Working with AndroidX and Kotlin: A Beginner’s Guide

Working With AndroidX and Kotlin

AndroidX is a collection of open source libraries that can be used for developing Android applications. It is the successor to the Support Library, which has been deprecated since mid-2019, and provides support for features such as material design, backward compatibility, and performance improvements. Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically typed programming language for modern multiplatform applications. This blog post will discuss both AndroidX and Kotlin, and how they can be used together to develop powerful applications.

What Is AndroidX?

AndroidX is a set of open source libraries developed by Google that are designed to make building Android apps easier and faster. The libraries provide features like backward compatibility, material design, and performance improvements. With AndroidX, developers can take advantage of a unified API surface to access many of the features in the Android framework, eliminating the need to write code for each version of Android. Additionally, AndroidX libraries are versioned and have an active lifecycle, so developers can always stay up-to-date and use the latest features for their application.

What Is Kotlin?

Kotlin is an open source, statically-typed programming language designed by JetBrains, a company known for their popular IDE, IntelliJ. Kotlin was created to be a “better language” than Java, and it aims to improve upon Java’s existing features while also providing additional features. Unlike Java, Kotlin is 100% interoperable with Java and can be used to build multiplatform applications across desktop, web, and mobile. This makes it an ideal language for building Android apps.

Using AndroidX and Kotlin Together

When used together, AndroidX and Kotlin make developing Android apps much easier. AndroidX libraries provide a unified API surface that allow developers to access all the features in the Android framework, regardless of version. Kotlin is an incredibly versatile programming language that can be used across all platforms, making it perfect for writing code that works on all versions of Android. In addition, Kotlin provides a number of features that make coding faster and easier, such as its concise syntax and built-in null safety.

By combining AndroidX libraries and the power of Kotlin, developers can easily create powerful Android applications with fewer lines of code and greater readability. This can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to develop an app, allowing developers to focus on creating great experiences for their users.

Conclusion

AndroidX and Kotlin are two powerful tools that can help developers create amazing Android applications. AndroidX libraries provide a unified API surface to access all the features of the Android framework, regardless of version. Meanwhile, Kotlin provides a wealth of features that make coding faster and more efficient, such as its concise syntax and built-in null safety. By combining the two, developers can create powerful applications quickly and easily.