Why Should You Develop Your Chat App With Flutter?
Here are 11 reasons why you need to create chat apps quickly with Flutter, a single codebase that offers consistency and speed for both iOS and Android.
Flutter is a great choice for developers looking to create real-time chat apps that are both cost-effective and easily accessible. In this article, we’ll focus on the strategic benefits of using Flutter to create beautiful & high-quality chat apps on your own.
We’ll also explore some real-world examples to understand the reasons why popular brands have used Flutter to build their app.
Table of Contents
Top 11 Benefits Of Using Flutter To Develop Your Chat App
More than 10000 apps in the App Store/ Play Store have been built with Flutter. And the number is actively on the rise because of the several benefits that the technology offers.
Let’s look into the top reasons why Flutter has become the go-to technology to build apps:
Benefit 1: Cross-platform Development
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Alibaba App |
| Industry/Use Case | E-commerce |
| About the App | Alibaba is one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms, offering a wide range of products and services. The app likely includes features such as product listings, shopping carts, and order management. |
How Flutter Impacts Cross-platform Development of Alibaba App
- Flutter helps Alibaba make their app work on both iPhone and Android without doing the work twice.
- This saves time and makes sure the app looks and works the same on different kinds of phones.
- Alibaba’s developers can quickly change things and see how it looks right away, making their work faster and easier.
Benefit 2: Native Performance
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Reflectly App |
| Industry/Use Case | Personal Development, Journaling |
| About the App | Reflectly is a journaling app that focuses on personal development. Users can log their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, fostering self-reflection and mindfulness. |
How Flutter Impacts Native Performance of Reflectly App
- Reflectly uses Flutter to make sure its app runs smoothly on iPhones and Androids by using special code.
- This makes sure the app feels fast and works well, giving people a good experience when they use it to write about their thoughts.
- Flutter helps Reflectly make their app feel natural and quick, like it’s built just for your phone.
Benefit 3: Rich and Customizable UI
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Google Ads |
| Industry/Use Case | Digital Advertising |
| About the App | The Google Ads app is likely designed for advertisers and marketers to manage and monitor their advertising campaigns on the Google Ads platform. It may include features for campaign creation, performance tracking, and analytics |
How Flutter Impacts Rich and Customizable UI of Google Ads App
- Flutter allows Google Ads to create a fancy and changeable look for their app using a variety of building blocks.
- This means they can design cool and interactive things that look the same on all phones.
- With Flutter, Google Ads can make their app look nice and interesting, making it easy for people to use and understand.
Benefit 4: Hot Reload
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Hamilton App |
| Industry/Use Case | Entertainment/Media |
| About the App | The Hamilton app is associated with the musical theater industry, providing users with information, media, and possibly ticket purchasing options related to the Broadway musical Hamilton. |
How Flutter Impacts Hot Reload Of Hamilton app
- The Hamilton app uses Flutter’s special feature that lets developers quickly make and see changes in the app without stopping it.
- This helps them try out new ideas fast and fix problems right away.
- Flutter makes working on the Hamilton app like playing with building blocks, where you can change things and see the result immediately.
Benefit 5: Third-Party Integrations
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Xianyu App |
| Industry/Use Case | E-commerce, Marketplace |
| About the App | Xianyu is a second-hand marketplace app, allowing users to buy and sell used items. It may include features such as product listings, chat for buyer-seller communication, and transaction management. |
How Flutter Impacts Third-Party Integrations of Xianyu App
- Xianyu uses Flutter to easily connect its app with other services, like Firebase, to add cool features.
- This means they can make the app do things like send messages or show notifications without much trouble.
- Flutter helps Xianyu add extra functions to their app by making it simple to connect with other helpful tools.
Benefit 6: Accessibility
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Birch Finance |
| Industry/Use Case | Personal Finance |
| About the App | Birch Finance is a personal finance app that assists users in managing their expenses, tracking spending, and optimizing rewards from credit cards. |
How Flutter Impacts Accessibility of Birch Finance
- Birch Finance uses Flutter to make sure their app is easy to use for everyone, including people with different needs.
- This helps them create a finance app that works well for a lot of people, no matter how they use their phones.
- Flutter supports Birch Finance in making their app friendly and useful for everyone.
Benefit 7: Internationalization (i18n) Support
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | OfflinePal |
| Industry/Use Case | Travel |
| About the App | OfflinePal is a travel app that helps users discover and navigate locations even when they are offline. |
How Flutter Impacts Internationalization (i18n) Support in Offline Pal app
- OfflinePal uses Flutter to make its app work in different languages and places around the world.
- This helps them reach more people by speaking their language and showing information in a way they understand.
- Flutter helps OfflinePal become friends with people from many countries by making its app flexible and global.
Benefit 8: High-end Security
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Cryptograph |
| Industry/Use Case | Finance/Cryptocurrency |
| About the App | Cryptograph is a cryptocurrency tracking app that allows users to monitor real-time cryptocurrency prices, manage portfolios, and analyze market trends. |
How Flutter Impacts the Security of Cryptograph
- Cryptograph uses Flutter to build a secure app by following good rules for writing safe code.
- Flutter makes sure the app is strong against bad things happening, and it quickly uses new safety ideas from the community.
- With Flutter, Cryptograph keeps its app safe and reliable for people who track cryptocurrency.
Benefit 9: Community Support
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Hookle |
| Industry/Use Case | Social Media/Marketing |
| About the App | Hookle is a social media management app that helps users schedule and manage posts across multiple platforms. |
How Flutter Impacts Community Support of Hookle app:
- Hookle uses Flutter because many people from around the world help each other build and improve apps with Flutter.
- This means Hookle can ask questions, share ideas, and get help from a big group of friends.
- Flutter brings many people together to make Hookle’s app better and helps them learn new things.
Benefit 10: Maintainability
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | AppTree |
| Industry/Use Case | Productivity |
| About the App | AppTree is a productivity app that assists users in organizing and managing their applications on mobile devices. |
How Flutter Impacts Maintainability of AppTree app
- AppTree uses Flutter to make its app easy to take care of by organizing the code in a smart way.
- Flutter helps them build small parts that fit together, making it simple to fix problems and add new things.
- With Flutter, AppTree keeps its app healthy and happy, so it can grow and change without getting messy.
Benefit 11: Streamlined User Authentication
| Particulars | Real-life examples |
|---|---|
| Real-time Example | Invoice Ninja |
| Industry/Use Case | Business/Invoicing |
| About the App | Invoice Ninja provides a platform for businesses to create and manage invoices, track expenses, and facilitate online payments. |
How Flutter Impacts Streamlined User Authentication of Invoice Ninja
- Invoice Ninja uses Flutter to make signing in to their app easy and secure for users.
- Flutter helps them connect with other services smoothly, making sure users can log in without problems.
- With Flutter, Invoice Ninja creates a simple and safe way for users to start using their app without any hassles.
How To Build Your Own Chat App With Flutter?
Well, we’ve covered all the reasons why most businesses nowadays use Flutter for building their apps. But, how to build a messaging app with Flutter?
There are 2 ways to do this:
- Write code from scratch, which typically takes a few months.
- Integrate chat in 10 mins using MirrorFly Flutter chat API.
Why MirrorFly Flutter Chat SDK?
- Customization: MirrorFly provides 100% customization options, allowing you to personalize the chat experience to your app’s unique requirements.
- Security: Protect user data with End-to-end encryption protocols and industry-grade regulations including GDPR, HIPAA & OWASP.
- Topic-based chat: Segregate the conversations on your messaging app based on specific topics/ interests.
- White-label your app: Use your own logo and brand elements, although you build your app with MirrorFly Flutter chat API.
Above this, Integrating SDK In 10 mins, yes it is possible! Interesting right?
Let me explain the quick steps:
- Create an account with MirrorFly
- Download the Flutter chat SDK/ plugin
- Install the SDK
- Go live!
Yes, it is as simple as that. Want the source-code? Access our plugin here.
Note: You can get in touch with MirrorFly tech experts for 24/7 support with the Flutter SDKs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
There are 3 ways to secure your Flutter chat app with MirrorFly: 1. HTTPS: Make sure your application uses HTTPS to communicate with the MirrorFly servers in order to encrypt data while it is in transit. 2. Token-based Authentication: To make sure that only authorized individuals can use your chat service, you need to implement token-based authentication. 3. Data Encryption: MirrorFly protects your messaging app with End-to-end encryption using AES-128 and SSL. 4. Industry-grade Privacy Regulations: The Flutter chat APIs offered by MirrorFly are built to be compatible with regulations like GDPR, HIPAA & OWASP.
Popular packages for developing chat apps in Flutter include: 1. MirrorFly Flutter Chat SDK: The package consists of 150+ messaging features and 100+ UI elements. 2. Firebase Cloud Firestore: For user authentication and real-time database management. 3. Supplier: For government administration. 4. Dio: For sending requests over HTTP. 5. Socket.IO Client: A package to manage socket connections may be required if you’re developing a real-time chat app.
To handle user authentication in a Flutter chat app, use the firebase_auth package. Implement user sign-up, sign-in, and sign-out procedures. Create an AuthService class, for example, with functions like signUpWithEmailAndPassword, signInWithEmailAndPassword, and signOut. To safeguard user identities, use Firebase’s authentication providers, such as email/password or OAuth.
To implement push notifications in your Flutter chat app, you need to carry out the following steps: 1. Integrate Firebase: Add Firebase to your Flutter project and enable FCM. 2. Install Dependencies: Add firebase_messaging to your pubspec.yaml and run flutter pub get. 3. Handle Notifications: Initialize FirebaseMessaging and implement a message handler. 4. Test Notifications: Send test notifications from the Firebase console. 5. Update UI and Routing: Integrate notification handling in your UI for seamless user experience.
There are 2 ways to build a chat app using Flutter: Code from Scratch: Set up a Flutter project. Implement a backend (Firebase, Node.js, etc.) for user authentication and real-time message storage. Use packages like firebase_auth and cloud_firestore. Build a chat UI with Flutter widgets and manage state with Provider or Bloc. Using MirrorFly Chat API: Create a Flutter project. Integrate the MirrorFly SDK following their documentation, typically involving authentication, message handling, and UI integration. Utilize their API for real-time chat functionality. This approach allows quick implementation without building a custom backend.
Related Articles:
- 10 Best chat solutions and features in 2024
- Top 10 On-Premise Chat Solutions for Your Business Apps (2024)
- How To Build a Real-Time Chat App for iOS and Android?
- How does a chat solution help IT projects?
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Abirami is a trendsetter in bringing marketing ideas to reality. She is very keen on creating impactful marketing campaigns and learning the newest technologies in white label messaging APIs. And during her leisure, she can't spend a day without singing and reading.
hi,
I’m Angelin antro, your article was good and informative, could you clear that who owns flutter entertainment?
Hello Angelin,
Flutter Entertainment, a prominent gambling and entertainment company, is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange and is owned by its shareholders. The largest shareholders include institutional investors and individual stakeholders who hold shares in the company. As of my last knowledge update in January 2022, the ownership structure may have changed.
hi team,
Thanks for sharing these information, can anyone say that will flutter replace react native?
Hello Varun,
It’s challenging to definitively predict if Flutter will replace React Native. Both frameworks have strengths and cater to different preferences. Flutter’s rising popularity and performance advantages may impact the landscape, but the choice between them often depends on project requirements and developer preferences.
hi teamfly,
one of the informative article which I’ve been seeking in a long time here my query please check and let me know can flutter be used for web or android apps?
Hi Jay,
Yes, Flutter is a versatile framework developed by Google that allows developers to create applications for multiple platforms. It can be used to build not only Android apps but also web applications using the same codebase, making it a powerful and efficient choice for cross-platform development.
Hi,
This article helps us to knowing more about flutter, can anyone clear me that how to use firebase messaging in flutter?
Hello Samthan,
To use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) in Flutter, you need to integrate the firebase_messaging package, configure Firebase in your project, handle the necessary permissions, and implement the FCM API for sending and receiving messages. Detailed documentation and examples are available on the official Flutter and Firebase websites.
Hi,
nice blog, very informative. Does Flutter support integration with backend services for chat apps?
Hello Soojith,
Yes, Flutter supports backend integration for chat applications through various methods. Utilizing libraries like Dio or HTTP, Flutter connects to backend services via REST APIs. Additionally, packages like Socket.io enable real-time communication, facilitating seamless integration with backend servers for chat app functionalities.
Hi,
If I am new to build an app, how can I get started with Flutter for chat app development?
Hi Hellena,
Sure, here’s a guide to getting started with Flutter for chat app development:
Hello Teamfly,
Can anyone explain does flutter support integration with backend services for chat apps?
hey,
Can anyone tell me that how does Flutter enhance the user interface of chat apps?
Hi Merlin,
Flutter enhances chat app UI by offering customizable widgets, facilitating dynamic UI updates, smooth animations, and consistent performance across platforms. Its widget library, hot reload feature, and rich UI components allow developers to create visually appealing, responsive, and interactive interfaces, elevating the overall user experience.
Hello teamFLy,
The Article was simple cool, does Flutter offer cross-platform compatibility and ease of maintenance?If yes can you explain me in short term
Yes suraj, Flutter provides cross-platform compatibility through a single codebase for iOS and Android. Its hot reload feature allows rapid development and maintenance, reducing effort and ensuring consistency across different platforms.
Hi,
Nice Article, I am Curious about Flutter’s chat app prowess? Why opt for Flutter?
Hello Luyiss,
Flutter excels in chat app development due to its rich widget library, enabling the creation of customizable, dynamic UIs with real-time updates. Its reactive framework and efficient rendering deliver smooth chat experiences. With a single codebase for iOS and Android, Flutter ensures consistency across platforms, reducing development time and costs. Additionally, its hot reload feature accelerates iteration and debugging. Overall, Flutter’s robust UI capabilities, cross-platform compatibility, and rapid development make it an ideal choice for crafting high-quality chat apps.