There was a massive uptick in the innovation of mobile apps after the COVID pandemic, with developers increasingly shifting to cross-platform options like Flutter. Despite its popularity, Flutter has important shortcomings. This has put developers on the search for more suitable substitutes.

Let’s go over 2 of the most commonly used Flutter alternatives:

Cordova

Web developers may use Apache Cordova, a free and open-source framework, to adapt their current HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code into native apps for various mobile devices.

Any web app you build using Cordova will be rendered in a browser’s native WebView. A WebView integrates online material into a local application like a button or tab bar.

Consider a WebView a web browser that lacks common user interface elements such as a URL field and a status bar.

Nitobi has also developed the practical app framework Cordova.

The web app running in this container has the same capabilities as any other web app running on a mobile device, including the ability to load external HTML pages, execute JavaScript code, play media files, and connect with remote servers.

Hybrid applications are another name for this kind of mobile program. The APIs of native devices are accessible in Cordova apps since they are bundled as mobile applications. The framework also supports the mixing of native and hybrid code snippets.

Features

• Cordova Core Components Cordova provides several fundamental components necessary for each mobile app. These building blocks provide the framework for an application, freeing us to focus on writing our logic.
• With Cordova Plugins, we can add JavaScript support for native mobile features. Using these extensions, the software may access hardware on the device, such as the camera, battery, contacts, and so on.
• This tool, known as a command line interface (CLI), is responsible for setting up processes and installing plugins on different systems. It helps get things rolling and streamlines the creation process.

Pros

• It’s easy to pick up, and you can use it to create programs that run on several platforms.
• This system is available to the public and does not cost anything.
• It doesn’t take long to create a cross-platform app using Cordova.
• It enables the development of applications for several platforms without learning additional languages.
• It’s a ready-to-use plugin that can access the device’s camera, GPS, and storage.

Cons

• Running the code in the browser window slows things down.
• Since hybrid applications are slower than native ones, it’s not a good choice for massive apps.
• Due to its reliance on several high-end plugins that are not yet accessible, it is not a good choice for game app development.

Xamarin

Xamarin is a free and open-source framework for creating native mobile applications for iOS, Android, and Windows.

Xamarin applications may be created on a PC or a Mac and then compiled into native app packages such as an.apk file for Android or an.ipa file for iOS.

Cross-platform app development in C# with Visual Studio is intended for programmers who want to use a single set of source files, tests, and business logic for many platforms.

You can design a mobile app that looks and feels native. With Xamarin, you can write your app in C# and have access to all the features of the native SDK.

This pattern allows programmers to utilize a single language for all of their business logic (or to reuse existing application code) while yet attaining native performance, look, and feel across platforms.

Features

Bindings for all of the core iOS and Android SDKs are included in Xamarin. These results are also strongly typed, making them easy to access and use while also facilitating thorough type checking at build time and throughout the development process. There are fewer runtime errors and better quality code when bindings are highly typed.

Dynamic language features, functional structures like lambdas, LINQ, parallel programming, generics, and more are just some ways C# excels above Objective-C and Java. These benefits are reflected in the fact that Xamarin applications are built in C#.

Xamarin offers full cross-compatibility with iOS, Android, and Windows, three of the most popular mobile operating systems. Up to 90% code reuse is possible when creating apps using Xamarin. Essentials offer a standard application programming interface (API) for accessing common features across the three systems. Using common source code can drastically reduce the time and money required to bring a new mobile app to market.

Xamarin applications use the.NET BCL, a large collection of classes with simplified and powerful features, including strong support for XML, databases, serialization, IO, strings, and networks. Hundreds more libraries may be used to increase the BCL’s functionality, which is made possible by compiling existing C# code for an app.

Pros

The ability to reuse or recycle 90 percent of the code when developing apps for many mobile platforms is a major benefit of Xamarin app development, allowing for shorter development cycles. C# and native code are used in the creation of Bing. There are substantial time and effort savings thanks to the use of Net libraries with Xamarin app development. It reduces production times when producing cross-platform programs.

Xamarin delivers native-level app functionality, so it doesn’t have to worry about hardware compatibility issues, plugins, or APIs. This means that your app can use your device’s sensors, including its camera and GPS. Also, it supports connecting with native libraries. In the hands of developers, cross-platform compatibility is a reality, meaning that apps built around standard device features may be used without issue on any of the most popular platforms. One possible benefit of reducing costs is improved personalization and a more native-like experience when using Xamarin app development services.

Strong support for open source technology: There were major policy changes when Microsoft bought Xamarin. With the release of the Xamarin SDK under the MIT open-source license, developers no longer need to worry about keeping their code secret. After removing the primary hurdle of buying a license, the platform quickly gained popularity. Xamarin has grown into a robust and stable technology stack for creating apps that run on several platforms.

Cons

Although most Xamarin code can be reused on several platforms, UI creation still takes effort. It is time-consuming for developers to do work or code on several platforms.

The file size may need to be modified. Developers may need to adjust the app’s file size. The primary cause is the strain that using these key features and libraries creates on the app market. Make sure your Xamarin app file has an acceptable size before submitting it to the appropriate app store. The normal size range is between 3MB and 15MB.

In Conclusion

These are 2 of the best alternatives to Flutter for developing cross-platform apps that are both simple and powerful.

However, before deciding, it is vital to study your app’s features since this will tell you which framework is most suited.