What is Flet?
Flet is a Python-based framework that enables developers to build interactive multi-user web, desktop, and mobile applications without prior experience in frontend development. Flet controls, which are based on Google’s Flutter, allow developers to create a UI for their programs with ease. Flet simplifies the Flutter model by combining smaller widgets into ready-to-use controls with an imperative programming model. This means that your app looks professional and can be delivered to any platform without any extra effort.
Flutter vs. Flet
Flutter is a framework maintained by Google and written in Dart language. It enables developers to write frontend code only once and deploy it on multiple platforms, including desktop (Linux, Mac, Windows), mobile platforms, web apps, and Progressive Web Apps (PWA). On the other hand, Flet is essentially Flutter written in Python instead of Dart. This means that Full stack developers who already use Python as their language of choice can easily integrate Flet into their workflow, without having to learn another language.
No need to hire a Dart developer
One of the major benefits of using Flet is that you don’t need to hire a Dart developer. While Dart is a great programming language, not many developers have experience with it. This means that Dart developers are harder to come by, and as a result, they can be more expensive than their Python counterparts. With Flet, you can leverage your existing Python development team to build high-quality multi-user applications for any platform.
Monolithic app approach
Flet offers the advantage of a monolithic app, meaning there is no detached frontend. This approach is ideal for every application and allows developers to quickly build and deploy their apps. Unlike other frameworks that require a detached frontend, Flet’s monolithic approach simplifies the development process and saves time and resources.
Growing with Flutter
Flet grows as Flutter grows, meaning developers can take advantage of new features and functionality as they become available. Google is investing heavily in Flutter, and as a result, there is a constant stream of updates and improvements. Flet is designed to take advantage of these updates, making it a flexible and future-proof solution for multi-user application development.
Leveraging PIP libraries
Another benefit of using Flet is that developers can use a lot of libraries from PIP instead of PUB (Dart). Python has a greater community and support compared to Dart, which means that developers can leverage this larger ecosystem to cut down on development costs. By using PIP libraries, developers can quickly build and deploy applications without having to write custom code for every feature.
While Flutter is a great framework, Flet offers several benefits for developers who already use Python as their primary language. With Flet, developers can quickly and easily build professional-looking multi-user applications for any platform, without having to learn a new language or hire a specialized developer. Flet’s monolithic app approach, flexibility, and support for PIP libraries make it a compelling alternative to Flutter for many developers.
Curious? Just take a look to my latest app: github.com/mariosantella/BTCtracker-flet
