Apps! We all use them, but most people don’t really think about what goes into making them. If you look under the surface, you’ll find that apps, like any program, are composed of code, and that means that when you want to make your own app, you need to think about the right programming language to accomplish what you want your app to do. So how do you choose the right language for your app? One of the best ways to think about your next Android app is to consider what programming language your competitors are using in their apps. In this article, we’ll take a look at the most popular programming language for Android apps and discuss what you can do to master it.
Phone apps are a hot commodity. According to one study, the average person checks their phone 86 times per day. Indeed, some people even wake up in the middle of the night to check their phones for fear of missing out on social media posts and messages. With so much time devoted to the screen, apps are the way that most people, especially younger people, now interact with the digital world. Apps, therefore, are a major growth industry and a way to get noticed.
Which Programming Language is Used to Write Most Android Apps?
As most programmers know, there are a lot of programming languages that you can choose from. Among the best-known are C++, Python, Rudy, Scala, and so on. But when it comes to Android apps, there is one clear winner: Java. Before we talk about Java, let’s review a couple of other popular languages used for Android apps.
C#
The C# language is similar to Java and implements a similar garbage collection process to prevent memory leaks, and it also has a simple syntax that makes coding a breeze. In the past, C# was only able to be used on Windows machines running a .NET framework, but today C# is now available for Android, making it a viable option thanks to Xamarin.Android cross-platform implementation of the Common Language Infrastructure.
Kotlin
Since 2019, Kotlin has been the official language for Android app development, originally introduced as a second or supplementary language next to Java. The two languages have interoperability. Kotlin is similar to Java but is streamlined to remove unnecessary features like Java’s null pointer exceptions and the need to end each line of code with a semicolon. It can be considered a simpler, entry-level alternative to Java for programmers who are just beginning to code apps.
Java
That, of course, leaves the most important of the languages and the longtime official language of Android app development, Java. Java was replaced as the official language of Android with Kotlin in 2019, but it is still the language the most Android apps are written in, and the most common one for developers to learn and to know. Across Google, Java is also the most supported programming language. So, if you were to choose one to ensure that your app has the best chance, Java would likely be it. However, that doesn’t mean that Java is the perfect language or necessarily the best choice. For example, Java is a particularly complex language to learn, requiring knowledge of difficult topics such as constructors, null pointer exceptions, concurrency, checked exceptions, and more. On top of that, the Android Software Development Kit instills a whole other level of complexity on top of the native complexity of the Java programming language.
Therefore, many beginners can be put off of app programming if they find that Java is too difficult to master quickly. For them, Kotlin is likely a better choice. But if you are interested in developing your Java programming skills, what should you do?
Few Steps for Improving Java Skills for Writing Android Apps
- Take a course. Learning a programming language isn’t something you need to do on your own. Taking a course in Java programming can give you the skills and knowledge that you need to develop strong Java programming skills in an environment where you have some guidance and support from an expert instructor.
- Practice every day. Devoting time to playing around with Java and learning the ins and outs through trial and error is a great way to build your skills. Undertaking some Java programming exercises every day, particularly those which build around problem-solving can help to develop your skills, teach you new functionality, and make you a more flexible and creative programmer.
- Ask for help. Don’t think you need to program entirely on your own. There is an entire community of Java programmers out there who will be willing to help you overcome problems and challenges. Find some trusted friends who share your Java passion and have the skills to troubleshoot your problems and offer advice.
If you are currently taking a course in Java programming, it can be beneficial to pay someone to do your homework assignments for you so you can focus on the real work of learning Java and putting it into practice. The programming experts at a professional coding homework service like AssignmentCore.com can write your code in any programming language and work with you to provide custom assignments with original code that can serve as a terrific model for your own work. Don’t let homework assignments prevent you from the real learning that comes only from hands-on, real-world Java practice.
Awill Guru is a technology enthusiast with degrees in VLSI Engineering (B.Tech, M.Tech) and Android Development. Their passion for education drives them to teach and share knowledge through their blog. He also hold qualifications in Sociology (M.A.) and Education (B.Ed), along with NIELIT O and A Level certifications.
