What are the differences between JIT compilation and AOT compilation when transforming source code?

JIT compilation (Just-In-Time) and AOT compilation (Ahead-Of-Time) are two approaches to transforming source code into machine code.

• JIT compilation is performed during the application's runtime. The code is first interpreted or compiled into an intermediate representation, and then the most frequently used parts are compiled into machine code on the fly. This allows optimizing performance based on the actual behavior of the program but increases startup time.

• AOT compilation occurs beforehand, before the application runs. The source code is fully compiled into machine code, which speeds up startup and reduces overhead during execution but decreases the possibilities for dynamic optimization.

In Flutter, AOT is used for building release versions of applications to ensure high performance and quick startup, while JIT is used for development and debugging, allowing quick changes and seeing results without full recompilation.