Flutter
and Xamarin are both cross-platform mobile application development frameworks,
you can create both IOS and android app using one code in flutter and Xamarin.
In this post, you will understand both technologies and difference between
them. Flutter and Xamarin are not programming languages, they are mobile
framework.
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| flutter vs xamarin |
Short Introduction
Flutter
is google product, launched in 2017 whereas Xamarin is Microsoft product and it
is launched in 2011.
Direct Comparison
Flutter
is open source and it is free to use while Xamarin is free for educational
purposes and paid for commercial purposes ($539 - $2,999). Xamarin uses C#
programming language which is old and popular programming languages and has a
lot of developer already which means Xamarin has larger community than Flutter
so you can easily get help in Xamarin as compared to Flutter. Flutter uses Dart
programming language which is completely new and unpopular, a java developer
can easily learn flutter. Heavy graphics handling is poor on Xamarin and moderate
on flutter. App size create after release in Xamarin is smaller than flutter.
Xamarin is good on app sizing matter. Flutter has good compatibility of 3rd
party libraries as compared to Xamarin. Xamarin has two different compilers,
one for android called as JIT/ AOT and second for IOS called as AOT. Flutter
has one complier for both IOS and android called as AOT + Dart VM.
Advantages and
Disadvantages
We
will compare advantages and disadvantage of Flutter and Xamarin on following
points
1. Programming language
2. Technical Architecture
3. UI Component and
Development API
4. Developer productivity
5. Community Support
6. Testing support
On
Programming language wise, Xamarin is better than flutter the reason is
that C# is most popular and most usable programming language in software
market and Flutter uses dart programming less known. For now Xamarin get the
advantage over Flutter. In further if dart get a lot pool of developer than it
is possible the advantage will goes to flutter, but for now Xamarin programming
language is better.
Technical Architecture is basically internal things in framework, It is important to know architecture before choosing framework for your project. Xamarin uses Mono execution environment. In case of IOS, Mono runs along with Objective-C runtime on Unix and Kernel and it has also Swift runtime support but this lives in separate repository while for android its run along with android runtime on Linux or other Kernel. In simple words compilation for both Android and IOS held separately. Flutter uses modern architecture and do compilation for Android and IOS simultaneously. Flutter uses Skia execution environment which is C++ engine, C++ is best programming language to target performance. It has all protocols, compositions and channels, Flutter framework has already inbuilt components, due to its bigger it often not need a bridge to communicate with native modules, It has so many frameworks like material design and Cupertino, contain inside Flutter provide all required technologies to develop modern Android and IOS app. Due to advanced and efficient architecture of Flutter in comparison of Xamarin give architecture advantage to Flutter.
The key of cross platform mobile app development is support of native components, that framework has API to access native module without any difficulty. Xamarin support multiple platform like iOS, Android, Forms, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and also have a lot of UI components and modules for developer and have very detailed documentation of UI components or modules. Flutter framework is rich in components it is bundle with UI rendering components, due to rich in components removes need of third party libraries. Flutter contain widget for material design and cupertino that allow developer to render UI on both iOS and android platform. In this case Xamarin is best over Flutter because of rich documentation and development API and it has more platform support than Flutter.
Developer productivity focuses on app development without or less wait and distraction. Xamarin has greater developer support because being a mature framework Xamarin has better tools and resources than Flutter.
Xamarin is old and stable and have greater poll of developer due to which it has better community support than Flutter.
Testing is very important to check bugs and check the app working as expected. There are different types of test held on app unit test, Integration test and UI test etc. Both Xamarin and Flutter have greater support for test but Flutter win in testing over Xamarin because it has widget testing support which is unique and it allow multilevel testing.