Flutter is a mobile app development framework created by Google that allows developers to build high-performance, cross-platform applications using a single codebase. It has gained a lot of popularity since its launch in 2017 and has become a favorite among developers due to its features like hot reload, widget-based UI, and easy-to-learn programming language.
However, like every other technology, Flutter also has its limitations, which developers need to consider before using it. In this blog, we will discuss some of the limitations of the Flutter framework.
Large app size
One of the significant limitations of the Flutter framework is that it can result in large app sizes. Flutter apps have a minimum size of 4MB, which is much more significant than the traditional native apps built using Java or Kotlin for Android and Swift or Objective-C for iOS. This size can further increase if developers use third-party plugins or libraries, resulting in slower download and installation times.
Limited libraries and packages
Flutter is relatively new, and compared to other mobile app development frameworks, it has a limited number of libraries and packages. This can be a disadvantage for developers as they have to develop everything from scratch, which can be time-consuming.
Limited access to platform-specific features
Flutter is designed to provide a uniform experience across platforms, which means that developers have limited access to platform-specific features. This can be an issue if developers want to use specific platform-specific functionalities, such as ARKit for iOS or Android's biometric authentication system.
High learning curve for designers
While Flutter makes it easy for developers to build apps, it has a high learning curve for designers who are not familiar with programming languages like Dart. Designers need to learn how to use Flutter widgets to create UI, which can be challenging.
Less support for web development
Flutter is primarily designed for mobile app development, and while it can be used for web development, it lacks the necessary support and features for building web applications. This can be a disadvantage for developers who want to build web applications using Flutter.
In conclusion, Flutter is a powerful framework for mobile app development, but it also has its limitations. Developers need to consider these limitations before deciding to use Flutter for their projects. Nevertheless, Flutter is continually evolving, and Google is constantly adding new features and functionalities to the framework, which will hopefully address some of these limitations.
