Till now, you have seen Android development using Android Studio. I hope you are now well aware of Android concepts and have some idea of working with Android Studio. But is it just the option available to you to develop android apps? The answer is No. We have many tools available with us which we can use for Android development.
So, through this article, we try to cover the top thirty tools useful for Android development. You will also get to know both the advantages and disadvantages of those tools.
Top Tools for Android Development
1. Android Studio
Android studio is the most widely used integrated development environment developed by Google. The whole code editor and syntax check are provided by IntelliJ IDEA (by JetBrains). You can use it to build android apps quickly.
Advantages of Android Studio:
- Regularly updated and supported to build apps from the oldest to the newest Android versions
- Provides features of designing and coding in the same environment
- You can use either Java or Kotlin to develop apps
- Immense Community support and example codes available online
- Various libraries are available to make your apps more awesome
- It’s free of cost
Disadvantages of Android Studio:
- You can build only Android apps using Android Studio. In other words, if you wish to develop both iOS and Android apps, then it’s not possible in Android Studio
- Android Studio requires higher system configurations. If your system has lower RAM’s and less clock speed, then the tool may be stuck
2. Flutter
Flutter is also a good option for emerging Android developers. It is also developed by Google and was released in late 2018. The tool is relatively new and is taking place in the market because of its feature of building both iOS and Android apps simultaneously.
Advantages of Flutter:
- You can do cross-platform development using Flutter. (iOS, Android and Web)
- Easy to use and attractive modern widgets are available with flutter.
- Flutter is easy to use, and you can render your apps real quick.
Disadvantages of Flutter:
- Flutter is still an emerging framework and is still not widely used.
- You need to learn a new Programming language called Dart to work with Flutter. Even dart is a new language with not so many years of existence.
3. React Native
React Native is quite a popular framework used for Android Development developed by Facebook. Even the apps like Instagram and Facebook are built on React Native. React Native allows you to build cross-platform applications using React, a popular library of Javascript.
Advantages of React Native:
- You can develop native Android, iOS, and web apps using React Native.
- It’s open-source and has immense community support.
- You can develop your simplified UI for your android apps.
- React Native has support for third party plugins.
Disadvantages of React Native:
- You may face security issues because Javascript is open source and quite fragile.
- It’s pretty challenging to do memory management for your apps using React Native.
4. Ionic
Like Flutter, Ionic is also relatively new to the market and is emerging day by day. Ionic supports cross-platform development and has nearly 5 million apps built until now. It also uses Javascript libraries like Angular, React, Vue to develop apps. It is used to create hybrid apps.
Advantages of Ionic:
- You can develop cross-platform apps.
- You have plenty of UI components available specific to every platform.
- Support of lots of third-party plugins.
Disadvantages of Ionic:
- It’s still emerging and has some security issues due to open source libraries like Angular and React.
- Some of the native plugins are unstable and don’t perform nicely.
- Debugging is not so easy in Ionic.
5. Appcelerator
Appcelerator Titanium SDK is open source and is used to develop cross-platform apps. You can create native Android apps using HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
Advantages of Appcelerator:
- Has the support of a schema-less database called Arrow DB
- Can develop cross-platform apps. (Android, iOS, and Windows)
- Easy to use and render your applications.
Disadvantages of Appcelerator:
- It has some issues with the SDK tools.
- It is difficult to standardise the UI for several screens and platforms.
6. PhoneGap
Similar to Appcelerator, PhoneGap is also used to develop Android, iOS and Windows applications. It also uses HTML, CSS and Javascript to build applications. It came into existence in 2011. and provides you with tools like a compiler, tester and debugger.
Advantages of PhoneGap:
- Can develop cross-platform applications
- Provides you with a compiler, tester and debugger
- It’s pretty strong and robust
- It provides fast rendering and testing of your applications.
Disadvantages of PhoneGap:
- UI designing is not so easy as there are not many modern widgets available.
- It doesn’t support many of the third-party libraries and plugins.
7. Xamarin and Visual Studio Code
Xamarin is used to develop cross-platform native apps. It uses C# as the developing language and allows you to create UI too. Xamarin came into existence in 2011.
Advantages of Xamarin:
- You can use Xamarin to develop apps for multiple platforms.
- It has support for multiple hardware components.
Disadvantages of Xamarin:
- Larger App size
- Restriction to latest updates and less community support
8. Unity 3D
Unity is a mobile game development platform that allows you to create gaming apps for various platforms. It also uses C# as its developing language and has gained many developers’ attention.
Advantages of Unity3D:
- You can develop apps and games for various platforms like Android, iOS and Windows.
- Unity provides a lot of assets to enhance your app experience.
Disadvantages of Unity 3D:
- Some of the components and assets are paid and cost a lot.
- It results in a larger app size.
- The system requirements for unity are relatively high and hence you need to invest much in purchasing a high-performance system.
9. Eclipse
Eclipse is an open-source IDE available for developers to perform android development. It has also launched IDE for Java and other programming languages. It’s free of cost and was widely used before for android development. Nowadays, Android Studio has taken that place.
Advantages of Eclipse:
- Code Intellisense is fantastic and also provides syntax checks on your code.
- UI is simple and easy to understand
- The debugging tool is one of the best in Eclipse
- It’s free of cost and also a lightweight tool compared to Unity and Android Studio.
- You can also integrate Git with Eclipse.
Disadvantages of Eclipse:
- Eclipse is now outdated, and people are moving to Android Studio
- Lack of Firebase integration and designing tools
10. JQuery Mobile
JQuery Mobile came into existence in 2011 and has brought several impacts to android development. It’s well known as a touch-optimized framework and sports a variety of smartphones. You can use it to develop cross-platform apps, and it also is easy to learn.
Advantages of JQuery Mobile:
- Based on Javascript
- Provides a touch-optimized framework
- Can develop apps for several platforms like android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows, etc.
- You can easily design the layout and grids.
Disadvantages of JQuery Mobile:
- Since Jquery uses Ajax, it becomes pretty difficult to shift from one screen to another.
- You don’t get many widgets and modern UI elements support.
11. Dojo
Dojo came into existence in 2005, and it proved to be one of the lightweight tools for Android Development. It may be used to create Android and iOS apps. It is like a whole kit which any Android developer would need. Also, you can use this tool to build web applications.
Advantages of Dojo:
- You can customise themes for your apps
- You get broad support for building lightweight UI
- Works fast on browser and does not require high system configurations
Disadvantages of Dojo:
- The documentation is not so helpful for beginners
- It’s pretty outdated and the modern app don’t much use it
12. Appy Pie
AppyPie is one exciting tool for Android Development that is based on cloud systems. It allows you to develop apps real quick and also without stressing your system much. You can develop apps for Android, Windows and iOS.
Advantages of Appy Pie:
- You can develop hybrid apps using AppyPie.
- Fast and easy deployment of apps
- Provides you with various tools and plugins
Disadvantages of Appy Pie:
- Not so simple to learn
- It’s not so secure.
13. Code Name
Code Name is a tool that provides us with a wide range of sub tools to develop apps for various operating systems. You can develop apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and Blackberry. It came into existence in 2012 and got much response from the users.
Advantages of Code Name:
- It’s a lightweight tool
- It supports both Eclipse and Netbeans to code our app
- The documentation of Code Name is beneficial
Disadvantages of Code Name:
- To run this tool, you need Java support.
14. Android NDK
Android NDK, a tool by Google, came into existence in the year 2009. It allows the developers to build apps for both android and iOS. It uses C/C++ as the primary development language.
Advantages of Android NDK:
- Immense Community support from Google
- Well Documentation available
- Access to libraries of STL and other coding libraries
- Compile and deploy fast your applications
Disadvantages of Android NDK:
- Not so helpful for complex apps
- Android Studio 2.2 is the minimum version required.
15. BugFender
BugFender is similar to how Firebase Analytics works. It provides us with a great framework to resolve bugs and redeploy the application. No matter wherever your device is located, it helps us keep track of the bugs generated by our application. It can directly get the feeds from logs of the application.
Advantages of BugFender:
- Easy Integration
- Well Documentation
- Generate and track bug reports
- Resolve bugs and redeploy applications
Disadvantages of BugFender:
- Reading the logs and then sending the reports are sometimes time-consuming
- It can only work on mobile apps and not on desktop applications
16. RhoMobile Suite
RhoMobile Suite is a data-centric open-source framework that allows you to develop apps. The apps are for Android, iOS and Windows.
Advantages of RhoMobile Suite:
- You can develop cross-platform apps quickly.
- You can create offline databases and link them with your app using Rho connects.
Disadvantages of RhoMobile Suite:
- Some of the hardware plugins are not available in RhoMobile Suite.
- It’s not easy to learn.
17. Intel XDK
Intel XDK is a complete framework developed by Intel and released in the year 2017. It’s quite a new framework and is emerging. Intel XDK supports several languages like C, C++, Java, C#. You can use these languages to code the app and HTML5, CSS and Javascript to design the frontend.
Advantages of Intel XDK:
- Can develop cross-platform apps for both android and iOS.
- It’s free of cost and open source.
- The apps developed by Intel NDK are more likely to be native.
Disadvantages of Intel XDK:
- Requires higher graphics configurations
- As the tool is new, you may experience crashes and bugs.
18. Convertigo Studio
Convertigo Studio is a widely used tool for building the backend service of many mobile applications. You can use this to deal with the backend of android, iOS, and Windows applications.
Advantages of Convertigo Studio:
- Trusted by a wide range of developers
- Quickly deploy backend for your mobile applications
- Syncing of data from the user’s device to database
- You can build your whole application in offline mode using Convertigo Studio
Disadvantages of Convertigo Studio:
- It’s not free, and you need to pay a hefty amount to use the features
- The free plan doesn’t support many features
19. Corona SDK
Corona SDK is a software development kit that many developers use to develop android apps. It was introduced in 2009 and is used to create 2-D applications. It provides you with two components.
Emulator: The emulator is used to test and run the applications built.
Corona Native: You can integrate your written codes with Lua Code and give your apps a native feel.
Advantages of Corona SDK:
- The SDK is completely free and licensed.
- It provides us with facilities to faster deploy our applications.
- Well Documentation available
- Immense community support
Disadvantages of Corona SDK:
- You can’t render apps with 3-D support
- No visual editor to code your app
20. Fire Monkey
Fire Monkey, unlike Corona SDK, supports both 2-D and 3-D applications. It was released in the year of 2011 and is a well-known tool for cross-platform development. It provides a normalised UI experience that is supportive of various Operating Systems.
Advantages of Fire Monkey:
- Can develop apps supportive on various platforms
- It cuts down the requirement of more team members to build apps for various platforms
- Easy to use and fast deploy your applications
Disadvantages of Fire Monkey:
- You need to be connected to the internet for the whole development process
- Lacks hardware supports for your applications
21. Mobincube
MobinCube is an online tool that helps create your mobile applications without writing a single line of code. You can also integrate Firebase with your applications easily through their console.
Advantages of Mobincube:
- Easy to use the console
- No coding required simple drag and drop
- The free plan supports Firebase Push Notifications.
Disadvantages of Mobincube:
- Some of its features are limited to premium plans, and you need to pay a lot to get them.
- Not suitable to develop complex apps
- Lack of flexibility
22. LongRange
LongRange tool is used to develop native apps using the skills of RPG, COBOL or CL. You can integrate your existing web applications with LongRange. Using LongRange, you can create cross-platform apps for Android, iOS, Windows with a single code.
Advantages of LongRange:
- You can develop cross-platform apps with a single code
- You can integrate existing web applications
- Easy to use
- You can use mobile hardware like GPS, a Camera, etc.
Disadvantages of LongRange:
- The free plan is only for 45 days, and after that, you need to purchase
- It uses languages like COBOL, which is now not so used
23. Sencha
Sencha is a framework that uses HTML 5 to develop your applications. You can develop cross-platform applications using Sencha. Sencha came into existence in the year 2015. Sencha provides us with a lot of robust libraries and modern UI elements.
Advantages of Sencha:
- It provides many exciting themes for your apps
- You can create native apps by integrating PhoneGap.
- The data kept in the backend doesn’t keep track of your source details.
Disadvantages of Sencha:
- You need to purchase a license for launching commercial apps.
24. Lambda Native
Lambda Native is quite a new framework for Android Development that came into existence in the year 2018. It is used to develop native apps for Android, iOS, Windows and Blackberry.
Advantages of Lambda Native:
- Supports Cross-Platform development
- You can build native apps
Disadvantages of Lambda Native:
- You don’t get new modern widgets
25. Mono
Mono is used to develop applications for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. It was released in the year of 2014 and uses C++, # and XML to build the apps. It also uses the .NET framework.
Advantages of Mono:
- Get a broad build—access to many API’s that help you in developing the apps.
- Get the support of many libraries.
- Use C#, C++ and .NET frameworks to make your task easy.
Disadvantages of Mono:
- Some of the API’s are not up to date
- It takes a lot of time to deploy the apps
26. RubyMotion
RubyMotion is an ideal framework for android, iOS and macOS applications development. It came into existence in the year 2012. It makes the task of development easy by using the available skills.
Advantages of RubyMotion:
- It provides Read Evaluation Print loops that are very useful in development.
- You can develop cross-platform applications
- Memory management is relatively easier
Disadvantages of RubyMotion:
- It’s not open source, and we can’t contribute to the community.
27. ViZiApps
ViZIApps is a cloud-based online tool that is used for developing both Android and web applications. In the year 2010, ViZiApps was established. You can use ViZi apps to develop native apps too.
Advantages of ViZiApps:
- Can develop both android and web applications.
- Since the tool is online hence uses fewer system configurations.
Disadvantages of ViZiApps:
- It’s not free of cost, and you need to pay a hefty amount to build some good apps.
- Memory management is not flexible and not up to the mark.
28. Marmalade
Marmalade Technologies Limited developed marmalade. It supports C++ as a development language. It gives the packages for Windows Phones, iOS, Android, Mac OS X, Windows, Roku.
Advantages of Marmalade:
- Marmalade can be used to develop cross-platform apps.
- It has a feature using which you can render beautiful graphics on most devices.
Disadvantages of Marmalade:
- It is not fully structured, and you may often face bugs in its SDK.
29. LiveCode
Live code, known as Revolution and Meta card, is one of the best tools for cross-platform development.
LiveCode was developed in 2001 by LiveCode Ltd. LiveCode is helpful in the rapid development runtime environments. It is cross-platform, suitable for macOS, Android, iOS, Unix, Linux, and Windows.
Advantages of LiveCode:
- LiveCode is straightforward to learn, and it allows new users to learn how to create apps in less time.
- LiveCode can run on any platform – macOS, Android, iOS, Unix, Linux, and Windows.
Disadvantages of LiveCode:
- No good support to render high quality and 3D animations
- The audio recording feature is not well functioning using LiveCode
30. Kony
Kony was an Android Application development tool that came into existence in the year 2007. It is most useful for mobile application platforms. Kony is ideal for developers who are comfortable with Javascript. The drag and drop feature is the best part.
Advantages of Kony:
- To assist the developers, it has some pre-built applications.
- It gives easy access to backend services.
- It is very flexible and provides automatic coding.
Disadvantages of Kony:
- It lacks proper documentation.
Summary
So, through this article, you came across several available tools for android or cross-platform development. You also saw their advantages and disadvantages. Witnessing these, you can select your preferred development tool. In most scenarios, the tools are preferred by visiting the languages and the device’s market response.