[davidkhess]

I find Qt/QML for cross-platform mobile applications to be a great solution. It uses the same basic architecture as Flutter – they both do not use native widgets and instead draw the entire UI on a blank graphics canvas. I think that approach preserves the most code between platforms and reduces the kinds of presentation hitches that HTML web view and hybrid native widget approaches can run into.

In relation to the particular problems of technical debt related to third party modules mentioned in this article, QML rides on top of Qt which is a 26 year old C++ cross-platform toolkit with a lot of mature technology in it. I.e. there is a lot more "batteries included".

There are still plenty of times you have to "go native" to integrate something Qt doesn't cover but it apparently isn't as often as with Flutter.

[arthur_sav]

Can you give me an example of a good mobile app built with Qt/QML? I feel like only big corps can justify such apps where users have no choice but to use it because their boss forced them to.

[davidkhess]

I built the initial version of this app for a startup:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/listeners-on-call/id1498666617...

It has a very good UX designer and I've developed multiple commercial Qt/QML mobile applications previously.

I think the economics make sense with the following assumptions:

* The startup doesn't have the resources to build for two platforms natively (yet).

* The developer(s) can get their hands dirty and "go native" on either platform when needed.

[arthur_sav]

User review: "Tried using the app- no listeners were available. Cheaply made."

Users know. That's why most of these apps die within 1-2 years.

Have you used any airline app? Have you used any "cross platform" bank app?

I've actually switched banks because i preferred the one with the better mobile app. A bad app just shows how outdated they are.

Not saying there's no demand for building such apps, businesses clearly don't care (yet). When they start losing business they'll have to care.

[davidkhess]

You are jumping to mistaken conclusions based on one review, the motivations of which you don't know.

I think cross-platform apps are commonly misapplied and really only make economic sense with the appropriate assumptions. Once a company has the necessary resources they should go native and go all in on platform conformity.

But for many folks, that's not a feasible place to start from.