Flutter, an open-source UI framework was introduced by Google back in May 2017. Since its release, the framework has completely changed the mobile app development scenario at the global front. Businesses whether they are established brands or startups opt for flutter app development for any of their app development requisite. Because it provides the amazing visual appearance and customer experience. Also, it is pocket-friendly and you don’t have to spend money on separate apps for Android and iOS platforms.
Flutter started its journey with the beta version and Google released its first stable Flutter 1.0 version back in December 2018. Since then, Flutter has been evolved to the next level now with its total of 5 stable releases.
The Flutter app development team released its latest Flutter 1.12 version on 11th Dec, 2019. The platform which is developed eliminating around 5,303 issues from the previous versions and incorporating 5970 Pull Requests from around 484 contributors globally. In addition to this, focused towards Ambient Computing, the framework gets features and functionalities like the RangeSlier control and support for Android App Bundles and Game Controller.
Now the question arises what is ambient computing, so before disclosing the new features in Flutter 1.12, firstly we will put some light on Ambient Computing.
Ambient computing is a concept that allows access to all the services across all the devices. The devices and gadgets, we witness inter-connected in our daily life. Ambient computing does not purse older concept of flutter ‘Write Once, Run Everywhere’
In other words, we can understand Ambient Computing as the collection of devices which behaves as an extension for one another to offer a seamless user experience.This will allow developers flutter app development without deciding which device to target first. And it becomes easier for them to develop a user experience that will be fine for all platforms and devices. Including, mobile, smart homes, desktop, embedded device and smart watches.
Let’s have a look at what’s new in the Flutter 1.12 and how will it support your decision for cross-platform app development for your business.
With the release of Flutter 1.12 version, the programming language has been updated from Dart 2.5 to Dart 2.7. It is expected to supply excellent development and user experience. The developers will enjoy using safe string handling (Null Safety) capabilities and Extension methods. With the Null safety feature, the developers will be able to prevent errors if the variable will have a null value. Also, they will be able to pass integer value as a string, a most common feature in the existing programming languages like Java and VB.Net.
The Flutter 1.12 version avails you with the improved DartPart. With the updated DartPad, you can effortlessly edit codes, run them and see rendered UI of the codes.
Another major highlight of Flutter 1.12 version is the macOS desktop support. This feature allows you with an easier development of a fully-optimized macOS application using Flutter. Also, you get benefited with the aids of incorporating Material design attributes into Flutter-based desktop software.
Flutter for web, which was one of the major highlights of Flutter 1.5, has also been updated in the Flutter 1.12 version. The advanced version of web support for Flutter allows developers with an easy integration of Dart compiler and the Flutter architecture effectively.
Dark Mode is one of the top features of iOS 13 and the updated Flutter 1.12 version fully supports this feature of iOS. It also provides competency of upgraded scrollbar fidelity with enhanced haptic feedback, less drag, and shortens the duration of long press.
This new version of Flutter UI framework allows you with the integration ability of Flutter apps with existing iOS or Android apps. With this feature, you can easily migrate any app to the Flutter, whenever and wherever you want to integrate it.
Moreover, Android app developers also get benefited with this Add-to-app feature. The newly introduced ‘Flutter Module’ option here avails android developers with seamless integration of flutter in the New Module view of Android Studio for Android projects they are working on.
Related Article: Do Flutter App Development Dominate Android by 2023?
Google Fonts package for the designer is a great source to access nearly 1,000 open-sourced font families. With this facility, the designers can incorporate beautiful typography in the development environment just by writing a single line code.
When you develop a Flutter app, most probably you become able to debug it for one device. But, if you want to debug your application for several devices simultaneously. This new Flutter 1.12 will help you in multi-session debugging in Visual code.
Related Article: What Makes Flutter Ideal For Cross-Platform App Development?
The new Flutter UI framework comes with an important update that allows export of designs from Adobe XD into Flutter. The new XD-to-Flutter plugin automatically performs this task of converting XD designs into Flutter. Further, developers can use design codes in the development of their applications. This helps projects teams in providing a better view of user experience and developers can easily interpret with the vision of designers.
In the Golden Image Testing, Golden Images is that particular image you have selected as real reflection for your state, widget, app and other visual representation.
In Flutter 1.12, the development team has introduced the LocalFileComparator and GoldenFileComparator classes that compare images by pixels as compared to bits. This results in a less visual difference between the updates under testing and the golden image.
In the cross-platform app development, however, the Flutter has come up as the game changer for mobile app development if compared with React Native development services. Still, the Flutter has not been able to prove its worth in the field of game development. Also, with Flutter, you cannot push code directly to the designed application.
But there is a hope that with the passing time, the Flutter development team will resolve all such issues and come up with better options in the Flutter 1.13 versions and above.
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