Android App Development Frameworks: The Science of Saving Time and Money While Building Apps

Meet the Android app development frameworks behind tech giants like Instagram, Google, and WhatsApp!

There are over 1 million Android apps on the Google Play Store, and over 24K distinct devices are ready to support them. That’s the competition you need to dominate- so having a revolutionary vision will not be sufficient; you need all hands on the deck.

This daunting scenario inspired the existence of the best frameworks for Android app development, a set of programs designed with the motivation of making Android development a task that doesn’t feel like plowing through the fields of potatoes.

What are Android App Development Frameworks?

Type the keyword ‘Android app development frameworks’ on search engines, and one thing that you will find commonly is that people often mix up between cross-platform app development frameworks and frameworks for Android app development.

The fact, however, is that Android app development frameworks have an architecture specifically designed to dictate the environment of building apps for Android smartphones. As a result, they’re a more optimized repository of Android components for functionalities and UI.

On the contrary, cross-platform app development frameworks tackle multiple operating systems that can also include Android.

However, as these frameworks have to cater to multiple operating systems, there can be limitations when it comes to building apps specifically for Android.

Now, if a clear distinction has been established between Android-specific and cross-platform frameworks, let’s move on!

List of the Top Android App Development Frameworks

The frameworks that we are introducing in this list might be smaller in number but are specifically designed to focus on your Android app development strategy.

All you need is a vision, and you’re ready to dive deeper into this list!

 

Jetpack Compose

 

Google launched the framework preview in May 2019, but the stable release was launched in July 2021, making it ready for the production of apps. As of now, Jetpack Compose is supporting Android 5.0 and later versions of the OS.

Google’s modern UI toolkit is designed to build native Android applications. The framework simplifies UI construction using one of the popular programming languages, Kotlin. As a result, you can reduce or entirely eliminate the dependency on XML layouts.

The approach of integrating Jetpack Compose also enables a more intuitive and concise codebase, where the UI can automatically optimize itself along with the changes made in the code.

Features of Jetpack Compose:

• Developers can simply describe the UI, and Components render it effortlessly.

• It can support seamless integration with existing Android codebases.

• Offers built-in support for material design components and theming.

• Great for creating visually rich and consistent mobile apps.

Case Studies

• Google Play Store

The platform uses Jetpack compose in its UI. The purpose of integrating this framework in Android is driven by the motivation to build the app faster. But beyond that, perks like less coding, easier updates, and enhanced rendering performance also helped.

• Airbnb

Airbnb’s tech lead, Vinay Gaba, advocates about the usage of Jetpack Compose. According to Mr. Gaba, the company uses Compose to cut boilerplate code and boost the overall app performance. 

Beyond that, Airbnb also leverages smoother animations by integrating Jetpack Compose into its development strategy, all while keeping the app size small.

Android SDK (By Google)

The foundational framework provides you access to a range of tools, libraries, and documentation critical for building, testing, and debugging Android applications. 

The framework is packed with necessary API libraries, emulators, development tools, and other such components that can facilitate the overall interaction between Android apps.

Android SDK is packed with resources that enable the development of built-in app security features and smoother compatibility with multiple Android versions. This allows glitch-free communication between apps running on various Android specifications.

Features of Android SDK

• Provides a rich built-in API library for UI, networking, data storage, etc.
• Android SDK is equipped with an emulator that allows virtual app testing. So, there will be no more running here and there searching for physical Android devices to test your app.
• Additionally, it includes profiling tools to keep an active eye on memory usage, CPU performance, and battery efficiency.
• Worried if your app is good enough to keep up? Google's frequent updates will help you shape a successful future for your app. These updates will help you improve the app’s quality with every new update.

Case Studies

• Bada Business is a name well known for shaping the future of entrepreneurs. The platform hired Appinventiv to deploy an app that garnered over a million downloads in three months. Android SDK, a framework that has a great reputation among Android app development companies, was a major tool used to build a high-quality app for Bada Business.
• WhatsApp is another key brand using Android SDK to build apps for Android. The messenger app also lets brands integrate WhatsApp features using its API SDK, which is designed for businesses to communicate with end users.

Android Native Development Kit (NDK)

The application framework in Android uses popular app development programming languages like C and C++ to speed up the development of native apps. The framework is specifically beneficial for applications requiring performance-driven operations. 

Some examples can be mobile games or real-time processing apps.

Features of Android Native Development Kit (NDK)

• Helps developers focus on critical parts of the app development process for speedy and efficient development.
• Unlocks direct access to low-level system components and hardware features.
• Ensures even visually rich 3D renderings are smoothly delivered.
• It can be powerful but complex at the same time.
• Preferably used for cases where performance matters more than its complexity.

Case Studies

• Instagram is a major name that uses the Android NDK framework for its visually demanding functionalities. The framework ensures swift and responsive photo editing features with great performance.
• Skype leverages NDK libraries for audio and video calls. Its high-quality components enable smooth communication between devices without compromising the quality. 

Additional Options Beyond Android-Specific Frameworks

So, the ones you were introduced to above were specifically focused on Android devices. These are designed to leverage the native components of the Android OS. 

However, there are certain other frameworks that allow the building of apps for multiple operating systems, including Android. 

These frameworks can be:

Flutter

The open-source UI SDK by Google aims to build apps for multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, etc. The framework uses Dart programming language and a single codebase to deliver performance-optimized apps for various platforms. Top apps like Google Ads, Alibaba, and Reflecty are built using Flutter.

React Native

Meta owns React Native and releases new updates for it. The framework uses JavaScript and React to build apps for Android and iOS operating systems. The framework is known for achieving almost native performance in the apps it helped in building.

Xamarin

Microsoft backs this cross-platform app development framework. The framework supports C# and .NET and has helped develop apps for major brands like The World Bank, Olo, Storyo, etc.

Explore in-depth details of cross-platform app development frameworks to know them well.

Comparing the Top Frameworks for Android App Development

The above six frameworks include Android-specific as well as cross-platform options. If you are planning to pick one and are a little unsure about the one you should go for, here’s a quick comparison that you will find helpful. 

Benefits of Frameworks for Android App Development

Before we wrap up, having a deeper understanding of the benefits of development frameworks can be mighty helpful, especially if you’re new to the concept. 

How?

Let’s help you understand that!

Faster Development Time

The major benefit of using frameworks for your development strategy is that they speed up things. You get to decrease the dependency upon manual coding thanks to the pre-ready repositories of UI components, features, and more. 

These pre-built libraries are also great for integrating features of standard quality with low effort.

Optimized Performance

Native Frameworks like Jetpack Compose and Android NDK enable well-utilization of native resources. These frameworks are specially designed to focus on the specifications of Android smartphones. 

Such features result in top-notch performance.

Better UI/UX Consistency

Frameworks offer pre-built UI components. As a result, you can ensure the consistency of the UI across multiple versions of the app. Beyond that, most of these UI/UX components are designed with compliances like WCAG, ADA, etc., in mind. 

The intuitive experience is also another perk you get to take advantage of by adopting Android app development frameworks.

Code Reusability

While building an app, it is not necessary at all to keep writing the app code from scratch. Instead, adopt a strategy that lets you reuse codes if your apps are simply the same. 

How do you do that? 

Use an application framework in Android development strategy that is equipped with features like code reusability. This can reduce the redundant requirement of additional resources and tone down the overall efforts that go into the maintenance of the app.

Faster Updates

Once you have a framework at hand that knows how your app’s structure works, it can help you speed up the release of newer updates. Simply, as new Android versions are released, such frameworks update themselves in parallel to stay trendy. 

In the form of components like ready-to-use functionalities, it gets easier to upscale the app experience using the drag-and-drop feature.

Enhanced Security

Statista says in 2023, mobile cyberattacks accounted for 7% of incidents in the Americas. That’s the kind of brute force you need to face once you plan on building a mobile app. Security components offered by Android frameworks can be of benefit. 

These security components are regularly updated according to the evolving cybersecurity trends.

The goal?

To ensure no security vulnerability is evolved enough to escape the grasp of cybersecurity protocols these frameworks offer. This leads you to take advantage of building a safer app development environment.

Access to Native Features

Frameworks make it easier to take advantage of native configurations of GPS, push notifications, and more without requiring an extensive amount of customized coding efforts. This helps your app become more compatible with the device. 

There is a range of native APIs to help you develop applications that can integrate very well with the Android ecosystem.

 

Wrapping Up

 

With more than 3.5 million Android apps just on the Google Play Store, you can project the competition existing in the app industry. 

By scanning through the above data, you might have figured already that keeping up in the loop with the latest Android app development frameworks is the key to tackling this competition. 

These frameworks help you catch up with the race even if you have limited dedicated resources compared to industry giants.

At least development is the phase where you can be at an advantage.

But will using Android-based frameworks ensure your growth? That’s a tricky question.

What we know is that three things can ensure your app’s growth:

• If your app has the optimum kind of quality,
• Well-planned app marketing strategies to ensure the right type of visibility,
• And a team of folks with the passion and knowledge to keep the app trendy.

With all that at your fingertips, you have more than just a good shot.

So, hope you’re now ready to kickstart the journey of turning the vision dominating your mind into a reality!