutter by Google.
• 😀 The Flutter development team is relatively small compared to its user base, raising concerns about its sustainability and support.
• 😀 Despite Flutter's popularity and rapid expansion across multiple platforms, its core team size has not kept pace.
• 😀 There are challenges in contributing to the official Flutter team, leading to frustration among developers attempting to help.
• 😀 The growing focus on AI at Google has diverted attention from the Flutter project, potentially impacting its development.
• 😀 The creator of Flock believes that by forking Flutter, they can streamline contributions and decision-making processes.
• 😀 The Flock project positions itself as 'Flutter plus,' suggesting enhancements over the original framework.
• 😀 Developers are encouraged to participate in Flock by alpha testing, reviewing, and leading efforts within the new project.
• 😀 The speaker advises caution when adopting new frameworks, emphasizing the importance of choosing actively developed solutions.

Q & A

What is the main reason for forking Flutter into Flock?

The main reason for forking Flutter into Flock is to address the perceived lack of sufficient development resources and support from the current Flutter team at Google, which has not expanded in line with its growing user base.

Who are the key individuals behind the Flock fork?

The Flock fork is currently led by two developers, identified as Matt and Jesse, who are initially driving the effort and seeking to expand their team.

What concerns are raised about Google's commitment to Flutter?

Concerns include a limited developer team size, a lack of expansion despite increased usage, and a corporate focus shift towards AI, which may affect Flutter's development.

How many Flutter developers are estimated to exist, and what is the size of the Flutter team?

It is estimated that there are around 1 million Flutter developers, while the Flutter team is believed to consist of about 50 developers, leading to an unsustainable support ratio.

What challenges do developers face when trying to contribute to Flutter directly?

Challenges include limited review capacity within the Flutter team, slow response times to pull requests, and a mismatch in communication styles between external contributors and the internal team.

What advantages does Flock claim to offer compared to Flutter?

Flock claims to offer faster merging of contributions, more developer control over the framework, and a focus on maintaining quality while allowing for increased community involvement.

What is the speaker's perspective on the need for Flock versus contributing to Flutter?

The speaker questions the necessity of Flock, suggesting that developers could contribute directly to Flutter instead of creating a separate fork, while acknowledging the challenges faced in doing so.

What is the current state of Flutter's development according to the video?

Flutter's development is described as being in 'maintenance mode' for several platforms, with limited new features being introduced and a backlog of unresolved issues due to resource constraints.

What is the speaker's advice to developers considering using Flock?

The speaker advises developers to be cautious and not rush into using Flock, suggesting they consider the stability of existing frameworks like Flutter and React Native.

How does the speaker feel about the potential future of Flock?

The speaker views Flock as an experimental initiative with potential but remains skeptical about its long-term direction and viability compared to established frameworks.