Android development

Which development tool do you use to create Android apps?
I know that app will need to be able to receive data from other Android apps using sharing intents, have you tried that with your tool of choice?

CodenameOne while I can use the same Code and the same UI development for Android and IOS and it is LOW COST. Has as Output Android Studio and Xcode Files for native compilation. CodenameOne has nice Buildservers implemented.

If there is Android only to develop and there will never be an IOS App: Android Studio. For free and works like a horse. Official IDE.

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I FORGOT TO MENTION THE COMMUNICATION. Codenameone and Android supporting socket communication without any problem. In BOTH I wrote Apps sommunicating. With Codenameone with ONE Code for IOS, Android and Desktop uses. So writing Apps, like a Chat App, a Database-related App, what ever is no problem. Also Push Notifications are no problem.

The best is: No need for commercial Plugins, Moneyeating IDE’s and Compilers. If you want to, you can use Codenameone with local Builds for IOS and Android for free. It is Open Source like the Android Studio.

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B4A, easy, powerful and now it is free. It has a big comunity, the main dev answers in the forums, expose new ideas to the comunity and listens to feedback. Bugs are priority. you can share most of the code with iOS too.
Has lots of Out of the box functionality and lots of user libs. Also you can include java code and wrap existent java libs.

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@Ivan it uses the same technology approach like CodenameOne but CodenameOne has more Libraries and java: you can program under all OSses like Windows, MacOS and Linux. B4A IDE runs only under Windows but not under Linux oder MacOS (means only with a virtual machine). It will not run correctly under Windows on Arm CPU / MAC M1.Tghe good:
The abstract Designer makes it simple. While you code it by Hand with CodenameOne with using a Layout Manager you can design it with the Abstract Designer with B4A.

Sadly B4A and B4I have NOT the same Coebase and do NOT share the same Design like CodenameOne is doing it. It can be done with Codenameone and B4A. My selection would be CodenameOne while I have both mobile bases and Desktop Version of the App with one Codebase and one UI coding. But: Java while B4A is Xojo alike or better VB6 alike Basic Code.

Wrapping of existing Java libs can be done with both. But Codenameone has the most stuffs for both: Android and IOS. So writing with one Codebase for IOS, Android and Desktop is working like a charm.

So, more I can not do, which fits? You may have to try by self.

Use B4XPages with B4XViews and you can share it between Android, iOS and desktop

I know but it is not the same codebase like with Codenameone. But what ever: I am still waiting for B4x MacOS and Linux! IDE!

What do you mean by codebase? I can share all the logic of my apps between all platforms. But indeed, whatever…

I am writing exactly one UI and one time Code and have all platforms together. That I mean with one Codebase.

and the Sourcecode for the App:

As you can see: in the Common Module the Sources are collected which I use for all platforms. And in the IOS, Android and/or Desktop Project I can do changes platform related.

Glad you found your tool. I’m very happy with B4X too as it does everything I want it do for me.

I found the tool while I am Java programmer. Not to forget: I was also programming mobile with Gluon Mobile and JavaFX. But this here is much more comfortable. And yes: B4x is really good. It is a question of taste. Nothing else. And for me it is less complex to write Java Code then Basic Code wile I am Java programmer. While Codenameone and Vaadin following the same guidelines like Java Swing I can program for all three platforms really fast.

But: somebody not knowing Java may have much more effort to get in shape. He will have much more fun with B4x. There is no difference in the result. B4x on IOS compiles with Xcode, Android with Android Studio and Desktop was the jar File as is. So in my opinion it is good what people need and where they can be in the best productivity for their circumstances.

I like the idea of sharing the same logic code (an attraction for Xojo).

After using Xojo for so long, I know that there are limitations to what can be done with Xojo, which concerns me about waiting for Xojo Android, because if it cannot do what I want, it’s very unlikely that they’ll make changes to suit my needs.

I might write the app as a Mac app to start with, to at least get the logic flow correct, and then all it becomes is re-writing it in a new language, like going from API 1.0 to API 2.0 right?

With codenameone? Build it as desktop. Ready. SAME codebase. No changes in API. It’s codenameone API. Means write it, test it is with cn1 simulator or debug builds for mobile devices or as desktop application.

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If the “most experienced” user of iOS in Xojo says (maybe the most basic function in a mobil device) sending SMS is considered an “advanced feature” not included in xojo after this many years:

what can we expect from Android?

B4i Had it from the start for example Mails and SMS messages | B4X Programming Forum

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Expect the same.

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