Statista reported that the Google Play Store had more than 2.8 million Android apps for download as of March 2017. This is more than the 2.2 million apps available in Apple App Store and Microsoft Windows 669,000 apps. These are 20 of the most popular Android development tools.
There are more Android smartphones on the market than any other operating system today. The demand for experienced Android app developers and apps is expected to grow in the future. This topic will interest you if you have already read The pros and cons of programming for Android in our dedicated article.
Android developers can produce these apps faster and more efficiently due to the proliferation of sophisticated, high-quality tools. Integrated development environments (IDEs) as well as time-saving tools, applications, and other resources are all available. There are several Android development solutions that appear over and over on the “favorites” lists of Android developers.
Top 20 Android Development Tools for 2023
These are 20 of the most popular tools for Android app development.
1. Android Studio
Android Studio provides the official development environment for all Android applications. This is a popular choice for developers.
Google launched Android Studio in 2013 It was replaced, or should I say eclipsed, by Android Studio in 2013. The primary IDE for Android native app development is Eclipse Android Development Tools (ADT).
Android Studio provides code editing, You can debug, test, and manage your code all in one easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. It’s free to download, and it is supported by Google as well as a large and active community of Android developers.
2. ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
Android Studio also includes the Android Debug Bridge. This is a command line tool that allows for communication between Android devices. It can be used to develop and support the overall debugging process.
A developer can make changes to both Android devices by connecting them to a development computer and using a set of terminal commands.
Also read: Top 10 Web Development Tools for Developers
3. AVD Manager
The AVD Manager is another useful feature in Android Studio. This short form stands for Android Virtual Device. The AVD Manager emulator allows you to run Android apps on a PC. This emulator allows developers to use all Android versions to test responsiveness and performance with different screen sizes and resolutions.
4. Eclipse
As we have already mentioned, there was Eclipse before there was Android Studio. Eclipse was for a long time the preferred IDE for all Android app development.
Although Google has discontinued support for Eclipse, many Eclipse-loving developers still use it to build Android apps and cross-platform apps. It works well with many programming languages.
5. Fabric
Fabric is the development platform behind Twitter’s mobile app. Developers can use it to create better mobile apps. It provides a range of “kits”.They can choose and choose from many options. These kits contain everything you need for marketing and advertising, from beta testing to tools for promotion.
In January 2017, Google bought Fabric from Twitter. The fabric has been used by many big-name companies such as Uber, Spotify, and Groupon to develop their mobile apps.
6. FlowUp
FlowUp lets you monitor all of your production apps’ performance. You can keep track of all your stats and metrics with handy dashboards, such as CPU and disk usage and memory usage, frames per second, bandwidth and frame rate.
FlowUp is a subscription-based SaaS service that charges per month based on the number of users.
7. GameMaker Studio
For Android game app developers, GameMaker Studio is one of the most used app development tools. GameMaker allows you to create 2D games with very little code. It’s extremely easy to use, with a drag-and-drop interface.GameMaker Studio is for novice and beginner game developers.
8. Genymotion
Genymotion is another Android emulator that allows developers to preview and test their applications on more than 3,000 different device scenarios. Genymotion is very popular with gaming developers. It comes pre-installed with standard Android images and graphics which are extremely useful during the testing process. Genymotion is faster than an Android device for testing an app.
Genymotion is an open-source development tool that supports many programming languages and environments.
9. Gradle
Google approved Gradle to be a build system of Android apps.
Based on Apache Maven/Apache Ant, Gradle is one of the most widely used development tools to create large-scale Java applications.
Gradle is a great tool for developers. It allows you to easily add libraries from other sources with just one line of code.
10. IntelliJ IDEA
From the developers at JetBrains, IntelliJ IDEA was designed to maximize programmer productivity. It is extremely fast and comes with a complete set of development tools.
IntelliJ IDEA is expensive at $149 per annum. There is an option to get it for free. Open Source Community Edition available. The extended version is free for students for one year.
Also read: Top 10 Python Frameworks for Game Development
11. Instabug
Instabug has been used by many of the most well-known names in tech including Yahoo, PayPal, Lyft, BuzzFeed, and Mashable are all available for bug reporting and beta testing. Instabug lets beta testers and user groups share screenshots, detailed error logs, and other information with developers during the QA/debugging process.
Sign up for Instabug to get a free trial. After that, it will be custom-priced according to the number of project members, apps, and length.
12. LeakCanary
Square’s LeakCanary has been developed by Java developers. It makes it easier to spot and fix memory leaks in Java applications. LeakCanary instantly notifies you when there is a leak. You can then use the built-in stack trace tool to resolve the issue.
LeakCanary can be found on GitHub.
13. NimbleDroid
NimbleDroid allows you to test your Android app for bugs and memory leaks before publishing it on Google Play. NimbleDroid allows app developers to save time and speeds up the overall QA process. This will help to make the app more marketable.
NimbleDroid has been used by companies such as Mozilla, Yahoo!, and Pinterest to test their apps. Based on the needs of customers and the number of users, personalized pricing is possible.
14. RAD Studio
RAD Studio provides an integrated development environment that allows you to create, compile, package and deploy cross-platform applications. It supports the entire development lifecycle, resulting in one source codebase that can easily be recompiled and redeployed.
RAD Studio is the most costly solution, starting at $2,286.00 for the professional edition. You can also get a free trial.
15. Stetho
Stetho is an Android debugging tool, was created by Facebook. It’s a free, open-source platform that gives you access to Chrome Developer Tools features built into the desktop browser.
Stetho has a network inspection function that allows for image preview, JSON response aiders, and exporting traces into the HAR format.
16. Source Tree
SourceTree allows you to manage Git repositories using its simple Git GUI. You can see all your branches and changes clearly without writing a single command line. SourceTree allows you to delete and stage changes by file, line, or hunk.
SourceTree works with Mac and Windows.
Also read: Top 10 Android Frameworks for App Development
17. Unity 3D
Unity 3D is a cross-platform tool for game development environment used to create complex environments Graphic-intensive mobile games, such as those that contain virtual or augmented realities, are recommended.
Unity 3D can still be used to create simple 2D-based gaming experiences. However, it is most commonly used for advanced gaming development.
18. Unreal Engine
Unreal Engine is another advanced gaming platform that is an open-source and free solution to create high-quality interactive games.
Unreal Engine is a popular game engine because it uses the Blueprint system, which reduces the need to code. Designers who have little or no coding or development experience can use Unreal Engine to create their own innovative gaming experiences.
19. Visual Studio with Xamarin
Visual Studio Microsoft’s official integrated development environment. It is free for developers to use. It supports many programming languages, and when combined with Xamarin it can be used to create. It can be used to create native Windows, Android, and iOS apps.
Visual Studio, which is supported by Microsoft’s legendary support for developers who want to create cross-platform games and applications, is the best choice.
20. Vysor
Vysor can be used as an emulator. This allows you to “mirror”, an Android device to your computer, so you can control it using your keyboard. You can also screencast from your phone during demos and meetings.
Vysor works with all operating systems. Vysor is not free, but it’s very affordable at $2.50 per monthly, $10 per annum, and $40 for a lifetime license.
Final words — Top Android development tools
You can find hundreds of useful tools for Android development. Based on the specific application they are working on, each developer will have their own preference about which tools and environments to use.
As Android apps continue to be in high demand, there will be more platforms and solutions available that can save developers time and help them produce better apps.
