Flutter Archives - Flutter App Development Company

The fundamentals of Flutter & Dart

Posted on 20/06/202230/01/2024 by TBRadmin

Smart screens are everywhere. Embedded into the watch on your hand or installed into the mirror in your bathroom or functioning as a roadmap at a bus stop — the screens have already been enriching the life of the entire society.

But multiple functions, as well as convenient usability, are the core features that outline smart mobile phones as leaders in the technological field. The number of smartphone holders is expected to continue growing worldwide.

And here is where Flutter comes in. It strives not just to make sure the power of the device is maintained, but also to enhance its capacity.

Mobile applications, distinguished by functional characteristics, tend to be multi-platform supporting a variety of formats.

As one of the most popular frameworks for mobile app development nowadays, Flutter has steadily gained leadership. As well as Dart — a language it is based on.

Statista: Cross-platform mobile frameworks used by developers worldwide 2019-2021

Before taking up Flutter mobile app development, you should understand the nature of Flutter and Dart.

Let us dive deeper and discover the topic.

What is Flutter? Is Flutter a framework?

Flutter is a framework for cross-platform mobile app development

In 2018 at the WeAreDevelopers conference in Berlin, Flutter was presented to the IT professional viewership. The speaker, Martin Aguinis, said: “A lot of times when we usually talk about Flutter, we do it with four pillars. Flutter is beautiful, Flutter is fast, Flutter is productive, and Flutter is open”.

The Flutter diagram displayed at the WeAreDevelopers conference

A brief description of the technology

Flutter is a framework for cross-platform mobile app development

In 2018 at the WeAreDevelopers conference in Berlin, Flutter was presented to the IT professional viewership. The speaker, Martin Aguinis, said: “A lot of times when we usually talk about Flutter, we do it with four pillars. Flutter is beautiful, Flutter is fast, Flutter is productive, and Flutter is open”.

Flutter is a framework for crafting platform-independent applications. And here comes a question: “Is Flutter a programming language?” This issue bothers a great number of curious natures. And the answer will be: “No”.

Flutter itself is not a programming language. It is an SDK – a tool kit – that operates being bundled with either a text editor or an IDE, as a better option, such as Android Studio, IntelliJ IDE. To write the code, Flutter uses the Dart programming language.

The development is started out with the Flutter SDK installation.
Once installed on the chosen desktop operating system, Flutter runs inside the Dart virtual machine.

Respectively, Flutter alongside with Dart allows creating:

Android and iOS mobile apps;
web applications;
graphical applications for desktop Windows, macOS, and Linux solutions.

The benefits primary stakeholders get.

A business owner, by opting for Flutter, can save both on money and time.

So, with Flutter, compared to its native equivalent, it will be easier and considerably cheaper to:

build the software;
create the MVP;
to follow-up with the product support.

Program engineers will appreciate:

the documentation, community, and the package repository of the Flutter;
an open-source programming;
a well-structured toolset;
the stateful Hot Reload feature enabled by the JIT compilation;
an elegantly designed work environment.

Why will a user enjoy the smooth performance of the application built with Flutter? The answers are:

Ahead-of-Time compilation;
powerful basic stateful and stateless widgets;
Skia graphics engine;
out of the box functionalities;
no native elements.

Besides, Flutter has also been used to create the user interface of Fuchsia – a new operating system developed by Google.

As described above, no dilemma “Dart vs Flutter” exists any longer, since both terms are interconnected.

Our article “Why choose Flutter for mobile app development in 2024?” helps you much better understand the domain, the benefits, and downsides of the technology.

What is Dart?

Developed by Google and chosen as a programming language for Flutter, Dart is the foundation of this framework.

Embedding an extensive set of basic libraries and packages, Dart:

allows using essential elements for daily programming tasks;
makes it possible to provide tons of API solutions.

The technology allows Dart to:

compile the code into multiple programming languages;
ensure its usage on several platforms.

Given this, Dart is targeting native and web operating devices.

Native solutions

The Dart runtime system is required to execute the code natively. By default, the Dart runtime is included in the Dart VM.

Dart VM is a virtual machine, a collection of components for executing Dart code natively.

To render the machine code, Dart VM applies:
just-in-time compilation (JIT);
ahead-of-time compilation (AOT).

Thus, expediting the start time of the application, the AOT enables an efficient performance of the mobile or desktop application.

Whereas, the JIT is Flutter’s famous Hot Reload feature.

Web solutions

Through the use of particular compilers, Dart is translated into the JavaScript language, which enables its use in the browser. This way web solutions are realized.

Dart overview diagram: Development and Production toolchain for Dart Native and Dart Web solutions

So, it is incorrect to say: “Flutter coding language” or “Dart SDK”. As Flutter is an SDK or a framework, and Dart – a programming language.

TBR Group: your tech partner in Flutter mobile app development

Just a few words to outline the TBR Group expertise section.

TBR Group is a software company based in Ukraine.

Cooperating with enterprises all over the globe, the TBR Group team has undertaken and successfully carried out a set of projects in platform-independent mobile app software programming.

Vetsie for Vets App Store / Google Play and Swishboom App Store / Google Play may serve as relevant examples.

Vetsie for Vets is a pet care mobile application targeting mainly the USA and Canada market areas. Having been introduced in 2 versions — for the pet parent and the medical workers – Vetsie for Vets perfectly suits both. Outstanding performance has been achieved due to the technology stack of Flutter and Dart realized by the TBR Group team.

Vetsie for vets: “New bookings” and “Upcoming consultation” page. Vetsie for Vets: “Chats” page.

To learn more on how to craft a pet care mobile app, check “Building a pet care app with Flutter: TBR Group guide”. And to dive into the details of the Vetsie for Vets project realization, you are welcome to read “Vetsie case study page”.

Swishboom App Store / Google Play is another case – a platform-independent mobile app built with the Flutter and the Dart.

Swishboom functions as a web-based spot for parents to order babysitting services. Similar to Vetsie for Vets, according to the functionality assigned, Swishboom has just as well been implemented in 2 software solutions. The first one is specifically designed for families, the other meets the needs of the caregivers and the babysitters engaged in the service.

Swishboom mobile app: “Your job” page and “Find a sister” page.

Find the technical aspects of the project on Swishboom case study.

If you feel like specifying your project requirements, we will be happy to assist.

In a process of dialogue, we will go over the guidelines and terms of the upcoming project, without enforcing solutions. Every peculiarity will be discussed and agreed on with you to ensure an entire case understanding.

You are most welcome to reach out to us and leave your message via our contact form. Looking forward to assisting you at any time.

5 Healthcare mobile applications trends 2024

Posted on 20/06/202230/01/2024 by TBRadmin

An extensively digitalized healthcare alongside with COVID-19 consequences has accelerated not just the growth of the mobile device sector alone. The entire healthcare industry is bustling.

Improving the quality of health services, healthcare mobile platforms have gained even more popularity among smartphone holders.

The mHealth apps, which were available in the Google Play Store in December 2021, reached a total of 53,054 items. The Apple App Store showed nearly the same 53,979 applications ready to be downloaded to the customers’ portable devices.

The competition is tough and, therefore, new apps should have a competitive edge to stand out.

In this article, we will give a brief overview of the mobile medical app industry. We will also define the latest trends in healthcare mobile app development.

On top of that, we are going to take a closer look at the Vinci Labs platform – a company that implements medical device integration software.

We will also describe how TBR Group partners up with the Vinci Labs medical device integration software platform.

Top 5 trends in healthcare mobile app development

In the app stores, you are expected to discover a great variety of healthcare applications.

Some mobile medical applications are particularly designed for medical professionals. Others aimed to meet the patients’ needs.

Here come a few examples of the medical workers’ apps:

a medical networking app Daily Rounds App Store / Google Play;
a telehealth app Doctor On Demand App Store / Google Play;
a medical records app RXNT App Store / Google Play;

The patient-oriented apps:

a health monitoring WebMD App Store / Google Play;
a medical education app Medscape App Store / Google Play;
a medication tracker ScriptSave WellRx Rx Discounts App Store / Google Play;
a dieting app Fooducate App Store / Google Play;
a healthy lifestyle app Remente App Store / Google Play.

It is required to consider law regulations as well.
An indispensable condition for releasing a healthcare mobile app in the USA, Canada, and across the countries of the European Union is its law regulations observance.

Thus, legal compliance with the HIPAA act, FDA control, and the data protection services CCPA and GDPR should undoubtedly be taken on board.

Concerning the structure of the healthcare mobile platform, two variants of mobile medical applications are usually available. Each contains a bit different set of functionalities.

The admin panel version can be available as well. In this case, the system admin can supervise the working process on the whole and ensure its correct performance.

Which trends are now shaping up the mobile healthcare industry?

#1 Trend – Artificial Intelligence

As an integral part of the entire healthcare system, Artificial intelligence is revamping the way physicians practice medicine.

AI helps doctors:

diagnose multiple diseases;
define a set of necessary treatment methods;
predict better medication results for the patients;
much else.

Integrated into the healthcare mobile applications, artificial intelligence technologies facilitate users’ obtaining and managing health-related data.

AI technology offers a scope of valuable opportunities. Such as:

symptom checking apps can help users get an initial diagnosis;
health checkers help patients decide whether there is a necessity to see a specialist, and if so which doctor to refer to;
intelligent chatbots are helpful to answer various patients’ queries;
AI app programmes can assist in receiving valuable health data to be further properly stored, etc.

BasicAI is a data collection AI and ML mobile application.

BasicAI mobile app – “Submit task” and “Task detail application” pages.

#2 Trend – Virtual reality

Both augmented reality and virtual reality are considered to deliver real-life experiences.

In the healthcare area, they assist in teaching a trainee on getting through different medical tasks having no actual human body around.

The technology proves to be indispensable in tackling various pains, especially while laboring. It can also be used by stroke victims to efficiently regain their mobility.

The VR and AR technologies can be implemented in a variety of applications for mobile phones. This allows to investigate and examine new options when socializing with users.

Complete Anatomy mobile application 2024 App Store / Google Play is a complete anatomy reference book with creative tools including virtual dissection.

Complete Anatomy app – “Groundbreaking Female Model” and “Simulate Cadaveric Dissection” pages.

#3 Trend – Telemedicine

Telemedicine turned out to be a much-needed tool, gaining popularity as an ultimate option used by both patients and doctors.

Telemedicine apps have boosted sharing the online data between them.

Addressing common health issues, patients can be advised by doctors and medically prescribed out of a clinic. It ensures immediate contactless attention.

This tool saves a ton of a patient’s time, while doctors can keep to the daily routine much more efficiently.

Seeking a professional consultation, healthcare experts and specialists can be reached at any time.

Telemedicine apps have come into widespread use, providing easy access for doctors of different specialities.

AMBOSS App Store / Google Play app is an AI knowledge base. The application allows users to get answers to various medical inquiries and perform prior diagnostics.

AMBOSS mobile app – “Master every speciality” and “Explore content seamlessly” pages.

#4 Trend – Blockchain

Blockchain in healthcare has drastically moved forward in the area.

Following this tendency, applications have proved to be more secured, with online transactions becoming much quicker and safer.

This is likely to advance medical bill online payments, eliminating a physical queueing up.

A chance to pay online will facilitate the payment process and provide more security to it.

Blockchain technology will reduce unsolicited use of patients’ data kept in the application.

Exchange and storage of the medical data are readily available.

Accompanied by the possibility to make records, Blockchain technology helps to diminish blunders, forgery, stealing and losing the data.

Through Blockchain solutions, an extra tool has emerged to efficiently cope with healthcare problems, covering clinical trials, drug control, and keeping medical records.

Reply gives data concerning blockchain technology in healthcare mobile applications.

Reply project – “Healthcare Blockchain Applications” and “Blockchain Applications” sections.

#5 Trend – Integration with 3rd party devices

Third-party device and software integration means an extension of a device’s functionality by means of analyzing, processing, and storing the data with the help of existing software.

Through an application programming interface (API), the existing 3rd party device can be integrated into the software in question.

Any type of device can be connected to the software to obtain and process new data, automating the delivery and saving operational time.

These include, but not limited to pulse oximeter, weighing scale, digital stethoscope, portable ECG, spirometer, and B.P. monitor.

The above-mentioned devices are updated and patients’ EHR data is secured and stored, which is advantageous for both a patient and a doctor.

Hence, the users’ and clients’ demands define the trends and main tech and non-tech requirements for mobile apps.

Apple Watch app makes it possible to pair and sync a personal Apple Watch with the iPhone.

Apple Watch mobile app – “All watches” and “Add Watch Face” sections.

The Vinci Labs platform

Vinci Labs is a community of medical doctors, business people, and software engineers.

Vinci Labs company is focused on providing the API solution to get the 3rd party digital medical devices integrated into the standalone software product or service.

Vinci Labs offers users to choose either between the API’s option or go for an application variant.

Ensuring the correct performance of the medical device integration software, Vinci Labs handles the whole integration process. So, Vinci Labs:

carries out the device updates;
protects sensitive information;
makes sure EHR data is stored highly secured.

The key features the Vinci Labs Platform offers:

Native 3rd Party Device Integration;
Modular API;
Customized Standalone Application;
EHR Data Storage and Analytics.

Vinci Labs platform – “Modular API’s” and “Native 3rd Party Device Integration” sections.

Vinci Labs platform – “EHR Data Storage and Analytics” and “Customized Standalone Application” sections.

By applying the above, the Vinci Labs platform makes it possible for healthcare organizations to ensure quality and seamless digital care accessible to their patients and customers through the use of technology.

Vinci Labs platform – “Enable Your Platform For Real Time Virtual Care” and “Perform Remote Patient Monitoring and Homecare” sections.

Currently, Vinci Labs is on its MVP stage, getting through a steady development process.

While the front-end was entirely accomplished by TBR Group, a third-party technical partner worked on the backend programming part.

Given this, on the backend, it was decided to implement an algorithm for scanning and analyzing data from the 3rd party devices.

The algorithm in question contributed to the subsequent creating of charts, diagrams, and other data storage modules.

Consequently, the implemented options referred to measuring the user’s temperature, blood pressure and pulse, as well as other health indicators.

Vinci Labs makes it possible to obtain a platform demo version.

The challenge & solution

The main goal of the project was to keep detailed statistics of the patient’s health indicators during treatment and provide an easy way for patients to enter medical data.
We have developed a mobile application that allows patients to enter data from devices without thinking about the meaning of certain indicators, since data can be uploaded simply by taking a photo of the device. Also application provides a way to interact with health indicators statistics by interactive charts. Charts support data scaling and different date ranges.
One of the challenges we faced while developing is to show on the charts measurements that was made outside healthy range. To achieve this, we added a custom coloring for line chart which depends on measurements data and health indicators ranges.

Summary

Actively expanding, the mobile healthcare industry has definitely established its presence in the market niche.

Hot trends like AI, telemedicine, and 3rd party device integration are outlining the basic technical requirements for a brand new mobile app to be delivered.

Respectively, mHealth has influenced the efficiency, communication options, costs, and even quality of healthcare services.

TBR Group IT Development company has already obtained vast experience in building complicated medical apps.

Solving technical challenges, TBR Group works out a general, step-by-step procedure to craft your unique healthcare or medical mobile app.

Depending on the technical specifications, our software engineers team tracks down and utilizes various frameworks and tools, as well as programming languages to efficiently carry out the project.

We make sure, that at each design stage, the communication between our development team and the client company remains stable and as if led nominally.

Feel free to contact us at any convenient time. Through get In touch form, you are most welcome to share your mobile app concept. And indeed, there is always a perfect way to start.

Pros and cons of dedicated teams for mobile app development

Posted on 20/06/202218/11/2023 by TBRadmin

A rapid and continuous growth of the IT realm can hardly stay unnoticed. Serious changes are underway in the programming field. And mobile application development is in the spotlight.

The Number of mobile app downloads worldwide from 2016 to 2021 showed a steady increase in downloads. Thus, in 2016 this number surpassed the mark of 140 billion, having reached the volume of 230 billion in 2021.

Furthermore, mobile applications are expected to generate more than $613 billion in revenues by 2025.

Given this, owning a mobile application to expand the business is one of the latest trends.

So, how to craft a first-rate mobile app?

The mobile application development appears to be rather expensive and time-consuming.

Getting just the right team to fulfil the dedicated project is crucial. Is it better to hire freelancers or refer to a development company?

The software service providers may offer reasonable solutions. Respectively, business holders do tend to opt for external help.

There are a few types of outsourcing in mobile application development.

In this article, we will discover the advantages as well as the downsides of the dedicated team approach and the outstaffing model.
We will also outline our expertise this business model cooperation.

The anatomy of dedicated development and outstaffing model

What is a dedicated team model?

A dedicated development team – a group of specialists in the software field working together on a particular project.

The initial scope of work may vary depending on the case and the client’s requirements.

The services provided by the dedicated team mainly lie in crafting designs, software development and QA testing.

The outcome is an entirely completed, ready-to-market product. It can be either a mobile app, or a website payment system.

The concept implies business cooperation at least between a client company and a service provider.

The scope of work, project features and values, desirable specifications, and timelines will form the cost of the dedicated project and identify a suitable payment model.

In charge of the group is a project manager. Leading the dedicated software team and coordinating the workflow, the PM supervises the whole development process.

Still, a dedicated team should not be considered as a unit of the in-house staff structure. While working remotely on the client’s project, the team is directly subordinated to the own supervising management.

Hiring a dedicated software team allows the business holder not to perform a direct hands-on administration and therefore lessens the management burden.

What is outstaffing?

The outstaffing business model can be characterized as a personnel withdrawal.

As the majority of the business holders are truly tech-savvy, they can successfully head up the entire development process.

In case of a staff shortage, outstaffing can appear like a perfect choice to swiftly and relatively easily fill the temporary skill gaps.

So, applying for an outstaffing model helps to optimize expenditures on human resources.
Typically, two or three sides of participation are involved in outstaffing. There are:

the host/customer company;
the recruitment agency or the intermediary;
the service provider/outstaffer.

The client company is a corporation in need of temporary staff resources to carry out a definite scope of work or to participate in the development project.

The same as in the dedicated team module, a recruitment agency is also not a constant participator in the outstaffing business concept. If any, the agency acts as an intermediary between the host company and the outstaffer.

After the project requirements have been defined, the service provider can start outstaffing suitable candidates.

Scrupulously selected, each specialist has to perfectly fit the client’s requirements.

Performing as a part of the in-house team, the allocated employee is still registered as a staff member of the provider company.

Being in charge of the entire development process, the host company controls the employee’s engagement, as well as every stage of the project implementation.

Advantages of the dedicated team and outstaffing models

These models can actually appear as a perfect solution for mobile app development.

As the allocated staff work distantly, it helps to reduce costs on maintenance and taxes of different kinds.

So, saving expenses, they just as well expedite time to market period and lessen the management burden for the client company.

What concept to opt for depends on the project requirements and its goals. It is necessary to estimate the costs and the budget available. The characteristics of the market will also have to be examined.

The difference between these two models lies mainly in their objectives.

The outstaffing model implies allocating one or more specialists to the host company. Usually, there are no time frames for such cooperation.
The host company provides direct supervision over the outstaffed employees. Specifying tasks, the customer company controls the whole working flow.

The dedicated team concept requires a team of specialists to fulfil a particular project within a set timeline. The entire development process is controlled by the project manager of the dedicated team.

In the end, the client company receives a completely ready-to-market product.

Here comes a comparative table summing up the advantages and some downsides of these business models.

Pros and cons of dedicated teams and outstaffing

Advantages and disadvantages of dedicated team and outstaffing models

Outstaffing model by TBR Group: the babymates case

TBR Group – a Ukrainian IT development company specializing mainly in cross-platform mobile app development.

The technology used – the Flutter framework and the Dart programming language.
The piece on Why choose Flutter for mobile app development in 2023? will let you have a closer look at these advanced technologies.

You are welcome to observe a few products crafted by our team. These mobile applications are already available in the App Store and Google Play. So, out there, you can find Vetsie for Vets (App Store / Google Play), Swishboom, Neural Reader Most Natural TTS, Śpiewnik Wywroty.

In some mobile software implementations, TBR Group had a chance to operate as a dedicated team, as well as an outstaffing company.

In the babymates project, TBR Group performed as an outstaffing company.

This mobile application has been specially designed for dads to ”dad” in the most comfortable, pleasant and happy way.

Paying attention to how tough being a dad can be in the new world of restrictions, lockdowns and social distance, babymates aims to digitally connect dads with the service created.
The key features include:

user authorization;
profile section;
online chat;
map integration;
community;
events;
contact form;
and a dad joke generator section.

Built up with a rich set of functionalities, babymates is intuitive and really user-friendly.

The babymates mobile app – build your dad profile and connect with your dad mates pages.

The babymates mobile app – chat with new mates and feed, create and share dad moments pages.

The challenge and the solution

The engineers of TBR Group took part in the babymates mobile application development. Enlarging the host company’s team, the group considerably expedited the development process.

Outcome

The goals set had been reached and the assignments fulfilled. The babymates mobile application was delivered to the client within the defined timeline.

Summary

Being popular among users, mobile applications have truly become a core feature in expanding business online.

As a business owner, to craft a mobile app, you have to think over tons of possibilities and define hundreds of variables.

TBR Group dives into the nitty-gritty of your business idea.

Perhaps, you would like to opt for a dedicated development team. Or you might choose an outstaffing model.

In any case, the TBR Group IT Development company will gladly help you decide what suits you best and give you a helping hand.

You are most welcome to contact us via the get In touch contact form. At all times, we are always here to assist you.

Top 9 features of mobile pet care apps — Flutter app development company

Posted on 20/06/202224/05/2024 by TBRadmin

The pet industry market, having grown over the past few years, has actually created new exciting opportunities for nearly all the market participants.

The American Pet Product Association (APPA) in Pet Industry Market Size, Trends & Ownership Statistics have figured out a continuous growth of the total U.S. pet industry expenditures. The records show a corresponding increase in outlays from $90.5 billion in 2018 up to $103.6 in 2020, with the estimated figure of $109.6 in 2021. The report has confirmed a consistent increase in the pet annual expenses year-on-year.

The COVID-19 conditions have also contributed to the pet industry development, having pushed hundreds of vet industries to build businesses online.

Respectively, the sector of mobile pet care applications is rapidly moving forward.

Providing a range of various services, apps for pet care have already simplified the way the pet parents get in touch with their vet care professionals.

The diversity of the modern software capabilities has resulted in technological stack dilemma. What programming language to choose to create the best app for dog care? Or what functionalities distinguish good pet apps from the mediocre ones?

An optimal way to get stared avoiding possible pitfalls is to craft an MVP version of the application. This pilot option enables business owners to watch over the strong points and detect the downsides.

In this article, we will go through a list of the top must-have features which every vet mobile app should capture in its MVP release.

9 features the best veterinary mobile app should have

It’s worth mentioning that a vet care app really implies two sides of interaction – a pet parent and a veterinary clinic. So, you will need to develop two types of applications as well. Each app has to hold a bit of a different set of functionalities.
Here come 9 must-have features for the MVP solution. They are:

Admin panel for owners

To efficiently maintain the interaction process between the clinic itself and pet parents, the administrative panel appears as an absolutely essential feature.

It allows vet professionals to handle all the incoming requests, text or video messages, as well as various notifications.

In the admin dashboard, veterinarian staff observe new bookings and manage actual appointments.

Plus, as all the details regarding a pet and its owner are documented in one place, it couldn’t be more convenient for pet care providers.

Onboarding / authorization options

To obtain services, the consumer needs to create a personal account and to authorize as a user. Embedding a log-in option may also encourage members to keep up using the service.

Pet’s profile

The pet profile section displays the general information about a pet. A pet parent can disclose a pet’s character, behavior and nutrition habits.

The general data, such as the breed, color, age, and weight should similarly be defined in this section.

The vet professional can insert and update information concerning a pet’s possible ailments and its health situation.

Coming in really handy, this option definitely allows the pet parent to be terribly bitty about the pet’s background.

Payments and Order history

Having a few plans available for the subscription, the pet owners can freely opt for that one, which is the most appealing.

It is possible to set up a monthly payment or an annual subscription. The consumer can just as well go for a flat fee.

The vet clinic usually determines the payment terms and methods by taking into account the veterinarian staff qualification, the type of the consultation services and the subscription period.

Book a consultation

This feature enables the pet parents to choose a vet doctor and set up a convenient time and date for a visit.

The consumer can also refer to the preferred veterinarian in text or email messages on simple questions.

An appointment can be held either in person or via a video or audio call.

Video and Audio calls

Carrying out a video or audio call with a vet doctor can appear most important in case of possible symptom onsets or injuries a pet may have.

A pet parents can schedule either a video and audio conversation with vet specialists, or pay a personal visit.

Online Chat

An online chat feature enables pet parents to directly get connected with pet care providers.

The required data concerning a pet’s variable medical conditions can be sent to a veterinarian in a text, voice, or video message.

Google map integration

A pet’s parents can look for a veterinarian clinic nearby. The search results will be displayed on the map in the most convenient way.

The so-called heat map index, the option of displaying the current workload on every vet station, can obviously come out as a nice little bonus.

Pet’s health records

This section contains all the official medical data on a pet’s chronic conditions, vaccines received, and allergies diagnosed.

Here a pet’s parents and the vet staff can check a pet’s health records or get a summary of the previously paid visits.

The application designed for vet service providers may include extra functionalities. Such as:

order management
earnings
daily reports
active/inactive user status
heat maps index.

Nice to have mobile app features and extra functionalities to implement throughout the next stages of the product evolution may include:

reminders
push notifications
educational articles and videos
PDF reports
Facebook events
food monitoring
exercise
reviews and ratings
support
GPS tracking
first aid.

Respectively, these handy features will enable both the business owner and the pet parents to interact with each other in an efficient and cost-effective way.

The aforementioned core set of functionalities has also been implemented in the following vet applications:

11Pets App Store and Google Play, PetCoach App Store and Google Play, Rover App Store and Google Play, PetDesk and Vetsie for Vets App Store and Google Play.
Hereinafter, we will get a closer look at Vetsie for Vets pet health app.

Vetsie mobile pet services app developed by TBR Group

Vetsie for Vets – a veterinary telemedicine mobile application, available in App Store and Google Play. Crafted by the Ukrainian IT development company – TBR Group – Vetsie for Vets is mainly oriented to the Canadian market.

You are most welcome to read our article Building a pet care app with Flutter: TBR Group guide. The entry describes the development stages performed and may give you a hint on how to craft the best pet care app.

And to get more technical overview of the implementation, please, refer to Vetsie case study page.

So, realized in 2 versions, Vetsie for Vets (App Store / Google Play) offers an expedient set of functionalities to the pet parents and a practical admin panel for the vet clinic.

Opportunities for users and administrators offered by Vetsie for Vets and the key features of the application

Vetsie for Vets is a user-friendly environment for any consumer. The key features of this pet services’ app are the following:

Video and audio calls;
Chat (file uploading, unread messages, voice messages);
Book consultation;
Google map integration;
Charts;
Reviews;
PDF reports;
Push notifications;
Stripe payment integration;
Facebook events.

The functional capabilities offered by Vetsie for Vets (App Store / Google Play) make it easy for the pet owners to connect with a pet care expert.

Vetsie for Vets mobile app – Text / Audio Call feature.

Plus, thanks to the push notifications, the pet parent receives all the vital data concerning the pet care services.

Being able to schedule a visit or immediately speak to the doctor in times of emergency, the user obtains a highly qualified consultation and thus a sense of security.

Vetsie for Vets mobile app – Book Consultation feature.

The administrative section provides vet business owners and the medical staff with an attractable Admin Dashboard.

It displays general statistical data, earnings obtained, appointments scheduled and the flow of the incoming requests.

The app keeps all the metrics together, tracking a pet’s medical history in one convenient place and at the tip of the fingers.

Best of all, the communication is held right through the application, simplifying the pet’s health care involvement.

Technological Stack

Vetsie for Vets (App Store / Google Play) – a veterinary mobile application that is cross-platform and cloud-based.

To obtain the most relevant software realization of the project, TBR Group used the Flutter framework and the Dart programming language.

Being relatively brand new, Flutter has already evolved into one of the most widespread programming languages.

Wonder why? You are welcome to check our article on Why choose Flutter for mobile app development in 2023? You will find out the reason for Flutter’s growing popularity among developers. As well as why consumers themselves love applications build with Flutter.

To enable video and audio broadcasting options, TBR Group implemented a robust Agora SDK technology. Respectively, Agora Real-time Communication (RTC), Agora Real-time Messaging (RTM) and Agora Web SDK library have been integrated.

Just as Agora SDK itself does not support chat features for Flutter web options, our team had to use a Flutter web plugin combined with the JavaScript language.

This way, TBR Group have succeeded to craft a highly productive pet health mobile app, with a reliable and secure interaction between the vet business owners and the pet parents on one single platform.

Summary

Having successfully crafted multiple cross-platform mobile applications, the TBR Group IT Development company each and every time takes care to deliver a top-quality software product.

Check our projects as a proof. You can find and download the apps, such as Swishboom, Neural Reader Most Natural TTS, Śpiewnik Wywroty from the App Store and Google Play.

You are most welcome to ask anything you want at any time right through our Get In Touch contact form. We will always be happy to assist in your project realization.

Why choose Flutter for mobile app development in 2024?

Posted on 12/05/202230/01/2024 by TBRadmin

The mobile app industry has already been on the rise, and it will keep increasing its revenues by 10 times, according to Statista.
That’s wow! App stores are crowded with tools for every human need, be it – a song directory, pet vet app, or a sales store.

In recent years, Flutter and React Native have been the leading frameworks in cross-platform development. Occupying the first position in the diagram, Flutter has started to steadily drive the lead.

Though being the front-runner, Flutter has still challenges to work with. In this article, we will describe the pros and cons of the framework, the difficulties we faced, and the solutions we took.

So, let’s go.

Flutter mobile development fundamentals

The framework architecture of Flutter is designed for a cross-platform development process.

It is implemented by deploying several core components, such as Dart programming language, Flutter engine, design-specific widgets, development tools kit, and foundation library.

Let’s dive into the domain and gain an insight into what Flutter actually is.

The upsides of the Flutter framework

Flutter is an open-source framework released by Google in 2018. It is basically a tool kit, an SDK, for the developer to create applications. It contains libraries, widgets, and the required tools for the work process to flow quickly, smoothly, and efficiently.

The list of the big companies’ apps built by Flutter cross-platform is presented in Flutter Apps in Production and An open list of apps built with Flutter.

Advantages of Flutter

A single code base

Flutter runs the code written in Dart. Dart is an object-oriented programming language launched by Google and picked up to implement Flutter.

Dart allows for a single code base to be reused for every platform. The API is stable and well-supported.

It supports Ahead Of Time as well as Just In Time options of code compilation.

During the Flutter app development process, the JIT compilation enables Flutter’s stateful Hot Reload.

With Dart, the flow of development cycles is extremely fast. Respectively, with the changes applied, Flutter app developers can see the actual look of the application in less than a second.
Fast development flow and smooth performance.
The Flutter mobile application becomes AOT-compiled as soon as it has been created and ready to be released.

AOT option allows you to efficiently compile the Flutter mobile app code into the binary native code. Just like with natively coded applications, the start time is speedy and further performance is smooth.

Widget customization

In Flutter, everything is a widget. Using various compositions of widgets, you can draw the user interface, introduce changes into the outer look of the application or even execute the data transmission process.

Developers can create totally customizable widgets. By painting every pixel to the screen, you gain complete control over the application.

Concerning the design-specific widgets, Flutter holds both Cupertino layouts resembling Apple’s iOS Human interface guidelines design language and Android Material Components of the Material Design, which is a design language developed by Google in 2014.

The layouts are defined by using the Dart code only. There is neither XML nor templating language in the Flutter development kit, just as there is no visual designer tool either.

All graphical elements, such as buttons, backgrounds, and texts are written by the graphic Flutter engine.
Compilation flexibility
Due to its compilation flexibility, Dart may be used in a combo with JavaScript and, thus, implemented in the browser or even on the server side by either being compiled natively or into the JavaScript programming language.

There are other benefits of Flutter development, such as:

a low learning curve;
it is app-oriented, not platform-oriented;
it is well-documented;
suitable for various niches;
Flutter engine and Flutter DevTools have ever-growing capacities;

it’s great for MVPs.

The downsides of Flutter

Dependence on the IT community

To interact with certain native features, Flutter has to use third-party libraries and plugins. Once built by iOS and Android developers, they need to be constantly updated.
The IT community has actively been growing since Flutter was released, and tons of important plugins have come into widespread use.
File size
The file built by Flutter is more disk space-consuming than the one coded natively. The Flutter application that goes into the App store is heavier than its native equivalent.
This file size challenge has already been faced by the Flutter developers and the file size reduction is underway. Performance & Optimization documentation may appear to be a viable solution.

Instability

As Flutter was released from the beta version not so long ago, some sort of operating instability may still occur. Google has already focused on gaining stable and reliable framework performance.

Now let’s compare Flutter and other cross-development mobile frameworks.

Flutter vs React Native vs Native

React Native is an open-source JavaScript framework released by Facebook and applied to build cross-platform applications.

The framework interacts with native platforms by using a so-called “JavaScript Bridge”. This is a context that may cause a jank. A noticeable choppiness of the application performance is detected. And the performance of critical applications may get affected.

In the React Native framework, developers cannot get full control over the software tool and prevent possible security issues and data leakage.

Flutter vs React Native comparison reveals the main differences both in the Dart language capabilities and in Flutter’s new framework architecture itself.

Flutter applications have a faster start-up time and a quicker performance. Looking natively and performing efficiently, they provide a perfect user experience. They are secure enough to be used in any market niche your business belongs to.

If you set the cross-platform approach represented by Flutter vs Native (Kotlin, Java, Swift, Objective-C) or any other native coding option, the differences will at large lie in the development process and become obvious during post-launch support.

The need to hire a doubled number of specialists and run a project in a time- and resource-consuming way will probably make such a project a pricey one.
Maintenance and considerable support costs for two separate applications should as well be considered.

With so many benefits, Flutter appears to be one of the most popular and capable technologies to build cross-platform applications.

Building cross-platform apps with Flatter: TBR Group’s expertise

Here comes a true industry showcase of the apps created by TBR Group which have already been published in the app stores.

TBR Group is a company that specializes in web and mobile programming development.

Swishboom

This Flutter mobile app is available only in the App Store.

Swishboom mobile app – “How it works”, “Find a Sister” and “Your Job” pages.

Swishboom connects the families in want of babysitting service to the baby care providers available for job employment. The application allows for creating personal networks for both families and babysitters, scheduling working hours, extending the existing network, and making the babysitter jobs easy to apply for.

Neural Reader Most Natural TTS

Flutter for mobile app development was considered a perfect technology to accomplish Neural Reader Most Natural TTS mobile app project.

Neural Reader Most Natural TTS mobile app – “My Library”, “Reading” and “Dictation” pages.

Available on the App Store, Neural Reader is designed to be the most human-like Text-To-Speech audio reader, and the most accurate Speech-To-Text live transcribtion tool. The app provides several subscription plans.

Śpiewnik Wywroty

The Wywroty Songbook is the largest database of Polish and international song arrangements. It was originally created by guitar player for guitar players.

Śpiewnik Wywroty mobile app – “A prompter booth”, “The most favorite Polish Songs” and “Chord charts” pages.

Vetsie for Vets

Vetsie for Vets belongs to pet care telemedicine. It is cross-platform and cloud-based.

Vetsie for Vets – “Book Consultation” feature and “Add Vets” feature.

More information on the app is available at Building a pet care app with Flutter: TBR Group guide.
The challenges of the development process and their solutions

Below there is a list of issues and the solutions we faced while crafting the apps.

not all the existing Dart packages support the Null Safety guarantee sound. Due to this reason, some packages have to be manually rewritten to obtain the Null Safety sound support;
Flutter applications have bigger sizes than native ones. Since the Flutter app contains the core engine, framework, ICU data, and LICENSE file it will take some space on a disk. For example, for Android, a min Flutter app size is 4MB while the Kotlin app can take 550 KB. However, this is a default drawback for all cross-platform solutions.;
to implement Video & Audio chat, a Vetsie application core feature, the TBR Group used a powerful Agora SDK platform. This is similar to FaceTime conversations technology and ensures reliable and secure communication. The app Vetsie for Vets itself has been written using a Flutter web plugin in combination with the JavaScript programming language. Such a programming combination was rooted in Agora SDK itself. Agora SDK does not support chat features for Flutter web options.

For more information and details on how we did it, please, refer to the Writing a Flutter Web plugin with JavaScript: a step-by-step guide.

Summary

Flutter has already been redefining the software development for mobile, web and desktop solutions applicable for projects of any kind and scope.

Having a bunch of numerous benefits and out-of-the-box capabilities, Flutter dares to challenge projects of any complexity.

Flutter’s potential weak points can practically be avoided with a proper development approach.

Flutter app development costs may vary and depend on the preferences of your business projects, goals, and priorities.

What technology to use for mobile app development in 2024 – Flutter or alternative solutions?

This is a dilemma you might have already faced as a business owner and mobile developer, walking the way to your mobile app creation.

Get your unique project communicated and discussed. Find a comprehensive solution. We are always here to assist you!

Unlock tailored solutions with bespoke pet care app development by TBR Group

Posted on 03/05/202224/05/2024 by TBRadmin

The world of IT is rapidly dashing forward. Incredible things have become a reality, and the future promises more and more ahead at a quicker pace.

COVID-19 has added its extensive input by applying restrictions and imposing new rules on all the market players. Such conditions force tons of businesses to go online.

The vet tech industry is not an exception to this technological race. There has been an ongoing market demand for online diagnostics of pets’ possible ailments.

Swiftly developing, the pet industry market is expected to enlarge its market share in Global Veterinary Diagnostics from $2.23 billion in 2018 up to $4 billion by 2023 according to the Global veterinary diagnostics market size 2023 forecast.

Pet healthcare centers have been establishing their internet presence. The vet telemedicine busts out, developing digitally and thus discovering new opportunities for businesses involved. Both web and mobile solutions are thriving.

If you are one of the veterinary business holders who have already got a functional website and ponder over creating a vet-on-demand app, you are down the right path.

This is a convenient choice for a pet parent.
Having them both is cool and beneficial and lets your business grow more efficiently. So, here comes a brief outline of how to build a pet care app.

How to build an app for pets?

You need to have your idea shaped up into a concept with clear outlines.

Taking into account the number of applications available in the app stores today, you need to apply your creativity to work out an idea to launch a potentially successful vet application.

You can study the most favored pet care apps. Combine their best features, introduce relevant improvements, and generate your own unique application outline.

The majority of the existing apps have arisen due to such a technique.

Perform substantial market research and define the distinctive features. What exactly will make it possible for your application to outgrow eventual competitors?

Draft a proper business plan and outline the marketing strategy to launch your app and keep it efficiently running.

Once you have obtained a perfect understanding of what exactly you want as an outcome and the relevant designs have been made, it’s time for the app coding to get started.

At this stage, you may encounter certain pain points of choosing between either a platform for mobile pet care app development or a custom solution to hire a team of developers who will build a pet services app for you.

Here is a short description of both options:

To code the app by yourself.

If this option appeals to you, you are apparently the one who has already been creating apps.

Using a software builder platform.

You have become aware of the latest tendencies in the chosen domain and stay familiar with the already available solutions to emerging issues.

This tool allows the user to create a pet services app without having to be an expert in programming.

This can be a way out for some small and plain applications which do not require much of smartphone resources.

You will hardly be able to seriously customize the pre-created functionality as well as the template design.

Moreover, one day you can come across a very similar app out there, as the chances are another internet traveler makes his choice on the same template.

The manufacturer platform usually charges on a monthly basis to support running the application and get it operational at all times.

To get additional info as for the Drag and Drop software, please, visit Compare Drag and Drop App Builder Software.

Consuming a white label program.

The option of consuming a white label program – a pre-created software produced by one company and then rebranded by the other – may also deepen the sense of insecurity.

Even though a client purchases a ready-made vet app, still there is a necessity to employ a developer to personalize and adapt it to precisely articulated requirements.
For more information, please, check What is white labeling?, and a list of Frequently asked questions about the white label app builder.

Hiring a development company.

You can hire a team of developers specializing in mobile development to have that unique application coded for you.

This is the most reliable way of embedding your idea into a functional vet on-demand application.

The development company houses its own capacity, which includes a team of highly qualified code programmers, bug testers, project managers as well as quality hardware.

The team members are entirely focused on delivering high-rate products and the project managers closely supervise the working flow to eliminate any inaccuracy in the outcome.

Although it is more expensive compared to the other alternatives, applying to a development company is the fastest, safest, and most nerve-saving option.

The coding language appears to be another challenge for the veterinary or pet health care center owner.

You might have already faced the problem of picking up the best technical stack suitable for creating your pet services app. Indeed, the diversity of coding languages is obviously bewildering.

Vetsie – a pet vet app built with Flutter

TBR Group assisted the Canadian start-up Vetsie in making their idea come true and built a mobile application, Vetsie for Vets.

The vet app Vetsie for Vets belongs to veterinary telemedicine. It is cross-platform and cloud-based, with the interaction taking place on a single platform.

We have developed two types of applications, each has embedded a different set of functionalities.

One of them is comfortably suited for pet owners and the other one — is for the vet clinic.

These two applications are constructed to meet the needs of their owners in the best way possible.

On the Pet Parents’ side, Vetsie for Vets is designed for people owning cats, dogs, and other household pets. It searches for reputable specialists qualified to advise on the pet’s proper ailment.

Vetsie mobile app — Add Vets feature and Sign up page

All the required information about the vet doctor who will render a consultation is shown to the pet parent.

The pet owners can also see the history of correspondence, proceed with payment and buy a consulting service from the vet.

To book an appointment, the pet parent is expected to specify a disturbing issue, opt for a vet professional to refer to, and select a time and date for the call or visit.

Vetsie mobile app — Add Vets feature and Sign up page

The pet owner can communicate their pet’s case to the veterinarian by text, voice, or video messaging.

On the medical workers’ side, Vetsie for Vets is indispensable for veterinary clinics in their interaction with the client – a pet owner. It has got a user-friendly dashboard.

All the statistical data, such as earnings, appointments of each vet professional, etc. are easily seen and analyzed. It displays incoming requests and new bookings, and briefs on the pet parent and the pet itself.

The vet doctors can choose to either accept or deny the requests received.

Vetsie for Vets pet care app is fast, smooth, and easy to run. It contains the following set of key functionalities helping to ensure an efficient interaction process:

Video&Audio calls (Agora RTC, RTM, Agora web library);
Chat (file uploading, unread messages, voice messages);
Book consultation;
Google map integration;
Charts;
Reviews;
PDF reports;
Push notifications;
Stripe payment integration;
Facebook events.

Vetsie mobile app — Text / Audio Call feature.

TBR Group company has made a user-friendly app, easy to handle for both — by pet owners and medical workers. It enables the vet staff to balance out their work and time off and ultimately enhance pet care performance.

In Vetsie for Vets we have used Flutter, a brand-new framework produced and backed by Google, for cross-platform mobile and web dashboard development.
It is an open-source software based on the Dart programming language, and the SDK uses a C++ rendering engine.

Flutter provides widgets out of the box with an architecture grounded on reactive programming, which means that web and mobile apps built with Flutter are extremely responsive.

The code written with Flutter can be deployed onto different platforms. Providing high performance and building an amazing experience for the user, Flutter is an extremely user-friendly environment.

In 2021 Vetsie was selected by “Best Startup Canada” as one of the most promising start-ups.

It emerged in two articles: Care Startups and Companies in Alberta, and 10 Top Pet Startups and Companies in Alberta has given a considerable boost to a brand-new business.

Summary

TBR Group is a rapidly evolving company that specializes in web and mobile programming development.

We deliver custom mobile application solutions to bespoke complex projects within the timeline and at a sustainable budget. You are welcome to contact us at any time. The consultation is free, but it gives you a chance to move forward instantly.