Note, for the table that follows HTML5 also includes the related technologies of Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript. It is possible to install several IDEs onto the same computer to try them out. Some will require the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) that comes with the Google tools to be installed. Many of the alternatives are free to use, some open source, and some restricted versions of paid-for products. Code can be written in different languages, like BASIC, HTML5 or Lua. Well, there are plenty of alternatives to Google’s tools, see the following table for a list of Android app development IDEs and computer language alternatives. This is known as cross-platform development. Some developers would like a single code base to support other platforms: Apple (iOS, macOS), Windows, and the Web (HTML5). Some developers might not need the power of Kotlin or Java, or just don’t get on with C style languages.

Alternatives for Android Application Development For some developers, Java, Kotlin, C and C++ are not their prefered languages, fortunately, there are alternatives to Google's Android Studio and the languages it uses for Android app development. Google does not recommend the NDK for general app development. The NDK is designed for optimising time-critical portions of an app (usually intensive gaming apps). Furthermore, Kotlin and Java can be supplemented with C and C++ using the Google supplied Native Development Kit (NDK). Now the focus on Android app development has switched to the Kotlin language, which is fully supported in Android Studio. Support for app development in the Java language is provided in Android Studio and the Android Software Development Kit (SDK). The Java computer language was for several years the main choice for app development. Google's Android SDK, NDK, Java and KotlinĪndroid app development began with the appearance of Android phones in 2008. Android Studio is derived from IntelliJ IDEA. For Android app development Google provides the Android Studio IDE. code), compile, test, debug and package the app software. programmer) to perform the software development cycle repeatedly and quickly. List of IDEs for Android App Development, Which is Best for You?Īn Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is an all-in-one solution that allows an app developer (a.k.a.

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