Quasar vs Android XML: Which UI Technology is More Efficient?

Introduction

The mobile user interface (UI) is one of the most crucial factors determining user experience. A well-designed UI makes interaction with the app easy, while a poorly designed one can cause users to struggle, fail to find the desired feature, abandon the app, or even uninstall it and leave negative reviews. This article compares Quasar, a popular web and mobile UI framework, with Android’s XML-based UI writing.

As someone who has been an Android developer for seven years and dealt with many different codebases, I was surprised to find many similarities when I encountered Quasar. My goal is to examine the similarities, strengths, and weaknesses of both technologies and show in which scenarios each is more suitable.

Development Environments and Tools:

Performance and Optimization

Which Technology is Faster and More Efficient?

Image

Photo by Onur Binay on Unsplash

Learning Curve and Developer Experience

Which technology is easier to learn and use

Documentation and community support

Both have large and active communities, and the documentation for both is quite detailed and instructive. I find Android’s documentation more detailed. In terms of community, I also see the Android side as stronger. Comments are open for those who disagree. :)

Flexibility and Compatibility

Compatibility with Different Devices and Platforms:

Which Technology is More Suitable for Which Scenarios:

Steps to Create a UI Component in Both Technologies

If I’ve written enough literature, let’s move on to the code.

<template>
  <q-btn label="Click me" @click="handleClick"></q-btn>
</template>
<script>
export default {
  methods: {
    handleClick() {
      alert('Button clicked!');
    }
  }
}
</script>

Pay attention to the specific Quasar line:

<q-btn label="Click me" @click="handleClick"></q-btn>

Any Android developer finds this structure familiar? Let’s move on to the example.

<Button
 android:id="@+id/button"
 android:layout_width="wrap_content"
 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
 android:text="Click me"
 android:onClick="handleClick"/>

Let’s increase the code examples:

<div>
    <!-- Button with icon and size -->
    <q-btn 
      label="Click me" 
      @click="handleClick" 
      icon="alarm" 
      color="primary" 
      :size="buttonSize">
    </q-btn>

    <!-- Input Field with placeholder -->
    <q-input 
      v-model="inputValue" 
      label="Enter text" 
      filled 
      stack-label 
      :hint="inputHint">
    </q-input>

    <!-- Checkbox -->
    <q-checkbox 
      v-model="checked" 
      label="I agree">
    </q-checkbox>

    <!-- Icon with size -->
    <q-icon 
      name="home" 
      :size="iconSize" 
      color="secondary">
    </q-icon>
</div>

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="16dp"
    tools:context=".MainActivity">

    <!-- Button with icon and size -->
    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Click me"
        android:drawableLeft="@drawable/ic_alarm"
        android:backgroundTint="@color/colorPrimary"
        android:textSize="18sp"
        android:onClick="handleClick"/>

    <!-- Input Field with placeholder -->
    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/inputField"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:hint="Enter text"
        android:textColorHint="@color/colorHint"
        android:background="@drawable/input_background"/>

    <!-- Checkbox -->
    <CheckBox
        android:id="@+id/checkbox"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="I agree"/>

    <!-- Icon with size -->
    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/icon"
        android:layout_width="40dp"
        android:layout_height="40dp"
        android:src="@drawable/ic_home"
        android:tint="@color/colorSecondary"/>
</LinearLayout>

icon=”alarm”? color=”primary”?

Dear Android developer, we’ve reached the most surprising point:

Quasar has Google Material Design support. You simply go to Google’s address, select an icon and color, copy and paste, and see it in the browser instantly. All color and icon names you are familiar with in Android are valid here.

Similar Points

Similarity in Development Paradigms

A developer who has worked in a component-based structure in Android for years can easily adapt to Quasar’s component-based approach. For instance, managing components in an Activity or Fragment in Android is quite similar to managing components within a Vue component in Quasar.

Similarity in UI Components and Features

The use of components like q-btn, q-input, and q-checkbox in Quasar is similar to using Button, EditText, and CheckBox components in Android. The way of specifying various attributes (e.g., color, size, icon) of components is nearly identical on both platforms.

Similarity

in Styling:

Styling components using classes in Quasar is comparable to using styles and themes in Android XML. For example, setting the color and size of a button in Quasar is similar to defining the color and size attributes in Android XML.

Similarity in Event Handling

Event handling mechanisms in Quasar and Android XML are quite alike. In Quasar, you use the @click directive to handle button clicks, whereas in Android XML, you use the android:onClick attribute. Both methods lead to the execution of a function defined in the corresponding script or activity.

Similarity in Data Binding

Quasar’s two-way data binding with the v-model directive is similar to Android’s data binding feature. Both allow you to bind data directly to the UI components, making it easy to reflect data changes in the UI.

Similarity in Component Hierarchy

The hierarchical structure of components in Quasar resembles the view hierarchy in Android. Just like how Android UI elements are nested within layouts, Quasar components can be nested within other components, allowing for a modular and organized code structure.

Similarity in Asynchronous Operations

Handling asynchronous operations in Quasar using JavaScript promises or async/await is similar to using Kotlin’s coroutines in Android. Both methods provide efficient ways to manage background tasks without blocking the main thread.

Conclusion

Why won’t an Android developer find it too difficult to switch to Quasar?

Due to the syntax structure, component naming, attribute usage, and Material Design implementation in Quasar, Android developers will find it quite familiar. They can often rely on their existing experience to quickly resolve issues they encounter in Quasar.

Dependency on a single technology leads to nothing but losing out on the beautiful features of other technologies.

Ref: Alparslan Selçuk Develioğlu - Medium