[pjmlp]

Yep, coming from Delphi, C++ Builder, Forms and quite a few good Java layout designers (Netbeans Matisse), WPF Blend, I never understood what is so cool about doing UIs by hand.

[sebe]

I think the sub second hot reload feature, makes it cool. Have a look at the "Unified layout" section in https://hackernoon.com/why-flutter-uses-dart-dd635a054ebf and or install the flutter plugin in vs code or android studio and have a play.

[pjmlp]

Makes it cool, but nothing out of the ordinary for anyone used to other native GUI development tools, like the ones I referred to.

Here is Interface Builder in 1986, https://paulhammant.com/2013/03/28/interface-builders-altern...

[barrkel]

Particularly if you have access to things like custom components (that are themselves designed with a visual designer) and visual form inheritance; these give you back hierarchical compositional tools that you would otherwise lose in a flat composition.