If you want to find out how Android apps are made, you’ve come to the right place. Apps must use certain tools and programming languages to take advantage of the features on Android phones. As a result, even though there are some similarities between Android and iOS development, Android app developed is very different from Apple app development.
Android app developers will use Android Studio, Android SDK, Kotlin, and Java to write their apps. C++, on the other hand, can be used to build some Android apps with help from it. Let’s look at the programming languages and tools used to make Android apps.
Android Programming Languages
It is important to choose a programming language before Android development can start in earnest. The programming language for the Android app will be an important part of making the app. This decision should be made with the long-term viability of the app in mind and the skills of the people who made it. Use one of the two programming languages to make native Android apps.
- Java
- Kotlin
Java
Java was the main programming language for Android apps until recently. Many people still use Java, even though Google no longer makes it the official language for making apps for Android. Google still allows it to be used on the Play Store. A programming language called Java has been around for a long time now. When it comes to using the programming language to make mobile apps, there is a lot of help available online. Developers can help with problems and share ideas, tips, and best practices.
The only thing that could be bad about Java is that this language might be too hard to use for beginners. Beginners may have a hard time learning a lot of things in Java, like:
- When a pointer is null, there are exceptions for that
- All exceptions were checked twice
- Concurrency
- Constructors
When used with Java, the Android SDK adds another complexity to the process. Overall, even though it’s a little hard to learn, Java is a great programming language to use when making Android apps. Even though Java is no longer the official language for Android development, Google and other groups still support it. Java can be used to make beautiful native Android apps.
Kotlin
The official programming language for android development is now called Kotlin. Google decided to use this language in 2019. The best thing about Kotlin is that it can be used with Java. If that’s the case, you can now use Kotlin code in Java apps or the other way around. To move your Java application to Kotlin in stages rather than all at once, because Kotlin is compatible, you can do it step by step rather than all at once. The Java Virtual Machine can also run Kotlin. The language is also cross-platform, which means it can be used in other projects and shared with iOS programmers.
Kotlin is easier to learn than Java, and it doesn’t take as long to do. This gives it an advantage when it comes to making apps for Android. It takes less time to write code in Kotlin than it does to write code in Java.
- Shorter
- It’s a lot easier to read
- Safer or more secure
The simplicity of Kotlin is a big reason why it’s a good language. Kotlin is easier to understand, maintain, and keep safe because it has fewer lines of code. Kotlin is a new programming language that tries to be both simple and powerful simultaneously.
Google thinks Kotlin is used in about 60% of the top 1000 Android apps on the Play Store today. For Android development, it’s clear that Kotlin is the way to go, but Java is still an option.
Other Languages
To make an Android app, you don’t have to write it in Kotlin or use the Java language. For Android app development, you’ll need to use more frameworks and development tools to use other programming languages. A lot of apps for Android are also made with:
- C++
- Python
- C#
- JavaScript, HTML, and CSS
- At least Rust
If you want to make a great Android app, you should use Java or Kotlin instead of the programming languages on the list above.
What tools do you need to make Android apps?
Now that you know more about the programming languages used by Android developers, you’ll need to learn more about the tools they use to make apps. This way, you can get a full picture of how Android apps are made. To make an Android app, you need to use the following two tools:
- The Android Studio
- The Android SDK
Even though Android apps can be made without either of these tools, they make it much easier to make Android apps when they are used together. These tools also give you access to many powerful design and programming tools that make Android apps more useful and appealing.
The Android Studio
Android Studio is the official tool for making Android apps. This environment gives developers the tools to make apps for a wide range of Android devices. The following are some of the most important things about Android Studio:
- It has a layout editor with visuals
- It has an APK checker
- Quick Simulator
- Code editor with intelligence
- Profilers that can be used in real-time
- Adaptable build system
Visual Layout Editor
Android Studio has a visual layout editor that lets developers move, drop, and change the look of their User Interface (UI). The app’s source code is updated right away when you make changes to the interface’s look. Android developers can then make beautiful, appealing user interfaces that stay the same even if the screen or device size changes. Android Studio’s visual layout editor also lets developers see how their designs look on any device or screen size.
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Analyser for APKs
Most apps have a lot of information, but not all of them. If you can figure out how to get rid of things that aren’t needed, your app will run faster. It doesn’t matter if their app wasn’t made with the Android Studio app builder. The Android Studio APK Analyzer lets developers look at the different parts of their app’s APK file. Use this tool to compare APK files from different versions of your app.
Fast Emulator
The emulator in Google Studio lets developers run their apps on a wide range of devices without buying a real one. This lets them try out different app configurations and features before putting them into use.
Code Editor with Intelligence
Android Studio has a smart code editor that helps developers work faster, more efficiently, and write better code. Consider this a feature that is like autofill or autocorrect. Code editors for Kotlin, Java, and C++ can use them. Detects what type of code is being written and then suggests commands as the developer’s type. As they type, developers are shown a list of commands that they can choose from.
Profilers that work in real-time
The Android Studio has tools that let you see how much CPU, network activity, and memory your app is using at any given time. This lets Android developers look at incoming and outgoing network packets, find performance problems, and more. Real-time data insights are an important way to improve performance and the user experience.
Flexible Build System
Gradle is used to make Android Studio’s build process work. Android developers can change their build and make different build variations from the same project. Without thinking about different builds for each type of device, developers can keep all of their projects in order.
Android SDK
Use the Android SDK with the Android Studio to make apps for your phone. You can use it right away with Android Studio, and it’s always updated when new Android versions come out. You could, however, use the Android SDK without having to use Android Studio. This kit comes with all the tools and libraries you need to make and test Android apps.
The majority of Android developers use the Android SDK and Android Studio to make apps for the Android platform. Why? The Android SDK was made with the help of Android Studio in mind. These two development tools were made to work well together. Thanks to Android Studio’s intelligent code editor, the Android SDK is also automatically updated with the most recent Android OS changes. Java, Kotlin, and C++ support are also automatically added thanks to this feature of Android Studio.
As long as your development environment has been set up to use Android Studio, it’s pretty easy to install the Android SDK from there.
Last Thoughts on Android Programming
Android apps make up most of the work done to make mobile apps. Every app has a unique development process based on the team that made it, how it works, and so on. There are a lot of good Android apps out there that are written in a language like Java or Kotlin, and they use a lot of great tools like Android Studio and the SDK to help them make them better. Android Studio and Kotlin are two tools to help you build your mobile app idea. If you want to learn more about building your app, get in touch with us, and we will help you out with free tech consultancy services and help you with our digital service procurement solutions