Though iOS gives a tough competition to Android, the mobile operating system still holds the maximum share in the mobile app development market.
Image Source: IDC
“In 2019, market share of the Android OS will increase to 87.0% from 85.1% in 2018. Volumes are expected to grow at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% with shipments of 1.30 billion in 2023.” – IDC
As per Statista, the Android has 2.8 million apps available on the Google Play Store in 2019.
The numbers prove that the Android OS continues to climb new heights with constant growth. Android is more flexible and open technology than iOS when it comes to development. This is the main reason businesses prefer Android app development. Moreover, it allows companies to reach out to a large audience.
Developers have different ways to build Android apps. The widely adopted way is to download Android Studio. It is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that provides necessary packages that help in Android app development.
Well, Android Studio just provides an environment for app development that is not enough to build an app. Selection of the right programming language is essential to write code for the Android app.
This post will introduce different Android app development frameworks to you so that you can select the best one for your Android app. Of course, Android app developers will suggest you the best suit. But, with a technology little knowledge, you can judge whether the selected tech stack is appropriate.
15 Best Android App Development Frameworks to Consider 2022
1. React Native
React Native is an Open source framework developed by Facebook to build native mobile apps. The JavaScript framework allows to develop apps through building blocks just like native apps. Thus, it is quite tough to identify whether the app is developed using React Native or Java.
Android app developers can optimize the React Native apps by adding codes written in other languages such as Objective C, Swift or Java. The technology has been used by various Fortune 500 companies like Walmart, Tesla, Instagram, and many others for mobile app development.
2. Ionic
Ionic is a free & open-source framework and used to build progressive web apps and native mobile apps. As it is a cross-platform technology, developers can develop an Android app and then transfer it to another platform.
It allows developers to build progressive hybrid apps using JavaScript, HTML5, or CSS3. Ionic offers features like live reload, logging, and emulators. Being an Angular and Cordova based technology, Ionic holds a large community of 5 million developers across the globe who have developed around 4 million apps using Ionic.
3. Kotlin
The programming language is invented by JetBrains. It is a modern platform that combines function, features and object-oriented programming. It is 100% interoperable with Java language and runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Google has declared Kotlin as an official IDE for Android app development in 2017.
The developers use it as a replacement of Java as it streamlines the app development process. Moreover, it can be used as a primary language for app development. As per a Stcekover Flow survey, Kotlin held the fourth position as a most loved programming language.
The large scale organizations like Uber, Twitter, Airbnb, Pinterest, Trello, Netflix are migrating their Android apps to Kotlin.
4. Corona SDK
It is a software development kit that is used to develop Android app 10x faster than any other Android app development frameworks. It is a multi-layered and lightweight programing language that builds an app with greater flexibility, usability, and speed.
Corona is highly used for gaming app development. It is available for free for both Windows and Mac OS X along with real-time testing support. The framework has a feature-rich API suite that contains networking, graphics, particle effects, widgets, and more.
5. Xamarin
This is the best framework for those who want to build Android apps without using Java. Xamarin is used by around 1.5 million users globally. It offers a complete set of C# code base to develop native apps for Android and other mobile operating systems. Developers also use Xamarin in Android Studio to build native apps using .NET code base.
Do you want to build a high performing Android app by selecting the right framework?
6. PhoneGap
Developed by Apache and Adobe, the technology allows to build Android apps using web development technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. PhoneGap is an open-source framework and allows developers to see changes in the app in real-time.
Highly used for Hybrid app development, the framework provides excellent performance and freedom to work without hardware-related limitations. It has a bunch of third-party software tools, extended plugin libraries, and a growing community to develop robust Android apps.
7. Sencha Touch
Sencha Touch is an enterprise-first framework introduced by the Android community for native mobile app development. The Android app development framework is based on HTML 5 and JavaScript that allows to build universal applications for the Android platform.
Offering 50 built-in native themes and UI components, it allows developers to create attractive apps. Sencha Touch is the first choice of big organizations due to its high-level flexibility, compatibility & performance, fast execution, and responsive touch features.
The programing language allows to develop Android apps with smooth scrolling and fluid animations that are highly adaptive. Android app developers can use the enriched UI, a huge collection of themes, a vast data package and an integrated MVC system offered by Sencha.
8. Cordova
It is a free and open-source framework that develops mobile apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Cordova is developed by the Apache and allows developers to build multi-platform mobile applications using a single code base.
As Cordova uses native device API for mobile app development, it is tough to know whether the app is developed using native languages or not. Moreover, Apache Cordova supports offline scenarios, it is an excellent platform to build desktop apps.
9. Unity
Unity is basically a game engine that is used to develop 2D and 3D augmented reality and virtual reality games and other situations. The technology is compatible with other platforms along with Android. Being a cross-platform technology, it allows developers to export games to multiple platforms like Windows, Web, PlayStation, iOS, Xbox, and more.
It creates an amazing experience for augmented reality and virtual reality using the Unity engine. The technology controls different graphic elements, game objects, momentum and more. It creates an interactive experience with immersive content that drives tremendous user engagement for the companies.
10. TheAppBuilder
TheAppBuilder allows to build Android apps with a code less user interface. Thus, developers can create an app without knowing the coding of different programming languages. Offering drag and drop interface, it helps in developing the app faster.
Pre-built blocks of the framework come with various features such as polls, feedback, push notification, content updates, and much more. TheAppBuilder allows developers to submit the app directly on the Google Play Store and businesses to integrate social media to drive user engagement.
Companies can generate analytics reports using the framework to identify the issues that affect app performance and fix them in time.
11. Flutter
Flutter is introduced by Google and written in dart language. It is a multi-platform SDK that allows to build robust mobile apps. It is quite different from other Android app development frameworks as it simplifies the cross-platform development process. If you want to develop hybrid applications, then Flutter the best option to choose from.
The technology provides a solid testing framework that allows developers to perform unit, functional, and UI tests. As Flutter contains hot-reload functionality, developers can perform testing seamlessly without restarting the application.
12. NativeScript
This is the best framework for hybrid app development and supported by Telerik, a Bulgarian software company. It is an open-source and free framework and allows developers to build apps using Angular, Vue, and TypeScript. It allows the skilled web developers to build advanced progressive web apps.
Using NativeScript for Android app development, you can achieve native-like UI and performance of the app. Providing JavaScript on the UI thread, the framework provides high performance on all native platform APIs.
13. SproutCore
SproutCore is a JavaScript-based framework that allows to build Android apps faster and with advanced features. Being an HTML5 based framework, it runs with a clear MVC design that optimizes the performance and scalability of the application.
The framework contains a set of tools that can be used in desktop-like applications for browser, including UI components, deployment & testing tools, and routing. With the help of these tools, SproutCore maintains the app code and business logic effectively.
14. Appcelerator Titanium
The titanium framework uses the functionality of JavaScript to call different APIs to boost app performance. It is an open-source framework that builds applications with a mobile-first approach. With Appcelerator Titanium, you can build a visually appealing and clean app that provides native-like look & feel and functionality.
Moreover, the framework builds a multi-platform mobile app using the existing code. The framework can be used in game development. When it comes to mobile app development, Titanium contains the hardware-specific features such as platform-centric notification, OS related controls, and Android menu buttons.
Other important features of Titanium are app monitoring, performance regulations, and automated testing on mobile devices.
15. jQuery Mobile
jQuery Mobile contains appealing function such as progressive enhancement, theme design, semantic makeup along with Cordova support. It has a large community support. The framework allows to write the code once for Android and reuse it across different mobile operating systems such as iOS, Windows, Blackberry, and more.
It builds responsive wen portal and mobile applications that are compatible with different smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Key Takeaway
Selection of the right framework for your Android app development is a quite strategic decision. Credence has a team of 50+ Android app developers who have proven experience in developing robust business solutions for versatile industry verticals. We offer end-to-end Android app development services start from consultation, design, development, testing, deployment, and enhancement and help the organizations improve time to market of their Android apps.
General FAQs about Android App Development Frameworks [H2]
What is the Android application framework?
Android Framework is the stack of code that makes up the OS. It includes native libraries that may or may not be accessible to the Android developers.
What is the best framework for Android development?
For different Android apps, you need different frameworks. Every project has specific requirements. To address those specific needs, you need to choose different Android frameworks. With the help of an experienced Android app development company, you can make the right choice.
Which framework is used in Android Studio?
Java is the primary technology is used to develop the backend of Android apps. To create the design layout of Android apps, developers use XML. To build an app with Android Studio, you need to use both Java and XML.
Is Kotlin better than Java?
Get the detailed insights about the how Kotlin is better than Java by visiting 10 Reasons You Should Know Why Kotlin is Better than Java for Android App Development.
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