Android app without java

The 6 best environments for developing Android apps [without Java]

Developing Android apps is currently a necessity for businesses and a great asset for IT professionals. One has but to look at the statistics to be certain about it.

And according to the stats, it’s Android who has the upper hand in the global market for mobile operating systems. According to Statcounter , Android accounts in Europe for 71.77% of the continent’s devices while iOS accounts for 27.72% .

However, it’s also true that competition in the app development industry is becoming nowadays increasingly fierce . And this scenario makes being knowledgeable on other programming languages beyond Java an important asset, especially those languages allowing you to create apps for Android and iOS alike .

INDEX – Android programming languages and frameworks

Android app development options & tools

Building Android apps without resorting to Java is possible and the following list of 6 programming languages and frameworks bears witness to it. Let’s get started!

#1 NativeScript

NativeScript is an open-source iOS and Android development environment for creating mobile apps with Angular, Vue.js, TypeScript or JavaScript. The main advantage of using this programming environment is the native performance it offers. You’ll only have to go through the defining process once and NativeScript will subsequently adapt to be able to run anywhere, adapting the UI to all kinds of devices and screens .

Scalability is another of its foremost advantages. It will grant you access to Android’s APIs and you will be able to reuse Android’s SDK and to find free plugins and templates in the NativeScript marketplace.

You’ll also find out that programming Android apps with NativeScript is easy to learn . And on top of that, you’ll be able to apply the knowledge you already have regarding JavaScript and CSS and will have at your disposal a large number of tutorials, examples, resources and a strong user community to help you get started sooner than you imagine.

#2 React Native

React Native is a framework developed by Facebook that enables you to create native Android apps with JavaScript . This was already possible with other environments such as Cordova , but the difference is that React Native renders apps that use native views while in Cordova they run within a web view.

React Native has access to Android APIs, which means that its app’s user experience and performance is similar to that of a native app . Another advantage is that changes can be easily seen by just saving. By making use of JavaScript, React Native enables quick iteration without having to wait for native builds to finish.

This framework is certainly a safe option, as it’s backed by Facebook and — most importantly — by a large user community. In 2018, React Native attained the second-highest number of contributions in the GitHub repositories .

#3 Ionic

Ionic is an open-source framework for developing hybrid applications that combine Html5, CSS and JavaScript . In addition to being free and open-source, Ionic offers a library of UI components, movements and tools optimised for mobile devices to help you create fast and highly interactive applications.

? If you’re a web developer, Ionic is your best option when you want to start programming Android apps. It allows you to carry on using the same tools you’re already familiar with.

Ionic 5 — the framework’s latest version — is intended for achieving fast performance on any device . It enables you to create fast, optimised Android apps based on the industry’s best practices. Ionic also renders accessing native features easier by making use of JavaScript. It will also make available to you a library of native plugins to grant you hands-down access to a device’s geolocation, Bluetooth and camera.

Xamarin is a Microsoft-created development environment that enables creating Android apps in C# . It’s free and comes along built-in in Visual Studio.

Despite not using Java to build Android apps, Xamarin allows you to create native apps that achieve a good user experience, which is a core aspect that any respectable app must-have. Furthermore, Xamarin supports developing cross-platform applications in case you need to develop such an app.

⚡ Xamarin allows sharing up to 90% of an app’s code across platforms

It’s also worth mentioning that C# is easier to learn than other programming languages. Xamarin may, thus, be your best option to create quality apps for Android if Java is not your forte.

#5 Kotlin

Kotlin is a static typing programming language that runs on top of Java’s virtual machine. But unlike Java, simplicity is an advantage to creating Android apps with Kotlin. With Kotlin you can do more with less code, which naturally translates into a lower probability of making errors.

Another advantage of using Kotlin is that its level of security is much higher than Java’s and its code is easier to understand when read by someone else other than its creator. In addition, Kotlin’s compiler helps detect compilation errors, hence helping to curb the number of possible errors. Kotlin enables you to programme Android apps, but — since it’s cross-platform — also supports programming iOS apps. All this makes Kotlin a safe and reliable alternative to Java .

#6 Flutter

Flutter is a Google-designed SDK to create mobile, website and desktop apps for Android and iOS from a single code base. Its programming language is Dart and its key aspect is making quick app development possible with its Hot Reload functionality. This feature allows implementing changes without having to stop and restart the app, which makes programming more effective by reducing waiting times.

This framework allows for quick functionality creation whilst offering your users a native user experience. It’s undoubtedly among the SDKs with the most potential, since everything suggests that it will be the one with which the new Android devices will be developed.

Do you need to develop an Android app?

In this article, we’ve been giving out some ideas on creating Android apps that require different kinds of development know-how. Still, if you need help with programming Android apps, have you thought about relying on Yeeply?

We’ll get you in contact with the Android development professionals who match your project best to ensure that your Android app is ready sooner than you might imagine. Publish your project and we’ll help you out !

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in May 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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3+ Ways to Develop Android Apps Without Java

Competing with the iOS from Apple, Android has attracted a lot of users for the past few years. Since they are available for free, number of developers have increased to a great extent and as a result, there have been a lot of apps which became useful for Android users. In each development, there are both advantages and disadvantages. Windows Phone apps are being developed on C++, C# or VB.NET whereas, we knew that Android can only be developed by Java. So, developing a Windows Phone app seems easy for more people than Android as C++ are much familiar to a normal Computer Science student. But still, Android apps without Java is possible.

For the development of Android applications, there are few other ways to develop rather than writing the app on Java. Recently I came across Xamarin which allows you to develop Android apps on C#. Let me share about this in detail with you.

Xamarin ”“ Developing Android Apps using C#

As said above, Android apps can be developed using C# and .NET technologies. Xamarin has made this possible welcoming the Windows app developers to step into Android development. You know what? With Xamarin, you can even start developing Apple iOS apps.

Xamarin has 4 different versions with which you can develop apps for Android, iOS or even Windows Phone using C#. The Starter pack of Xamarin is free of cost and contains limited and required features if you are planning to make basic apps. For advanced developers, you have Indie, Business and Enterprise plan which includes different features to make a beautiful and useful app.

Except the Starter version, all other versions are not freeware but Xamarin allows you to try the Business version for 30 days free.

Xamarin makes your Microsoft Visual Studio environment to be ready for developing Android apps Awesome, right? With a single tool, you can develop Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Mac apps. And also by default, Microsoft Visual Studio lets you to develop Windows Store apps, Win32 applications and other related applications.

You may check out the official site Xamarin.com for more details.

Android NDK ”“ Develop Android apps using C and C++

Unlike Xamarin, Android NDK is an official tool that lets you to develop Android apps using C and C++. This tool lets a normal Computer Science or Information Technology student to develop Android apps in the language taught at school/college.

However, Android does not recommend you to develop apps using C and C++. But still, basic apps and few other apps can be written on C/C++.

PhoneGap ”“ Use JavaScript to build Android apps

PhoneGap is a popular and widely used tool for making Android applications. If you are a web developer, then you may try PhoneGap to build beautiful and useful apps. Not only with JavaScript but also HTML and CSS may be used to add benefits your app.

PhoneGap also lets you to develop iOS, Windows Phone, Windows apps, Amazon Fire apps and more.

Intel XDK NEW ”“ Design a Responsive App with HTML5

Tool suggested by Prasanna: A reader of CryptLife

Intel XDK NEW is a new way to design Android apps using the latest and everyone-loved markup language, HTML5. With HTML5 support, you may develop a fully responsive and beautiful app for your Android. Intel XDK also gives support for API. Apps for other mobile platforms like iOS and Windows Phone can also be written with HTML5 using Intel XDK.

Note: If you are planning to develop complex apps, then the above tools may not fit you as developing with Java can improve performance of the app a lot. You can make simple and basic apps with the above tools. May be, you will be able to go little bit advanced in developing complex apps.

If you have got any other tools for developing Android apps other than Java, you may share with us in comments below.

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