What is flutter
Last updated: April 1, 2026
Key Facts
- Developed by Google and first released in 2017 as a production-ready framework
- Uses Dart programming language, created by Google, optimized for UI development
- Enables development for Android, iOS, web, macOS, Windows, and Linux from single codebase
- Features 'hot reload' for fast development iteration with instant code changes
- Growing adoption with 500,000+ developers and support from major companies
Overview
Flutter is an open-source user interface (UI) framework developed by Google for building beautiful, natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. Released in 2017, Flutter has rapidly become one of the most popular frameworks for cross-platform application development, used by companies like Google, Alibaba, BMW, and many startups.
Key Features
Flutter's core features include:
- Hot Reload: Instantly see code changes without restarting the application, dramatically speeding up development cycles
- Rich Widget Library: Pre-built, customizable widgets following Material Design and Cupertino design principles
- Single Codebase: Write once, deploy to multiple platforms (iOS, Android, web, desktop)
- High Performance: Direct compilation to native code ensures smooth animations and fast execution
- Excellent Documentation: Comprehensive guides, tutorials, and API documentation
Dart Programming Language
Flutter uses Dart, a modern programming language also created by Google. Dart is object-oriented, supports null safety, and is specifically optimized for building UI applications. Developers familiar with Java, C#, or JavaScript typically find Dart easy to learn. The language compiles to native code, contributing to Flutter's performance advantages.
Cross-Platform Capabilities
Flutter allows developers to build applications for six major platforms:
- Mobile: Native iOS and Android applications with platform-specific performance
- Web: Progressive web applications running in browsers
- Desktop: Windows, macOS, and Linux applications with native integration
Development Community and Growth
Flutter has a rapidly growing community with over 500,000 developers worldwide. The framework is maintained by Google with regular updates adding new features and improvements. Pub.dev, the official package repository, hosts thousands of community-contributed packages. Major tech companies and startups are increasingly adopting Flutter for production applications, indicating strong confidence in the framework.
Related Questions
Is Flutter better than React Native?
Flutter and React Native are both excellent cross-platform frameworks with different strengths. Flutter typically offers better performance and a more polished out-of-the-box experience, while React Native has a larger ecosystem and JavaScript community. The best choice depends on your team's expertise and project requirements.
What programming language does Flutter use?
Flutter uses Dart, a modern programming language created by Google. Dart is optimized for building UI applications, supports null safety, and compiles to native code for high performance. Developers with experience in Java, C#, or JavaScript typically find Dart straightforward to learn.
What are the advantages of using Flutter?
Major advantages include hot reload for fast development, beautiful default UI components, excellent performance on all platforms, a single codebase for multiple platforms, and comprehensive documentation. Flutter also has strong backing from Google and a growing ecosystem of packages and community support.
More What Is in Daily Life
- What Is a Credit ScoreA credit score is a three-digit number, typically ranging from 300 to 850, that represents your cred…
- What Is CD rates make no sense based on length of time invested. Explain like I'm 5CD (Certificate of Deposit) rates often don't increase with longer lock-up times the way people expe…
- What is a phdA PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is a doctoral degree earned after completing advanced academic research…
- What is a polymathA polymath is a person with deep knowledge and expertise across multiple different fields or academi…
- What is aaveAAVE stands for African American Vernacular English, a dialect with distinct grammar, pronunciation,…
- What is aarch64ARMv8-A (commonly called ARM64 or AArch64) is a 64-bit processor architecture developed by ARM Holdi…
- What is about menTopics and discussions about men typically encompass masculinity, male identity, gender roles, men's…
- What is abiturAbitur is the German academic qualification awarded upon completion of secondary education, typicall…
- What is abrosexualAbrosexual is a sexual orientation identity where a person's sexual attraction changes or fluctuates…
- What is abgABG is an Indonesian acronym standing for 'Anak Baru Gede,' which refers to adolescent girls or teen…
- What is aaaAAA batteries are a standard cylindrical battery size measuring 10.5mm in diameter and 44.5mm in len…
- What is aacAAC (Advanced Audio Codec) is a digital audio compression format that provides better sound quality …
- What is aaa gameAAA games are high-budget video games developed by large studios with budgets typically exceeding $1…
- What is a proxyA proxy is a server that acts as an intermediary between your device and the internet, forwarding yo…
- What is ableismAbleism is discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities based on the assumption tha…
- What is absAbs, short for abdominal muscles, are the muscles in your core that flex your spine and stabilize yo…
- What is abortionAbortion is a medical procedure that ends pregnancy by removing the fetus before viability. It can b…
- What is accutaneAccutane (isotretinoin) is a powerful prescription medication derived from vitamin A used to treat s…
- What is acetaminophenAcetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is an over-the-counter pain reliever and fever reducer use…
- What is acidAcid is a chemical substance that donates protons (hydrogen ions) to other substances, characterized…
Also in Daily Life
- How To Save Money
- Why are so many white supremacist and right wings grifters not white
- Does "I'm 20 out" mean youre 20 minutes away from where you left, or youre 20 minutes away from your destination
- Why are so many men convinced that they are ugly
- What does awol mean
- What does asl mean
- What does ad mean
- What does asap mean
- What does apex mean
- What does asmr stand for
- What does atp mean
- What causes autism
- What does abg mean
- What does am and pm mean
- What does a fox sound like
More "What Is" Questions
Trending on WhatAnswer
Browse by Topic
Browse by Question Type
Sources
- Flutter Official Website BSD License
- Wikipedia - Flutter (software) CC-BY-SA-4.0