Flutter vs Angular: Which technology is the best?
December 13, 2021•5 min read
Globally, according to StatCounter, the percentage of smartphone usage reached 53,98% over the past year, compared to 43,55% for desktop devices. The StatCounter website is actually a tool for analyzing web traffic. That's breaking news for businesses and entrepreneurs. In the face of such numbers, companies willy-nilly have to think about tailoring their product for mobile smartphones.
For this time, The Frontend Company team has chosen the hot topic of Flutter vs Angular for a new blog post. Why did we focus on this question? Firstly, we are asked about it during consultations or personal conversations from time to time. Secondly, this topic is of interest to those just planning to build a cross-platform mobile app and those who already have Angular 2 or Angular 2+ web projects.
So today, it's time to set the record straight once and for all. We don't want you to dig a 10-meter hole with a teaspoon; instead, we want to give you a shovel and speed up the process. Let's dive deeper to find out the Flutter vs Angular confrontation leader.
Why did the Flutter vs Angular issue pop up?
It may seem unusual to some that people are comparing these two technologies. In fact, the battle of Angular vs Flutter is pretty reasonable.
- Both technologies are made by Google and have excellent technical support. That's why programmers and business owners consider these tools highly trustworthy.
- While Flutter is just gaining popularity among developers, many web projects have already been built on Angular 2+. Unlike AngularJS, the TypeScript-based framework is adapted for mobile browsers.
- The two technologies are cross-platform. In theory, they can replace mobile and desktop application development toolkits.
As a rule, choosing technology for a project is one of the hardest tasks for a company. There are always a ton of pros and cons to each decision. We want to make it easier for you by breaking down the Flutter vs Angular battle into several pieces of information. We traditionally start with the basics and move smoothly to the technical aspects.
What is the difference between Flutter and Angular? Tools' concepts
Long story short, Flutter is a UI software development kit with open-source code. The task of this tool is to build cross-platform apps that run on iOS, Linux, Android, macOS, Windows, and the not-so-common Google Fuchsia platform. By theory, a single code written with Flutter can be applied to all the above-mentioned operating systems.
However, in reality, the SDK is most relevant for mobile applications. The Flutter vs Angular issue appears because of the theoretical cross-platform. After all, Angular can also be used to build cross-platform projects. About this a little later.
While Flutter is an open-source UI kit, Angular 2+ is an open-source front-end framework. It is used mainly for web application development. Angular 2+ is written using the TypeScript programming language, and it is compatible with all browsers, including mobile ones. Meanwhile, Flutter is based on the not-too-common programming language Dart and some elements of C++. These are the most apparent differences between the tools.
Of the non-obvious diffs, the purposes for which each tool is suitable should be highlighted. The SDK is best suited for creating Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and Single Page Apps (SPAs). The media, entertainment, and e-commerce sectors often use this technology to build mobile apps. In turn, Angular 2+ is usually chosen to develop applications with multiple pages and for services. The following tool does not have any limitations or preferences for the industries.
Flutter's strengths and weaknesses
We should first sort out the pros and cons for a better overview of the Google tool's capabilities and understanding who will win in the Flutter vs Angular battle. The Frontend Company team will never tire of repeating that technology selection should be based on these principles. Nothing will clearly show how this or that solution fits your project than a head-to-head comparison.
Benefits of this open-source UI kit
- Clear source code structure:interesting layers of architecture
- Excellent features for user interfaces:
- High-speed Flutter-based mobile apps:
- Clear and straightforward documentation:
- Small and progressive web application development:
Concerning the visual part, Google SDK has numerous advantages. That's why when it comes to the UI component, the Flutter vs Angular battle is won by the first one. You can check out all the possibilities on the Flutter Engage.
Drawbacks of this open-source UI kit
- A small community of developers:2021
- So far, there are few good libraries:
- It will take more time and effort to develop a mobile app:
As you can see, the Flutter vs Angular question won't be that easy for many to decide. Here you will have to choose between great design and speed of app development.
Strengths and weaknesses of Angular
Now let's go over pros and cons of Angular 2+. Although this solution is not a tool for creating native-like mobile applications, companies can still use it as an instrument for developing their web projects. Moreover, the finished products will be fully compatible with mobile browsers.
However, if you want to build an Angular-based application specifically, right after this block, The Frontend Company will share the secret of how to package your web apps with additional tools. So, it's time to evaluate Google's front-end technology capabilities.
Benefits of this framework
- Strict structure lowers errors in the early phases of development:
- You can break modules into files:
- Massive support from programmers worldwide:
- The framework offers reactive programming options:
- There is support for mobile browsers:
- Many libraries and add-ons:
- A stable tool with regular updates: releases
Currently, 12 versions of this framework have been released. It is an excellent indicator of how the front-end tool is evolving. However, in case you are upgrading, you need to be careful. The Google team recommends that you migrate from AngularJS gradually.
Drawbacks of this framework
- Without the help of other tools, you cannot build a full-fledged native-like app:
For the further Flutter vs Angular theme, we should also talk more about Ionic and what programmers can expect when working with this open-source SDK.
Ionic: An alternative solution for Angular-based mobile apps
Statista says, Ionic is still among the top 5 cross-platform frameworks in 2021. It comes right behind Flutter, React Native, and Cordova. Today we won't go into details of this tool's history. It is enough to say that Ionic is a fully open-source SDK that is suitable for creating mobile and hybrid apps.
The specific feature of the technology is that it is based on AngularJS and Apache Cordova. It makes the SDK great for transforming Angular-based web applications into mobile versions. The architecture is why that the tool is often used to create native-like apps. Besides, there are constant updates for Ionic. The last one was released in July 2021.
What do programmers like about Ionic?
- With this tool, one can quickly create an application. In the Flutter vs Angular theme, it is a crucial advantage of Ionic.
- Developers can build apps for Android and iOS at the same time. The main thing is not to forget about styles and plugins for each operating system.
- Coders will only need knowledge of Angular, JS, HTML, and CSS to work with the SDK. Additional tools will rarely have to be used.
- Specialists can do most of the development in the browser. However, when developing the native part of the application functionality for mobile, it will be necessary to use a smartphone. That is essential for debugging.
- Ionic has many components for the user interface. In this sense, an Ionic-based project will not lose out to the competition. And this is one important addition to the Flutter vs Angular theme.
- Programmers can use dozens of plugins to help interact with the features of mobile devices. It's cool because it allows you to adapt your ready-made project to use NFC, fingerprint scanner, camera, geolocation, etc.
What do programmers need to think about before using the SDK?
- If the plugins used in the process conflict, this can be a serious problem. In such a case, debugging takes a lot of effort and time to fix the native plugin with the bug.
- Coders need to make commits and use branches for new pages and features. Sometimes stuff gets damaged in Ionic for no apparent reason. Specialists need a safety net.
That's all for now. If the Flutter vs Angular confrontation seems absurd because of the difference in concepts, the situation should be clearer now. As you can see, with Angular 2+, you will build web and mobile applications. Even though you have to use SDK to do so.
Let's summarize the Flutter vs Angular issue
So, which is the best technology for mobile app development? If you want to use only tools from Google and create a product from scratch, you can try an open-source UI kit. It will make more sense, but you should be prepared to extend the development time. As for emergency smartphone app development, it makes sense to consider developing the project with React Native.
If you already have a working web app on Angular 2+, it doesn't make sense to redesign it on a different platform. It's much easier to use Ionic to create a native-like app. With the Ionic SDK, you will wrap your product in a native mobile app format. It is based on the two reasons listed above; you need to decide on the winner between Flutter vs Angular. If you're still having trouble deciding on something, book a call with our Managing Partner or contact us on the website.
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Alex Vasylenko is the founder of The Frontend Company, DBC and several other successful startups. A dynamic tech entrepreneur, he began his career as a frontend developer at Deloitte and Scandinavia's largest banking company. In 2023, Alex was honored as one of 'Top 10 Emerging Entrepreneurs' by USA Today.
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