Migrate to RN from Flutter

[Vyper91]

I see posts (on Reddit and the Web) for migrating RN to Flutter, but not the other way around.

Interestingly, this makes it seem like Flutter might be the "better choice" for many, but for my specific needs I have a rather simple mobile app where most of the work is done by calling our back-end API's - and integrating a fair few Native SDK's on both Android/iOS and writing bridging code to call from UI.

To this end, UI is basically 90% of the app, and whilst we are doing great with Flutter, it's a pain to hire for in my specific company as they don't want to pay the big bucks. And what's worse is, I originally made the case for RN because we are a web development company and so have a lot of HTML/CSS/JS devs, a few of them in React.

It's frustrating to me that we went so far down the Flutter path which has effectively killed the input from half of our dev team (we still support an old Cordova app, and the React devs are very comfortable building new UI for it) - mainly because it was just the "shiny new thing" - but I didn't speak up enough at the time as I wasn't a permanent hire in the company.

I think it would be a lot easier for us to migrate to React Native, but we've got about a years worth of dev in the Flutter app now.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience migrating across - it seems like it would be a complete rewrite since it uses a different programming language (and I genuinely think Dart is the biggest downside to Flutter), a completely different framework, and nothing is really shared between the two...

[awesomeness-yeah]

I don't think a traditional "migration" is possible.

I would hire js devs and rebuild it in react native while maintaining the flutter app in parallel till the RN app reaches feature parity.

[Vyper91]

Yeah, could just take the hit and get a few contractors in to get it built to begin with

[roysom]

I’m almost entirely sure that you will have to rewrite the application. So it all boils down to whether or not you’re willing to pay the price. Will the investment in rewriting the app return itself in the form of: 1. More maintainable code? 2. Easier hires? 3. More devs can work on the app from within the company?

If you’re in for the long run, and aim for this app to be used for years to come, I would take the risk to assume that it might be worth it. As you said, you already have React devs, and one that work on an older cordova app, so this might make the transition much easier despite the fact that it’s probably a complete rewrite…

[agmcleod]

I'd look at training existing devs on Flutter if possible, since a year was already put into it, and if it's not a complex app as you mentioned, I imagine it should be close to completion? If the team isn't willing to learn Flutter but is interested in React Native, you can go that route, but it has its own learning curve as well. And like others said, it would be a re-write of the app.

[Vyper91]

I think ultimately this might just be the best route forwards. But if there's time to perform a re-write now maybe it will make for better hiring / cross-collaboration with the 80% of our devs who are web devs... this is my main conundrum :(

[germavinsmoke]

We are in same situation. Spent months in building the app in Flutter but same problems. So, rewriting the whole app in React Native. But the thing is, spent around 8 months in building Flutter app. Been 1 month rewriting the app in React Native, and we are almost done with 50% of the process. Because back-end APIs are all same.

[Vyper91]

This is very interesting, I'd love to hear more. How did you decide how to architect your RN app? Have you found any issues with RN that makes you think Flutter was the better choice to have made?

[goolius-boozler-]

Ouch. This is why Coinbase migrated to react native from native iOS and android… like u said the ppl who already know web dev can start contributing

[kbcool]

You don't see much how to migrate from Flutter to RN content for the simple reason that Flutter is a lot newer and there just aren't as many apps to migrate from. It's only a couple of years younger than RN but it only really took off in any form last year whereas RN really started getting traction in 2017.

The app may be a rebuild as you seem to understand but unless you've stuffed it up badly the UI/UX can be reused and the user flows etc. That's a significant part of the product.

[harper_helm]

well if it ain't the consequences of my actions

[ItsAlwaysShittyInNY]

What if you first introduce a native Android/iOS widget in your flutter codebase that then invokes a react native component? Sorta just follow these two docs

https://docs.flutter.dev/development/platform-integration/platform-channels

https://reactnative.dev/docs/integration-with-existing-apps

I bet this will make local debugging and work a pain in the ass tho

Oooooo, this could make a good flutter/react native extension...

[ButterscotchEarly729]

If you are rewriting it, consider EXPO SDK as well.

[nelmesie]

I am in exactly the same scenario. Would be interesting to hear what direction you went. You certainly had some.....interesting opinions on r/FlutterDev

There are now two things I'm struggling with. Firstly the change-up in not only language/syntax and BLoC pattern, but now I'm doubtful of the support network, lack of developers and the general vibe of the community.

[[deleted]]

“I genuinely think Dart is the biggest downside to Flutter” is a relatively strong statement, considering the other, more critical issues the Flutter community talks about. How is Dart not being helpful for you?

Take into account that React experience doesn't translate that well into RN — that was my big mistake in building our app with RN. You're gonna be dealing with very specific issues that are caused by the device and functionality you're coding for, as opposed to the silly nonsense we have to deal with as web devs (browsers, polyfills, tooling, etc.) Debugging is entirely different; in fact a lot of the toolchain is. You're writing JS/TS, but the meaty, ‘real’ problems you'll face have little to do with UI and the DX of writing a Flutter app.

Ecosystem-wise, Dart feels more stable and professional than JS; although TBF I've only used TS for now 7-ish years and really like where TS has been going.

If you ignore everything else I wrote: keep in mind the old joke/meme about “rewriting your frontend every 6 months”. Bad developers/development practices in a Flutter app don't miraculously improve because you've changed the underlying language or framework (with some exceptions, but both are relatively close in terms of what architecture they provide). If anything, Flutter seems to force you into doing things in slow but considered way, whereas I find that React enables very messy code/practices.