Mobile applications play a vital role in our daily lives. Almost every service has gone online with the existence of mobile apps. Everything is possible with apps, whether you want to book a hotel, listen to music, order food, check emails, and more.
In addition, the mobile app also creates huge business opportunities to reach new audiences. Today, more than ever, organizations are focusing on mobile app development and strengthening their business strategies. As a result, building your business app using the best Android app development language can boost your business and significantly increase your sales and revenue.
With several of the best programming languages available for Android app development, choosing the perfect one can be tricky. But to bring your extraordinary and unique app idea to life, all you need is a great Android development programming language that’s easy to learn, innovative, and scalable.
An excellent Android app development language must have specific features that help create high-performance apps and make life easier for Android app developers. So, if you are planning to build your app, you might be wondering which language will be best for Android app development. Here is an overview of the most popular Android app development languages that developers choose. So without further ado, let’s dive in.
Best programming languages for Android app development
If you want to develop Android apps, the first step is choosing the right programming language. Unfortunately, the differences between different Android app development languages can be a little tricky. Therefore, choosing a programming language for Android apps, to begin with, requires understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Below are some of the best languages for Android app development:
Java app development
Java is the best android programming language used for android app development for most mobile app developers. Developed by Sun Microsystems back in 1995, Java is used for various programming applications. Java code runs a virtual machine that runs on Android devices and interprets the code.
Unfortunately, developing in Java is also a bit complicated and it’s not a great language to deal with if you’re new to Android app development. Unfortunately, this is the main problem faced by developers who are planning to start Android app development. Java is an object-oriented programming language with complicated topics such as constructors, checked exceptions, null pointer exceptions, and more.
If you add the Java SDK, things can get even more complicated. It also requires a basic understanding of concepts such as Gradle, the Android Manifest, and the XML markup language. Because of this, there are many communities in Java, and it is also one of the most adaptable and widely used.
So is it the best Android App Development language you need to learn? Definitely yes! Diving into Java Android app development is the best place to start, especially for those who want a complete Android app development experience. However, those who fear complex code can work mainly with the designer and follow the tutorials for anything more complex.
But let’s say you’re a beginner, looking forward to making a game, or just want to start learning to get some interesting projects going. In that case, start with something more affordable and come back to it when you’re a little more grounded.
Kotlin development
Kotlin has recently come out as another official language for Android app development. Kotlin runs on the Java Virtual Machine, just like Java. However, it is also fully interoperable with Java and does not cause any bottlenecks or increase the file size. The main difference is that Kotlin requires less boilerplate, a more efficient and easy-to-read system.
It also eliminates errors such as null-point exceptions and even eliminates the need to terminate each line with a semicolon. Kotlin app development is an excellent programming language if you are just learning to develop Android apps for the first time.
Android development with Kotlin is undoubtedly a more specific and easier starting point for beginners, and the fact that you can still use Android Studio is a big plus. But still, Kotlin should undoubtedly be on your radar, and because it offers a more straightforward entry point to proper Android development, that’s why Google introduced it in the first place.
C/C++
Google provides two Android app development kits – the SDK, which uses Java, and the NDK, which uses native languages like C and C++. Note that you cannot develop a complete application using C or C++. Instead, the NDK allows you to create a native library whose functions can be called in the Java code of your applications.
For the most part, you probably won’t need to use the NDK. However, you shouldn’t use it just because you prefer to code in C/C++ over Java. Instead, there’s NDK when you need to squeeze more performance out of heavy-duty tasks. It also allows you to integrate C or C++ libraries into your application.
However, it is not recommended to take this route to develop an Android app. Android Studio supports C/C++ using the Android Native Development Kit. This means you’ll be writing code that doesn’t run on the Java Virtual Machin, but instead runs natively on the device, giving you more control over things like memory.
C#
C# is a more relaxed, completely object-oriented version of C and C++ developed by Microsoft. Microsoft’s primary goal was to bring the power of C++ and the convenience of Visual Basic, and it reads like a simplified version of Java. Like Java, C# is garbage collected, so you don’t have to worry about things like memory leaks and manual freeing.
Although C# development is more advanced than Java because it has a cleaner syntax, if you want a basic and enjoyable introduction to Android app development, we recommend combining C# and Unity.
Python
Python App Development offers several tools that convert Python applications into packages for Android-enabled devices. Additionally, it is an object-oriented language and provides capabilities such as dynamic binding and typing, which makes it attractive for Android application development.
Python for Android app development is much easier than other languages and allows developers to read and translate the code, reducing the time to develop an app. In addition, it also reduces maintenance and application development costs. Python can develop simple applications to large commercial applications providing the best functionality of the application development platform.
Corona
Corona provides another remarkably straightforward option for Android app development while still giving you a reasonable amount of power and control. You’ll be coding in LUA, which is already much more superficial than Java, and the Corona SDK makes things even more accessible. It supports all native libraries and allows you to publish on multiple platforms.
It is primarily used for game development but can be used in a variety of ways. You’ll need to use a text editor like Notepad++ to enter the code, and you can run said code on the emulator without having to compile it first. When you’re ready to create an APK file and deploy it, you’ll be able to do so via an online tool.
This requires basic coding knowledge but offers an excellent and gentle introduction to the world of programming. However, at the same time, it is somewhat limited and is a few steps away from entering the “app builder” zone. This is more beneficial for someone who wants to build something relatively simple and isn’t interested in developing their coding skills or becoming a pro. If you want to use the in-app purchase features, you will need to pay a fee. Same drives for using native Android APIs.
Developed by PhoneGap
The last primary simplistic option you can choose for Android app development is PhoneGap unless you change it as an app builder alternative. Apache Cordova powers PhoneGap development and lets you build apps using the same code you’d normally use to build a website: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
PhoneGap then acts as a bridge that allows Android developers to access basic native features such as the accelerometer or camera. However, this is not proper Android development and the only programming will be JavaScript development.
Conclusion
It is quite challenging to say the best language for Android app development as all of them can be a perfect choice for solving specific tasks. Most Android App developers work with Java and Kotlin because Google officially supports them. However, experienced mobile app developers use a much broader set of tools. Integrating specific features into your business application may require specific frameworks or technologies.
There are quite a few options for Android app development. Each programming language has its features and functions, and most of them interlink and complement each other. However, choosing a professional team will ensure that they accurately evaluate your project and decide on a basic and ideal set of tools, whether it is a new Android programming language or a well-known set of tools that will guarantee you a high-quality product.
