Knowing the right Flutter state management library to select is an essential part of app development. We have listed the best for you.
Out of all the aspects of Flutter app development, state management is rightfully placed amongst the most crucial ones. It is a strategic approach to keeping track of all the changes that a user makes in the UI. It is vital for efficient management of web, desktop, and mobile apps. The absence of a state management library for complex apps can hinder data and information flow.
Flutter state management libraries help build and manage apps irrespective of the types of state changes. Flutter follows a declarative programming structure that allows developers to design the user interface from scratch to return app state changes. Out of the several state management techniques available, let’s have a look at the top 7 of them.
Table of Contents
- Advantages Of Flutter State Management Libraries
- Top 7 Flutter State Management Libraries of 2022
- BLoC
- Provider
- Inherited Widget
- GetIt
- States_Rebuilder
- Riverpod
- Cube
- In Conclusion
Advantages Of Flutter State Management Libraries
Flutter architecture has proved to be self-sustainable when it comes to state management. Developers often avoid using state management libraries when building small apps that do not include many state transitions. But when it comes to complex Flutter app development, a state management library is the go-to option. It provides the following advantages:
1. Smooth Operation
State management libraries help build apps with enhanced efficiency and smooth data handling. It is directly linked to the user experience. Using these libraries allows for the precise performance of all app functionalities and features.
2. Align Core Business Logic
The effectiveness of an application is at stake without a good state management library. It helps align core business logic with the database and servers. Users will find it more challenging to use an app that does not use any state management library.
3. Centralize The Code
State management libraries also help minimize and maintain a lengthy code base. Developers can easily add to the quality of the code when it becomes more readable and manageable. New team members can also easily pick up the code without much explanation.
Top 7 Flutter State Management Libraries In 2022:
1. BLoC
It can be deemed the current most popular Flutter state management library of developers. It helps make the code easy to test and reusable by separating presentation from business logic. By using BLoC, developers can reuse components within the same and across other applications. Uniform patterns and conventions allow many developers to easily work on the same code base.
BLoC was developed to provide simple coding, support for developing robust applications, and seamless testing options. It successfully caters to these requirements and regulates when and how the state changes throughout an application.
2. Provider
This Flutter state management library was one of the first libraries that Flutter recommended. It is seen as a wrapper around InheritedWidget. It can also be used as a part of the BLoC package to access various objects in the widget tree. Provider helps reduce boilerplate code by reducing the need to create a new class every time.
It allows the visibility of the state of an application in the Flutter devtool. Apart from exposing a value, Provider can also enable developers to create, listen, and dispose of the same value. It uses many kinds of providers to facilitate this, including ChangeNotifierProvider, ValueListenableProvider, StreamProvider, etc.
3. InheritedWidget
Flutter offers an inherited widget that helps simplify state management. It is a class that can be inherited by other classes under a tree to access information. It securely adds interoperability to any app and in doing so, also re-creates widgets atop the tree. InheritedWidget works as a convenience class and allows users the flexibility to not type the code in every child class to pass down state. As InheritedWidget is the lowest level widget that lies at the bottom of a tree, using it for state transitions will not affect the other widgets present above it.
4. GetIt
This classic service locator-based state management library works well with Flutter projects. It can be used to replace InheritedWidget and Provider when accessing app objects such as from the user interface. GetIt makes testing the code easier by providing a mock class when required. This sentence may come off as incomplete. It is a popular alternative to using Provider. GetIt helps organize and manage code better by keeping the widgets from having direct dependencies. It is a fast and easy-to-learn Flutter state management option.
5. States_Rebuilder
Ranked as one of the top Flutter state management libraries, it focuses on achieving four targets: clean code, better performance, user-friendly architecture, and support for effective production. It works by separating the user interface from business logic and supports both immutable and mutable states.
Its elegant and lightweight syntax makes it easy-to-understand for new users. It also has a built-in dependency injection system. States_Rebuilder is robust enough to be used for user authentication and authorization. The simple coding format that it uses makes it easy-to-test.
6. Riverpod
This state management library was developed by the creators of Provider and targets solving the issues developers face while using the framework. It works as a reimplementation of InheritedWidget that is simple to understand and apply. Recently coming out of its experimental stage, it is comparatively new and less used than Provider.
Riverpod helps developers catch coding errors at compile time rather than waiting till run time. As with Provider, it makes app objects visible in Flutter’s devtool by default and makes apps more scalable with the unidirectional data flow. Additionally, it makes patterns independent from Flutter and simplifies complex object graphs.
7. Cube
Cube is a state management approach that uses dependency injection and does not require code generation. It is one of the latest projects in the Flutter state management libraries list and hence is only known to a limited number of users. Cube is very easy to understand for new users and gaining popularity with time. It focuses on managing states simply in an objective manner. It rebuilds the widget tree only where necessary, reducing the coding complexity.
In Conclusion:
Selecting the correct Flutter state management library is as critical as using one. App developers need not spend their valuable time dealing with complex boilerplate code when only simple state transitions can do the job. Choose the state management library as per your app usage requirements. We hope this list provided you with the information you were looking for.
At GeekyAnts- Flutter & react app development company, we provide tailored Flutter app development services that use the appropriate state management libraries as required. Our developers strive to create Flutter apps that enhance the business market presence of our clients. Let us together build and implement an app that changes how you reach your customers.
This article was written by Charmy Dafda, a technical writer at GeekyAnts and published on GeekyAnts Blog https://geekyants.com/blog/top-7-flutter-state-management-libraries-in-2022/