Flutter App Backend: Finding the Most Powerful Solutions
Flutter app backend is another vital topic you should care about before starting your app development. There are several possible options you can choose from such as BaaS platforms, Dart-powered backend, and other custom solutions.
We at Surf have been developing Flutter apps since 2019 for various industries and have accumulated a decent expertise about every part of the development cycle, including backend creation. This article is aimed to guide you to choose the solution that meets your needs best.
What special it is in Flutter app backend development
The SDK has no restrictions on the use of one or another solution. For instance, you can build a fullstack Flutter application using the get_server package. Or you can prefer Kotlin-, Swift-, Node.js or even Python-powered backend for your desktop, mobile or web app. In addition, the framework allows you to easily integrate backend as a service (BaaS) solutions into your product.
Backend as a Service for your Flutter app
BaaS tools provide a fully functioning backend right out-of-the-box with no need to agonize with servers. According to different market reports, the global BaaS market size is going to see the rise of up to 80% CAGR by 2028. This solution is gaining popularity due to its ease of use and the benefits it provides:
- Scalability. Since you’re not restrained by various hardware issues, you can start with a prototype or an MVP and then effortlessly proceed to a full-fledged product.
- Hassle-free and time-saving. There’s no need to set up and maintain the servers and gather a team for that which provides much faster time-to-market and application updates delivery.
- Flexibility. Although BaaS tools are basically turnkey solutions, they possess a high potential for customization.
Obviously, there are certain risks like vendor blocking, unstable performance of the service or security vulnerability. That’s why you’d better choose time-tested and reliable BaaS services only.
Top 5 best backend services for your Flutter app
Here is the list of the best trustworthy and commonly used BaaS platforms to work great for Flutter app backend development.
Back4app
This is a Parse-powered low-code service, which means it operates with minimum code and some functionality may be built using elements that are familiar to an average person like drop-down lists and checkboxes. Back4app connects quickly to a Flutter application and includes a variety of templates to make development even faster.
Key features
- Data and file storage
- GraphQL and REST APIs
- User authentication
- Push notifications
Firebase
This is Google’s official NoSQL backend tool and one of the most popular services utilized by a decent part of the Flutter community. It provides two kinds of cloud-based databases with realtime updates: Realtime Database, which stores data as a set of documents, and its upgraded version, Cloud Firestore, where the data is kept as a JSON tree. In both cases, the files can be shared among all Flutter-powered applications across all platforms, and can be retrieved in an offline mode.
Key features
- NoSQL Realtime Databases
- Native, web and cross-platform application support
- REST API support
- Database sharding
- Database monitoring and optimization
- Push notifications
AWS Amplify
AWS belongs to the most popular cloud-based backend platforms nowadays. Perhaps, it’s due to the wide scope of features it offers. Among its benefits are local data storage, CI/CD, Amplify CLI.
Key features
- Realtime database (locally and cloud stored)
- GraphQL and REST APIs
- Data management and analytics
- CI/CD
- User authentication
- Push notifications
Go for your app backend
From our experience we can say that Go is one of the most effective solutions for your backend. At Surf, we often combine custom Java- and Kotlin-powered solutions and BaaS. For instance, a video streaming app was made this way. However, we use Golang as well and have a basis for comparison.
This is a multi-purpose programming language developed by Google. It can be applied for database programming, automation, DevOps and, of course, building mobile and web apps. Go perfectly handles both simple and complex multimedia apps like video streaming platforms and ERP systems.
All in all, the main benefits of Golang backend are:
- Performance. It is able to easily handle high system loads with thousands of requests and supports a complex architecture of up to 1000 microservices. That’s why prominent companies like Twitter with millions of daily active users choose this language.
- High scalability. Since Go provides lean code which is easy to write and maintain and has no problem with a large number of simultaneous requests, you can be sure your application won’t suffer in any way as your project grows.
- Security. Go is frequently used by fintech companies for which security is the highest priority.
Flutter and Golang make a powerful and universal combo: just like Flutter, Go backend can be reused for different platforms and it suits for a wide range of applications. It’s a kind of the best “tech alliance” that ensures fast development and native-like performance at the same time.
Reusing Go backend logic in Flutter
In certain cases coders may need to reuse Go-powered backend code in a Flutter project. For instance, in case the platform-independent business logic of an iOS or Android application is written in Golang and we want to reuse it for Flutter apps. We can do it easily with the Go Mobile package not only for desktop, but for mobile applications as well.
Using Go for serving a Flutter web app
Your Flutter web apps can be hosted using Golang’s static server. The creation of the server is fast and simple since it requires just a few lines of code. As a result, you get all the benefits of Golang backend not only for mobile, but for web apps as well.
Backend solutions for a Flutter app: final thoughts
There’s no universal backend service, it all depends on a wide variety of factors. You can choose the most suitable option from those we’ve recommended above, or reach out to us for a free consultation if you’re hesitating. We’ll answer your questions and discuss a plan for a future project.
