What is difference between Auto Router and Go Router in Flutter?

Both are used as declarative way for navigation, but depending on use-case when should we use auto-route and go route?

Difference between both and use cases that when should we use a particular package for navigation in points.

Alternative packages for navigations other than go and auto route.

Auto Router and Go Router are used as declarative ways for navigation in Flutter, but they have some differences like below.

Auto Route:

It’s a Flutter navigation package, it allows for strongly-typed arguments passing, effortless deep-linking and it uses code generation to simplify routes setup. With that being said, it requires a minimal amount of code to generate everything needed for navigation inside of your App.

Go Router

A declarative routing package for Flutter that uses the Router API to provide a convenient, url-based API for navigating between different screens. You can define URL patterns, navigate using a URL, handle deep links, and a number of other navigation-related scenarios.

Key Differences-

Code Generation:

Auto Route relies on code generation for defining routes, which can add an extra step in the development process but provides strong type safety and reduced boilerplate.

Go Router does not use code generation, offering a more straightforward approach where routes are defined directly in the code.

Complexity and Setup:

Auto Route can be more complex to set up initially due to the need for code generation and configuration.

Go Router is typically easier to set up and use, especially for smaller projects or developers who prefer a less intrusive setup.

Flexibility:

Auto Route provides more features for managing complex navigation flows, such as nested navigation and custom route transitions.

Go Router is simpler and more focused on integrating with the Navigator 2.0 API, making it more flexible for URL-based navigation in web apps.

Read more about auto_route and go_router and difference as well here