Currently, there are over 3.04 million apps available in the Google Play Store, and that number is only going up. Needless to say, it’s a great time to learn some best Android development tips from the mighty Android developers around the world.
Since its first commercial release back in 2008, the little green robot has proved to be the best friend to end-users and its developers alike. However, the diverse user base, unforeseeable hardware changes, and a rapidly growing developer’s community keep Android developers on their toes to actively look for novel and innovative ways to better their products.
Subsequently, as you continue to brainstorm on finding the “Next Big Thing”, we curated some top Android application development tips for you to consider, for a flawless development experience.
Developers often neglect choosing an application’s name till the very last, considering it to be something that can be dealt with after the actual application development is over. This might prove fatal to an application’s identity among its users. Therefore, it’s best to decide the name well in advance, research its relevance and impact, and most importantly reserve it to avoid any duplication.
Mastering these nascent technologies will help you stay ahead of the game. With the launch of Google Duplex and ARCore, a wide variety of users are looking forward to harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) , and Virtual Reality (VR) . To stay relevant, it’s high time you invest time in learning these.
Google’s Flutter is a cross-platform SDK that can be used for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac, Windows, Google Fuchsia, and the web alike. Flutter is not just another platform but written in Dart programming language. Dart is an AOT (Ahead Of Time) compiled, client optimized programming language used to develop apps for IoT devices. Exploring and making early strides in Flutter and Dart can help Android’s cause of developing future-ready mobile applications.
The platform is where you’ll be spending a considerable amount of time in the coming months of application development, ergo it should be your new best friend. Learn as much as you can about it. Learn how it deals with issues like memory management, component lifecycle, concurrency, etc.
The long and arduous hours of coding often make developers frivolous about the proper upkeep of the code. They keep dumping in Activities or Fragments until it turns into a huge code monster. This is hefty to maintain and test. Therefore, decide and adopt a neat architecture. The likes of MVP and Redux can help you through architectural management.
In the end, what consolidates an application standing as user-friendly is its UI/UX design. An Android developer can choose to limit himself or herself to just coding or can be actively involved in the design process, to actually understand how a chunk of code makes users feel and experience the application.
Android has already devoured the mammoth’s share of smartphones in the market. Knowing what successful Android applications are trending in the market, and knowing what made these applications successful in the first place will help you up to your game accordingly. It is extremely important to know and understand the latest happenings in the Android market. War like a competition between iOS and Android resulting in very quick updation in technology, here you can see some Android vs iOS game market statics to better understand the market of these two software giants.
Android users need an application they can understand intuitively and enjoy working with minimum effort. An over complex UI/UX design makes user retention very low. The “Material Design” exists for a very specific reason. Google has carefully prepared this comprehensive set of design guidelines for Android developers. Keep the application interface clean, simple, and easy to understand.
Fresh perspective never hurts. Having a light playground project at hand can serve as an alternate, to switch over from your serious project whenever you feel overwhelmed or monotonous. Also, this playground project can help you gain a much deeper understanding of concepts by serving as a test patch for learning new things.
Android game developers or app developers prefer developing and testing on more high-end devices, to make sure that they develop a stable and high performing application. However, hardware diversity is to be managed carefully. It has become exigent that any new functionality is tested on a low-end device as well. It will ensure wide operability on a wide range of devices, because who knows what screen size or resolution drops next.
Asking questions will help you learn. StackOverflow, Reddit, Quora, GitHub, etc., will serve as a window inside the world of Android development. When physical proximity with other developers is not always possible, these communities can help you stay connected to your peers. You can clear your doubts, learn new tricks and even help your fellow developers.
Develop what a client actually asked for, and not what you think he might need. Involve clients actively, and actually listen to what they want. At times, you might have a far better solution to a problem they are trying to solve, but that’s not your job. Always suggest and not impose, and design on client’s guidelines.
An Android application is as good as its performance. Once downloaded, your application’s longevity in a user’s phone will be highly dependent on application performance rather than anything else. As a developer, it should be your mission to learn and apply the best available techniques to achieve high performance.
Research should make the core list of tasks to be performed even before you write a single line of code. The importance of understanding the end user’s needs can not be overemphasized.
Take user feedback seriously and try to improve the existing design. The reason why Android stays on top of the game lies in its continuous adoption as per user needs. An important feedback metric is Google Play Store reviews, to gain insights in the user’s minds as to what features to push in the upcoming application updates.
You can reinvent the wheel, or you may try not to repeat the often repeated Android development mistakes by following the tips and tricks in this guide. Android developers at Juego Studios are skilled at leveraging emerging technologies and State of the Art Android development tools. They aim to create an outstanding user experience by consistently staying up-to-date with Android market trends to make sure their clients stay ahead of the game.