Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin: Who Wins the Race?

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Exploring the top contenders in cross-platform mobile app development, we delve into Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin. Each framework offers unique strengths.

Flutter, known for its fast development cycles and expressive UI, is Google’s answer to modern app development challenges. React Native, backed by Facebook, allows developers to create native-like apps using JavaScript, a language familiar to many. On the other hand, Xamarin, a Microsoft-supported framework, stands out for its ability to leverage C# for building apps that run seamlessly across multiple platforms.

In this detailed comparison, we aim to dissect the technical nuances, performance metrics, and ease of use of each framework. Our goal is to evaluate the three most popular cross-platform mobile app development frameworks available today and find out which framework is ideal for creating cross-platform apps.

What is cross-platform development?

Cross-platform app development is the process of creating mobile applications for different platforms, such as iOS and Android, using a single technology stack.

This implies that instead of writing numerous versions of your software in the native language of each device, you can write your code once and release it on many platforms at the same time.

Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin: Overview

Several cross-platform frameworks are available, but not all of them are created equal. There are just a few options worth considering right now, including Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin. So, first, let’s give them a short introduction.

What is Flutter?

Flutter is a framework introduced by Google in 2017, and Google stands for reliability and a development ecosystem. The applications developed using Flutter are famous such as the New York Times, Square, and Alibaba.

Flutter, in a nutshell, is a Google open-source mobile application development SDK. It is used to create apps for Android and iOS and is the primary approach for generating apps for Google Fuchsia. Fuchsia is a new operating system developed by Google that can be the Android killer in the future.

Flutter is developed in the C, C++, and Dart programming languages. The framework is still relatively new, but it is well-liked by the community and is rapidly expanding. Flutter also allows for a high level of customization.

flutter _Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin

What is React Native?

Facebook released React Native in 2015. It was positioned as a tool for faster app creation, with many ready-made UI components. Of course, the Facebook and Instagram applications are developed in React Native in addition to Skype, Pinterest, and Discord.

React components wrap native code and communicate with native APIs using React’s declarative UI paradigm and JavaScript. This enables whole new teams of developers to create native apps and allows current native teams to operate considerably quicker.

react native_Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin

What is Xamarin?

When Xamarin was first published in 2011, it quickly gained popularity because of its excellent performance. However, it wasn’t the ideal choice for complicated or graphically intensive programs. Microsoft has owned Xamarin since 2016.

Xamarin is a free and open-source mobile app development framework with over 150,000 contributors as of Feb 2024.

Xamarin is a natural solution for C# developers looking to solve the challenge of separated technology stacks in app development. It is a .NET development platform extension that allows you to build iOS, Android, and Windows apps with .NET from a single common codebase.

xamarin_Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin

Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin comparison: How Do They Work?

	Flutter	React Native	Xamarin
Language	Dart	JavaScript/TypeScript	C#
Maturity	Mature (since 2017)	Mature (since 2015)	Mature (since 2011)
Lifecycle management	Built-in state management	External libraries (Redux, MobX)	State management via MVVM or Data Binding
Documentation	Comprehensive and well-organized	Extensive and active community-driven	Comprehensive and Microsoft-backed
Tooling	Flutter DevTools, Android Studio/IntelliJ IDEA	Various IDEs/Editors, React Native CLI	Visual Studio, Visual Studio for Mac, Xamarin.Forms Previewer
APK size	Slightly larger than native	Can be larger than native due to the JavaScript bridge	Generally smaller than React Native
Pricing	Open-source and free	Open-source, with optional paid enterprise support	Open-source with paid commercial licenses for some features
Plugins	A growing ecosystem of official and community plugins	Huge ecosystem of third-party plugins	A rich ecosystem of Xamarin-specific and .NET plugins

Cross-platform mobile frameworks used by developers worldwide 2019-2022 (Statista)

Why Xamarin?

While Xamarin remains a mature and well-maintained framework, consider its recent transition to .NET Multi-platform App UI (.NET MAUI) launched in May 2022. MAUI unifies Xamarin.Forms into a single cross-platform development approach, potentially streamlining future development and maintenance. Here are a few key features that help Xamarin stand out.

MAUI’s emergence: Mention .NET MAUI as the successor to Xamarin.Forms, highlighting its potential benefits.
Maturity and maintenance: Acknowledge Xamarin’s existing strengths but recognize its transition to MAUI.
Long-term projects: Encourage consideration of MAUI for long-term projects due to its potential ease of maintenance and future updates.
Clarity and neutrality: Avoid subjective statements like “old but gold” and focus on factual information and balanced guidance.

Why React Native?

React Native has been around for several years and is now a stable and feature-rich framework. It is ideal for MVPs and projects with a high level of interaction. Its hot reloading, component-based architecture, and large community contribute to faster development and a smooth user experience.

Concerns around performance for demanding features were common a few years ago, but significant progress has been made ever since. These include:

Improved rendering pipeline: The Hermes engine and Fabric optimizations have led to smoother performance, especially on iOS.
Third-party libraries: Many high-performance libraries are available for various tasks like animation, navigation, and graphics, addressing specific performance needs.
Community best practices: Knowledge sharing and optimization techniques have matured, helping developers build performant React Native apps.

Why Flutter

Flutter appears to be an up-and-coming platform for tech enthusiasts and should be cautiously approached by companies. However, we found it to be an excellent alternative if your current tech stack no longer meets your goals and you’re willing to spend in transferring your project to other technologies.

Flutter has firmly established itself as a mature cross-platform framework, widely adopted by companies across various industries. Developers love using Flutter for its numerous advantages.

Fast development: Hot reload, extensive widgets and a reactive approach enable rapid iteration and development.
Cross-platform: Build for Android and iOS with a single codebase, saving time and resources.
High performance: Optimized rendering engine and native-like performance make it suitable for demanding apps.
Large community: An active community and growing ecosystem provide support and learning opportunities.

However, Flutter does require a learning curve. Developers new to Dart and Flutter might need to invest in learning about this mobile app development framework first. Also, potential limitations like complex native features or hardware access might involve platform-specific development.

Comparison: Difference between Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin

	Pros	Cons
FLUTTER	Smooth, complex UIs: Flutter’s powerful rendering engine empowers developers to create visually stunning and engaging user interfaces. Competitive performance: While specific FPS claims might vary, Flutter generally delivers smooth performance for most types of applications. Rapid development: The hot reload feature allows for instant updates, significantly speeding up development cycles and boosting developer productivity. Modern Language: Dart, the language used by Flutter, is specifically designed for mobile development and easy to learn for those familiar with Java or Kotlin. Strong community & support: Google actively supports Flutter, and a thriving community provides resources, libraries, and ongoing development.	Dart, the language used by Flutter, isn’t as widely adopted as other programming languages like Java or JavaScript. Developers unfamiliar with Dart will need to invest time in learning it. While generally good, Flutter might not be the optimal choice for highly intensive apps with complex 3D graphics or real-time simulations. Native development might offer better performance in such cases. Flutter might not provide direct access to all native functionalities available on specific platforms like iOS or Android. This might require platform-specific development for some features.
REACT NATIVE	User Interface: Uses native UI components to make apps seem like native apps, resulting in a high-quality user interface. Ready-made components: Provides an extensive collection of UI components, allowing quicker development time. Access to native capabilities like the camera, accelerometer, and so forth. Platform-specific code: Using native code, you may further optimize your unique native apps. Hot reload: This allows developers to update programs without recompiling them. Third-party libraries: Many robust third-party libraries address specific performance needs like animation, navigation, and graphics, allowing you to optimize performance for demanding features. Cost-effective: Building and maintaining one codebase for both iOS and Android can be more cost-effective compared to native development.	Javascript, Objective-C, Java, and C / C ++ are used to build React Native. Debugging bugs becomes more complex as a result. Despite its maturity, React Native still lacks some components. Others, in turn, are underdeveloped. React Native apps are sluggish and have difficulty meeting high-performance needs. Not a good choice for apps that use a lot of animation, and certainly not for games.
XAMARIN	Native performance: Utilizes native UI components, resulting in generally high performance and a smooth user experience. The entire development ecosystem: To build mobile apps with Xamarin, you need C#,.Net, and Microsoft Visual Studio with Xamarin, making it one of the most comprehensive cross-platform mobile app development frameworks available. Xamarin Forms allows you to use standard interface components by offering a collection of templates that will enable you to reuse your code across platforms.	Steeper learning curve: Mastering C# and Xamarin’s specifics might be more challenging for developers new to the stack. If migrating from Xamarin to .NET MAUI, additional learning might be necessary. Potential dependency concerns: While .NET MAUI (Xamarin’s successor) aims to address this, maintaining separate codebases for .NET and Xamarin could raise concerns. Limited third-party library support: Compared to React Native, the available third-party library ecosystem might be smaller. Platform-specific code: You may need to rewrite some complex features of your app’s UI in native code. That means you’ll need to be familiar with native programming languages like Kotlin or Java for Android and Swift or Objective-C for iOS.

Wrapping Up on Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin Comparison

Which is better Flutter vs React Native vs Xamarin? Is Flutter or React Native better? Is React Native better than Xamarin? It’s difficult to say which is superior. The important is to consider which framework would be the best fit for the company.

For example, consider utilizing Flutter or React Native if you are starting from scratch and want to release a POC (Proof of Concept) or MVP (Minimum Viable Product) as soon as feasible. However, be prepared to confront technological limits, constantly be a few steps behind the market, or rebuild mobile applications using native technologies.

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Thuận Cao

I am a dynamic Tech Explorer and Writer for InApps Technology. With a background in software engineering and a knack for writing, my content brings a fresh and insightful perspective to the tech scene. I love making their content not just informative but also incredibly engaging for both tech novices and aficionados. Join me on a journey through the ever-evolving digital landscape, where I decode complex concepts into captivating stories.