How to create an application for Android: choosing the environment and language

Mobile software development is a process that begins long before writing the first line of code. Key stage the choice of tools becomes important, since the speed of work, available functions and the final stability of the product depend on it. Many beginners get lost in the huge number of proposals, not understanding the difference between full-fledged IDEs and simple text editors.

The modern market offers solutions for both professionals and those who are just getting acquainted with the world of programming. Android Studio considered the industry standard, but there are alternatives like IntelliJ IDEA or cross-platform environments. It is important to immediately decide on the direction: native development or cross-platform, as this will directly affect the choice of software.

In this material we will analyze the main tools, their pros and cons, and also help you understand which development environment is right for you. We won't delve into complex architectural patterns, but rather focus on the developer's starter kit. A wise choice at the initial stage will save you dozens of hours in the future.

The official development environment from Google

The undisputed leader in the niche of native development is Android Studio. It is the official integrated development environment (IDE) created by JetBrains based on IntelliJ IDEA and supported by Google. It provides a complete set of tools for creating, testing and debugging applications for any Android platform.

The main advantage is deep integration with Android SDK an emulator, which allows you to run virtual devices with various characteristics directly on your computer. You can test the application on smartphones with different screen resolutions, OS versions and memory sizes without having physical gadgets. This is critical for compatibility.

⚠️ Warning: Android Studio consumes a significant amount of RAM (8 GB minimum recommended, 16 GB better). The work may be difficult on weak computers, so check the system requirements before installation.

The toolkit includes a smart code editor, a performance analyzer and a visual interface editor Layout Editor. The latter allows you to create screens by dragging elements (Drag-and-Drop), which significantly speeds up the layout. However, complex animations will still require manual editing of the XML markup.

Alternative IDEs for professionals

If the standard environment seems overloaded to you, you should pay attention to IntelliJ IDEA. Since Android Studio is based on this engine, experienced developers often prefer to work in “pure” IntelliJ, customizing plugins to suit their needs. This gives more flexibility and often better performance on older machines.

For those accustomed to the Microsoft ecosystem, Visual Studio with a connected Xamarin plugin or .NET MAUI toolkit is an excellent choice. This allows you to write code in C# and share logic between Android, iOS and Windows. This approach is called cross-platform, and it is gaining popularity in the corporate sector.

• 🚀 IntelliJ IDEA —a powerful framework with excellent support for refactoring and code navigation.
• 💻 Visual Studio —an ideal choice for developers who know C# and want to cover multiple platforms.
• 🔌 Eclipse with ADT —once a standard, now an outdated option that is not recommended for new projects due to lack of support for modern libraries.

There are also lighter editors such as VS Code. With the help of extensions, it turns into a full-fledged development environment for Flutter or React Native. This is an excellent compromise between the weight of the app and functionality, especially for web developers who have come to the mobile sphere.

Choosing a programming language

Before creating an application for Android, you need to decide in what language it will be written. For a long time it was the standard, and a huge amount of legacy code was written in it. However, Google has officially announced the transition to Java, and a huge amount of legacy code is written in it. However, Google has officially announced the transition to Kotlin as its preferred development language.

Kotlin has a more concise syntax, eliminates many common Java errors (for example, the Null Pointer Exception problem) and is fully compatible with existing Java libraries. Since 2019, all new projects on Google Play are recommended to be developed in Kotlin. This makes it the best choice for start.

For cross-platform development, Dart (Flutter framework) or JavaScript/TypeScript (React Native) are often used. These languages allow you to write code once and run it on different operating systems, although the performance of such applications may be slightly inferior to their native counterparts.

Language	Type	Complexity	Application
Kotlin	Native	Average	Modern Android applications
Java	Native	High	Support for old projects, Enterprise
Dart	Cross-platform	Low	Flutter (iOS + Android)
JavaScript	Cross-platform	Low	React Native, hybrid applications

The choice of language is also dictated by the requirements of the employer or the specifics of the project. If you plan to work at a large bank, there may still be a lot of Java out there. Startups more often choose Kotlin or Flutter to quickly enter the market.

Cross-platform frameworks

The question of “how to create an application” is often resolved in favor of technologies that allow you not to choose between iOS and Android. Flutter from Google and React Native from Facebook allow you to create native-looking applications from a single code base. This cuts development time by almost half.

Flutter uses its own Skia rendering engine, which ensures high performance and the same interface look on all devices. An editor VS Code or the same Android Studio with the installed plugin is ideal for working with it. The Dart language in which Flutter is written is easily mastered by those familiar with Java or C#.

React Native, in turn, uses native components of the operating system, wrapping them in JavaScript. This makes applications very lightweight and native to the user, but requires a deeper understanding of the platform to configure complex modules. The npm ecosystem offers thousands of ready-made solutions.

⚠️ Attention: Cross-platform solutions may have restrictions on access to specific smartphone hardware (camera, Bluetooth, sensors). Always check support for the modules you need before starting a project.

Tools for design and prototyping

Before writing code, the application needs to be designed. Professionals don't start designing with an IDE, they use tools to create mockups. Figma has become the de facto standard in the industry, allowing designers and developers to work in a single space.

There are plugins that allow you to export designs from Figma directly to XML or Compose code for Android Studio. This speeds up layout, although it does not completely replace manual work. Also popular are Adobe XD and Sketch (the latter only for macOS), which offer similar functionality.

• 🎨 Figma - a cloud-based tool that does not require a powerful PC, ideal for team work.
• ✏️ Adobe XD - good for creating interactive prototypes with animation transitions.
• 📐 Marvel App - a simple tool for quickly creating clickable prototypes from your phone.

Using ready-made design systems, such as Material Design from Google, greatly simplifies the life of a developer. Android Studio has built-in themes and components that comply with these standards, which allows you to create beautiful interfaces with minimal effort.

Why do you need XML in Android?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) in Android is used to describe the structure of the interface (where buttons, text, pictures are located) separately from the app logic. This allows the system to quickly redraw the screen when rotating the device or changing the theme.

Version control systems and assembly

Not a single serious project can do without a version control system. Git is the absolute leader in this area. It allows you to save a history of code changes, revert to previous versions and work in a team without conflicts. For hosting repositories, GitHub or GitLab are most often used.

To automate the process of building a project (compiling code, creating an APK file) in Android, the system is used Gradle. It manages dependencies—third-party libraries that you include in your project. Configuration occurs in files build.gradle, where SDK versions and necessary modules are registered.

dependencies {
implementation 'androidx.core:core-ktx:1.12.0'
implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.6.1'
implementation 'com.google.android.material:material:1.11.0'
}

Understanding the principles of Gradle operation is necessary, since this is where problems with library compatibility and setting up signatures for publishing on Google Play are solved. Errors in the builder configuration are one of the most common problems that beginners encounter when starting a project for the first time.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Do you need a powerful computer for development under Android?

It is advisable to have at least 8 GB of RAM (16 GB preferable) and an SSD drive. Emulators and development environments consume a lot of resources. On an HDD or with 4 GB of RAM, the work will be extremely slow and uncomfortable.

Is it possible to create applications for Android on a phone?

Technically, this is possible using applications like AIDE or online compilers, but this is only suitable for training or correcting minor errors. To create a full-fledged commercial product, you need a PC or Mac.

How long does it take to learn Android Studio?

Basic skills for creating a simple application can be mastered in 2-4 weeks of intensive training. To become a qualified Junior developer, it usually takes from 6 to 12 months of practice.

Is it necessary to know English?

Documentation, compiler errors and most training materials are in English. Basic technical English will be enough to get started, but without it progress will be very difficult.