Top Programming Languages for Android App Development

When it comes to app development, the choice of program languages is important. Even when opting for a mobile app development service, it is essential to know which tech stack specialists will use. 

Options suitable for the creation of Android applications may not apply to the iOS app development. In this article, you will find the list of the most popular options used for creating applications based on the Android platform. Go through it and pick the best options available for you. Read more about how to become a mobile app developer in the complete guide.

What Is Android?

The platform saw the light in 2008, and today, it is the most popular mobile operating system in the world. Plenty of devices run on it, including smartphones, tablets, media players, and others. Android apps are either published on the Google Play Store or may be downloaded right from the website of the provider. The procedure of publishing such apps is a bit easier and more favorable for publishers than at the App Store, which is one of the factors why companies often prefer launching applications based on the Android operating system. If the success of your business depends on the quality of the development of such an app, it is better to entrust this work to specialists. If creating a simple Android app just to gain some experience is your goal, you can pick a simple language suitable for this purpose. 

Languages Suitable for the Development of Android Applications

The languages that can be used for making stunning Android apps differ one from another. In particular, they come with different complexity levels. Beginners in app development should start with the simplest options. It may be different to understand how exactly to use such languages if you do not have any previous experience. However, it should not be a problem to find relevant educational courses on the Internet to gain the necessary knowledge. So, here is the list of the languages that you can use. 

Java

It is the official language used in Android development. Lots of apps that can be found in the Google Play Store are created using it. Also, it is a popular choice for the development of backend servers. It has been around since 1995, and today, this language has a large community that is there for everyone who needs some help. 

At the same time, learning it will not be easy. So, beginners will likely struggle if this language will be the starting point in the journey to Android app development. Moreover, this language is imperfect because it requires long codes even for a simple task. Nonetheless, it is used most often in the development of applications based on Android. 

Dart

It is an open-source, general-purpose language that has been around since 2011. The language has been launched by Google for web development. It is suitable for both purely Android apps and cross-platform software products. Dart also has a friendly community of specialists who can help beginners out. Specialists recommend using the Flutter framework along with this language. In fact, the same Dart & Flutter combination is suitable for creating iOS applications as well. 

Kotlin

It is a worthy alternative to Java when it comes to creating applications based on Android. While it provides the same great functionality, it is a bit simpler than Java for learning. Therefore, it can be recommended for beginners. 

The main benefits of this language include relatively simple and clear language, a range of modern features, and a large community. 

C++

This language is also suitable for Android software development. At the same time, it cannot replace all other languages. So, you cannot use only C++. It cannot be called a highly popular choice for the creation of Android applications. That is because it does not provide enough flexibility, and it can be challenging to set it up properly. However, it is safe to say that this language can be used sometimes for this purpose.  Java is a good alternative to C++. 

C#

This language is pretty similar to Java, which means that it can be successfully used for making stunning Android apps. It comes with a simpler syntax, which is good for beginners. 

It used to be only possible to use this language on Windows OS. However, this issue was later resolved by Xamarin. Today, the code written in this language can be shared on different platforms. 

Python

While Android does not support Python, this language can still help you in app development. It was first released in 1991. The language can be used on a variety of platforms, such as Windows, Linux, Mac, and others. Being a relatively easy language to learn, it is suitable for beginners. 

The use of Python for creating Android apps also requires utilizing certain tools for converting the code to be understandable for a mobile platform. Simply use one of the suitable platforms to write all the codes in Python. One of the options to consider is QPython. 

JavaScript

JS is a very popular language that has been used for more than 25 years. It is lightweight and functional. Anyone serious about becoming a developer will need to learn this language; so, it is better to do that as soon as possible. 

There are plenty of advantages of this language, and one of them is that it is possible to create lots of stuff. Generally, it is suitable for both front and backend development. It can be used with many different frameworks, such as React Native. Also, this language can be combined with HTML and CSS. 

Bottom Line

As you can see, there are a decent number of languages that can be used for the development of Android apps. Before you decide which one to pick, make a design of your app and think through all the features that you intend to include. It is possible to try to do everything yourself. However, if things get too complicated, hiring a specialist is unavoidable. Pick a simple language for a start and see how it goes. It is possible to find online courses or other educational materials that will help you gain the necessary knowledge.  


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