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Flutter is a free and open-source mobile UI framework created by Google and released in May. In a few words, it allows you to create a native mobile application with only one codebase. This means that you can use one programming language and one codebase to create two different apps (for iOS and Android).I began as a front-end web developer before switching to Flutter development.

I believe there were some ideas that made it simpler for me to adopt Flutter. Additionally, there were some novel ideas that were unique.

In this article, I want to share my experience and encourage anyone who is having trouble deciding between two ecosystems by demonstrating how concepts can be learned and how they can transfer between ecosystems.

Ideas That Were Transferred

This section highlights similarities between Flutter and front-end web development. It explains the abilities you already possess that will help you if you begin using Flutter.

Implementing User Interfaces (UIs)

You put together HTML elements and give them CSS styling in order to implement a specific UI in front-end web. In Flutter, you create widgets and give them properties to give them UIs.

The Color class in Dart uses “rgba” and “hex,” just like CSS. Like CSS, Flutter measures space and size in pixels. For almost all CSS properties and their values, Flutter provides Dart classes and enums. There are also Column and Row widgets in Flutter. These are display:Flutter flex’s equivalents in CSS. Use the MainAxisAlignment and CrossAxisAlignment properties to set the justify-content and align-items styles. Wrap the affected child widget(s) of the Column/Row in an Expanded or Flexible to change the flex-grow style.

Flutter has a class called CustomPaint that is equivalent to the Canvas API in web development for more complex user interfaces. With CustomPaint, you can use a painter to create any UI you like. CustomPaint is typically used when you need something extremely complex. Additionally, when a widget combination fails, CustomPaint is the preferred option.

Multiple Screen Resolutions Development

Mobile apps run on devices, while websites run on browsers. As a result, you must keep the platform in mind when creating for either platform. The same features (camera, location, notifications, etc.) are implemented differently by each platform.

The responsiveness of your website is something you as a web developer consider. You manage how your website appears on larger and smaller screens by using media queries.

You have the MediaQuery helper class if you are moving over from mobile web development to Flutter. You can get the current device orientation from the MediaQuery class (landscape or portrait). It also provides you with other device information, such as the devicePixelRatio and the current viewport size. You can learn more about the configuration of the mobile device by combining these values. You can use them to alter the appearance of your mobile app across a range of screen sizes.

Working with Debuggers, Editors, and Command Line Tools

There are developer tools in desktop browsers. An inspector, a console, a network monitor, etc. are some of these tools. The web development process is enhanced by these tools. The same is true for Flutter’s DevTools. Among other features, it has a widget inspector, debugger, and network monitor.

Similar IDE support is available. One of the most well-liked IDEs for web development is Visual Studio Code. For VS Code, there are numerous web-related extensions. VS Code is supported by Flutter too. So you don’t need to switch to another IDE while transitioning. For VS Code, there are extensions for Dart and Flutter. Also compatible with Android Studio is Flutter. Flutter DevTools are supported by both VS Code and Android Studio. The Flutter tooling is finished thanks to these IDE integrations.

The majority of JavaScript front-end frameworks include a command-line interface (CLI). Angular CLI, Create React App, Vue CLI, etc. are a few examples. Additionally, Flutter includes a unique CLI. You can build, create, and develop Angular projects using the Flutter CLI. For analyzing and testing Flutter projects, it has commands.

Additional Thoughts On Flutter

A cross-platform tool for creating desktop, mobile, or web applications is called Flutter. Flutter apps have perfect pixelation. No matter the target platform, Flutter uses the same user interface (UI) for all apps. This is so because the Flutter engine is present in every Flutter app. The Flutter UI code is rendered by this engine. Each device has a canvas that you can paint on thanks to Flutter. For the purpose of handling events and interactions, the engine communicates with the target platform.

Flutter works well. It performs at a high level. This is due to the fact that it was created using Dart and makes use of its features.

Flutter is a wise choice for many applications thanks to its many advantages. Cross-platform apps reduce costs and time spent on development and upkeep. Flutter (and cross-platform solutions) might not always be the best option, though.

If you want users to use platform developer tools with your application, avoid using Flutter. Device-specific tools, such as Android developer options, are referred to as platform developer tools here. Developer tools for browsers are also included. If you want browser extensions to communicate with the website, don’t use Flutter for web. Flutter should not be used for websites with a lot of content.

Conclusion

This article reviewed the transferable skills from front-end web development to using Flutter. We also covered key ideas in app development that web developers must understand.

For web developers, Flutter is easier to use because both involve implementing UIs. Starting with Flutter will show you that it offers a positive developer experience. Try out Flutter! Utilize it to create mobile applications, and of course, show off what you create.

Article published on August 25, 2022

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Tags: Flutter, web development