Understanding Flutter and React Native

Question

I am evaluating React Native and Flutter. I am not experienced in both of these frameworks and hence need some information which I did not find easily with google search. I have very specific questions:

1. Can we build just iOS and Android app with React? And not web app, PWA and desktop apps?

2. Can we build all iOS, Android, Web app, PWA and desktop apps with flutter? At least that's what flutter homepage seems to say.

3. If answer to Q1, is NO, then does web app developed in React share code with React Native app? If yes, then how much? I believe no, but need confirmation.

4. Flutter is "compiled" to native code of target platform. On the other hand React Native app works by making JS code running in JS VM to communicate with Native counterpart through a message passing RN bridge . So RN app is not "compiled" to native code. Am I correct with this understanding?

5. Also I believe being not compiled to native code, RN apps might be slower than flutter apps at least in some instances?

Answer 1

1:

The app will run both on the web and mobile using the React Native Web library, which lets you use React Native components and APIs in web applications. Source

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2: Yes Flutter is able to run nativ on Android, IOS, Web and Desktop. Source

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4, 5: Yeah you are right there, Flutter is compiled nativly which grants it a performance boost in most cases. Here a suiting arcicle:

For usual business apps with minor animations and shiny looks, technology does not matter at all. But if you'll do some heavy animations keep in mind that Native has the most performance power to do it. Next, come Flutter and React Native. We would definitely not recommend using React Native in a very CPU heavy operation, while Flutter is a great fit for such tasks from both CPU and Memory standpoint.

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Additionally here is a good article that compares both frameworks. It should also be noted that Flutter 2.0 has been out for a few days now and offers many new functions. Among other things, sound null-safety on the same level with Swift.