Flutter, developed by Google, has become one of the most popular mobile application development frameworks.

With its ability to create beautiful, high-performance cross-platform applications from a single codebase, Flutter has gained recognition among both developers and the business world.

What does "works natively" mean in the context of mobile app development?

In the context of mobile applications, "works natively" means that the application is written in such a way that it directly uses the hardware and software capabilities of the device on which it is run. Native apps are built using platform-specific programming languages ​​– Swift or Objective-C for iOS and Kotlin or Java for Android.

Native applications are those that are created specifically for a specific platform and are able to take full advantage of its functionalities. Thanks to this, they can offer better performance, smoother operation and better integration with system functions and user interface.

Unlike native apps, hybrid apps are built using web technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and then wrapped in a native container.

While they can run on a variety of platforms, hybrid apps often suffer from performance and integration issues with native device features. Hybrid apps may not offer as smooth a user interface or as deep platform integration as their native counterparts.

Technological foundations of Flutter

Flutter is changing the traditional divide between native and hybrid apps with its unique approach. It allows you to create applications that look and work natively, even though they use a uniform code base for multiple platforms.

This achievement is made possible thanks to the Ahead-Of-Time (AOT) compilation technology and rendering engine, which allow Flutter to communicate directly with the device's native API. Thanks to this, Flutter offers performance and user experience similar to those provided by native applications.

Skia and Impeller rendering engine

One of the foundations of Flutter is also the Impeller rendering engine, which complements the role of the Skia engine in the UI rendering process and is now fully available on iOS. The Impeller engine is created by the Flutter development team and is designed for even better performance and smoother rendering.

Like Skia, Impeller is a graphics engine that allows the user interface to be rendered directly on the graphics plane. However, unlike Skia, Impeller has been specifically tailored to the needs of Flutter, allowing for an even more optimized performance for UI rendering.

The introduction of the Impeller engine to Flutter allows for further improvements in the performance and smoothness of the UI, which is crucial for ensuring a great user experience across platforms. Thanks to this, applications created in Flutter can achieve even higher standards of rendering quality, regardless of the device or operating system.

Dart programming language

Flutter uses the Dart programming language created by Google. Dart is a language optimized for high performance in both Just-In-Time (JIT) and AOT compilation.

JIT compilation speeds up the development and debugging process by allowing applications to be refreshed quickly while code is being created, which is extremely valuable to developers. AOT compilation, in turn, allows you to optimize the code before it is launched, which translates into faster application launches and better performance on end devices.

Flutter Architecture

Flutter's architecture is designed with flexibility and modularity in mind. The framework consists of layers, each of which performs a specific function. The lowest layer is the engine, written in C++, which handles graphics rendering, typesetting and other basic operations. The higher layers include the Flutter framework, written in Dart, which provides a rich set of UI components, tools for managing application state, and libraries for handling gestures and animations.

Thanks to this thoughtful architecture, Flutter enables developers to create applications that are both efficient and easy to maintain. Additionally, modularity allows for easy extension of application functionality and integration with the platform's native APIs, which is key to creating applications with a native look and feel.

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Performance of mobile applications designed based on Flutter

Flutter has gained recognition among developers and entrepreneurs for its ability to create applications that not only look great, but also run extremely smoothly and efficiently. Key performance aspects of Flutter-based applications include:

• startup speed,
• fluidity of the user interface,
• resource optimization.

One of Flutter's most important advantages is the fast application startup time. Speeding up the application startup time is crucial for users who expect immediate access to application functions.

Launch speed has a direct impact on the user's first impression, keeping them engaged and satisfied.

Integration with the platform

One of the key aspects that determine the success of a mobile application is its ability to be fully integrated with the native functions of the operating system. Flutter, thanks to its unique architecture and technology, enables deep integration with Android and iOS platforms, which allows you to create applications with a native look and feel.

Access to native APIs and device features

Flutter allows direct access to native APIs and device features. Thanks to this, applications created in Flutter can use functions such as GPS, camera, motion sensors, as well as native services such as PUSH notifications or mobile payments.

This is all possible thanks to Dart libraries, which contain hundreds of ready-to-use plugins that enable integration with native APIs.

Flutter uses the platform channels mechanism, which enables communication between Dart code and the native platform code (Java/Kotlin on Android and Swift/Object-C on iOS). Thanks to platform channels, developers can invoke native functions directly from Flutter, which allows them to take full advantage of the platform's capabilities.

Flutter enables the use of a wide range of native UI components such as maps, WebViews, video players, and even native ads, e.g. with AdMob.

Thanks to integration with API platforms, applications created in Flutter can look and function like native ones with full support for Material Design on Android and Cupertino Design on iOS. Flutter includes built-in sets of widgets in the Material and Cupertino styles, written entirely in Dart.

This approach ensures consistency and compliance with the platform's user interface guidelines, which is key to providing users with a natural and intuitive experience.

An example of an application running in Flutter

The "LOTTO - play online" mobile application is a perfect example of using Flutter to create a natively operating lottery application. By using this framework, the application can provide users with a smooth and responsive experience while using the various features offered by the Lotto game. The strengths of the LOTTO mobile application include:

• Native look and feel: This allows users to enjoy a consistent and natural user interface, which increases their engagement and satisfaction with the application.
   
• Speed ​​and performance: Flutter allows you to optimize applications for speed and minimal device resource consumption.
   
• Integration with platform features: The Lotto app uses native device features, such as PUSH notifications and GPS location, which allows you to personalize the user's experience and provide him with relevant information in real time. Thanks to integration with native APIs, users can easily use functions such as scanning coupons or checking draw results.
   
• Stability and Maintainability: Thanks to the uniform cross-platform code base and development tools provided by Flutter, the Lotto application can be easily maintained and developed by the development team. This allows for updates and fixes to be made quickly, which is crucial in the dynamic online gambling environment.
   
• Security: The LOTTO application places great emphasis on user safety. It uses advanced biometric technologies, such as fingerprint and facial recognition, to authenticate users. Additionally, it ensures secure communication with the backend and protects user data through encryption. All this means that users can be sure that their data is protected at the highest level.

User experience

User experience (UX) plays a key role in the success of any mobile application. With Flutter, developers have the ability to create applications that not only run natively and are efficient, but also provide users with intuitive, engaging and satisfying experiences.

Key aspects of UX in flutter applications include interface consistency across platforms, responsiveness and adaptability, and immediate response to user interactions.

Interface consistency

One of the advantages of Flutter is the ability to keep the UI consistent across platforms. With a uniform code base and a built-in set of interface design tools, developers can easily tailor the look and feel of their applications to the specific guidelines of each platform.

This allows you to create an application that looks natural and intuitive to users, regardless of the device on which it is run. Flutter makes it easier than ever to create such applications, so users can enjoy high-quality and consistent interface across platforms, responsiveness and adaptability, and immediate response.

Summary

Flutter, thanks to its unique technological solutions, has gained the status of one of the most powerful tools for creating mobile applications. Its ability to run natively across platforms using a single codebase brings significant benefits to developers and entrepreneurs alike.

Flutter works natively thanks to: an innovative approach to user interface rendering using Skia and Impeller engines, which guarantee high graphics quality and application performance, integration with native device and platform functions.

Thanks to access to native APIs, using platform channels and support for native user interface components, an excellent user experience that ensures consistency of the interface across platforms, responsiveness and adaptability of the application and immediate response to user interaction.

Flutter's nativeness not only gives mobile apps excellent performance and quality, but also opens the door to a faster, more effective and cost-effective app development process. Therefore, Flutter is increasingly becoming the first choice for many companies looking for innovative solutions in the mobile industry.