Flutter vs Ionic: A Comparison Between Both
Ever since flutter has released there has been a debate on which is a better platform - Flutter or Ionic? The first-ever version of Ionic was released back in 2013. Earlier the Ionic version wads built on Agular JS, but with the latest stable version released in 2019, you can now select between React, Angular, or Vue. Flutter, on the other hand, was released by Google in 2018. It’s a cross-platform used by both Android and iOS.
Both Flutter and Ionic are known for creating high-performance and stunning apps that work everywhere. But, what’s the major difference between both? Which is a better platform to build apps? Let’s read out the details to understand the comparison between both.
What is Ionic?
Ionic is an open-source and free framework that is used to create high-performing mobile and desktop applications with integration of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript. The framework targets to enhance the front-end user experience. Ionic reloves around the feel, look, and UI interaction of the apps.
Key takeaways from Ionic:
- It inspires beautiful UI designs with a simple framework.
- MIT license and open-source.
- The framework is used to build progressive web apps and hybrid apps.
- It allows rapid prototyping.
What is Flutter?
Flutter has been around for a while now. Introduced as SDK for creating mobile apps. Using this you can easily create native and high-performing applications for both iOS and Android. The core language of Flutter is Dart which helps in producing first-rate native experiences. It is integrated with in-built Swift and Objective C on iOS and Java Code on Android.
Key takeaways from Flutter:
- It has ready-made widgets.
- Low-code frameworks.
- Backed by Google
- Excellent performance.
- Hot Reload.
Although Flutter is a new entry in the market, it has gained popularity in the less time span. Many big companies like - Alibaba, Google Ads, Hamilton Musical, and more are already using this framework.
Which one is right for you?
Well, choosing between both is daunting. There is a fierce war between both and choosing which is stronger is a critical decision. Let’s consider these parameters to understand better about these platforms.
Performance
When we talk about apps, performance plays a key role in deciding which platform is suitable for your business.
For example - if you are planning to build apps that are more consumer-facing then you should choose Ionic. One the other hand, if you are looking for something exclusively for animation, then Flutter is a smart option. In short, code quality plays a major role in deciding which is a better framework. And, the performance relies on the size of your app. Flutter uses heavy code to create a basic app while Ionic uses a standard size of 2,991 bytes.
Code Portability
Another aspect to consider is to understand the code portability between both Flutter and Ionic. This defines how both codes behave in different processors, environments, and operating systems.
- Well, both the Flutter and Ionic code perform equally when deployed on mobile and web.
- Flutter has web deployment limitations. If you want to deploy PWA apps, then you should go for Ionic.
- With Flutter, you can easily create stunning looking apps for both Android and iOS.
Knowledge and Skillset
Ionic is a JavaScript framework while Flutter is not. If be proficient in Flutter, you must know Dart language and the current market is dominated by JS developers. With JavaScript, you can work on more than 100 frameworks for mobile, web, and native development. Dart, on the other hand, is highly custom and can help in creating apps with ease.
With Flutter, you are only learning Flutter ways of creating the apps, but Ionic teaches you how to code JS style with CSS. And, this prevails longer than the other platforms.
Native Look and Feel
When choosing the frameworks the approach to native UI element matters a lot. Both Ionic and Flutter allow and access the native APIs via ready-made plugins. However, the native implementation of Flutter is customized. Ionic and Flutter don’t use the native UI elements. They both update automatically.
Learning Curve
Speaking of the learning curve, Flutter requires developers to learn Dart language while Ionic offers an easier learning curve thanks to the web technologies. If you are looking forward to creating a game or graphical apps then you should go for Ionic. Flutter is a newbie in the market and it requires support from the best developers of Google and the community.
Sustainability
Sustainability is another key aspect to consider when choosing between Ionic and Flutter. What exactly does sustainability mean? Here it means the flexibility and shelf-life of the project.
We all know how powerful Flutter has come up in the past few years, Ionic is still more sustainable than Flutter. When building an app using Ionic you embrace the open web standards. You need a much wider platform than Flutter that allows you to create a uniform script to develop cross-platform applications. Not just that, you can use the application with any JavaScript framework.
Who won the battle Ionic vs. Flutter?
You must have come to a conclusion, don’t you? Who’s the winner - Ionic or Flutter? Well, in our view Ionic is the Flutter.
If your focus is on building hybrid or Progressive web apps, then you should go for Ionic. But, if you are not emphasizing on building web apps, then Flutter is a convenient option.
Note that not every business is the same. However, a professional app development company is well-versed with the latest trends and technologies. They will guide you with better solutions and help you choose the better platform that caters to your business needs.
