Top 6 Best Android Programming Languages in 2024

Did you know that the Android platform is dominating the global mobile market with over 3 billion users and a massive revenue of up to $47 billion in 2023? To seize this golden opportunity, besides choosing a reputable technology partner for mobile app development, you also need to proactively explore the popular Android programming languages to ensure success and optimal efficiency for your project.

In this article, let’s explore the 6 best Android programming languages today with Aegona.

1. Why develop Android apps?

With its strong growth and dominance in the global mobile market, Android app development is becoming an essential choice for businesses across various fields. Here are the main reasons why your business should consider developing on the Android platform:

• Huge market: Android currently has over 3 billion users worldwide and is present in over 190 countries. This is a vast and diverse market, offering a great opportunity to reach and expand your customer base.
• Major market share: Android holds over 85% of the market share in countries like Brazil, India, Indonesia, Iran, Turkey. Developing an Android app helps your business tap into these high-potential markets.
• Revenue growth: Google Play generated $47 billion in revenue in 2023. This is a clear indicator of consumer spending power and willingness to spend on the Android platform, opening up significant revenue opportunities for your app.
• Huge app volume: With 2.6 million apps on Google Play and 113 billion downloads in 2023, Android provides high user exposure.
• Strong growth: Nearly 1 billion Android phones were shipped last year. This is an important indicator of Android's popularity and growth potential.

With these outstanding advantages, developing Android apps not only helps your business expand nationwide but also maximizes business opportunities. So, which programming languages are used for Android development? The answer will be revealed below.

2. Top 6 best Android programming languages in 2024

Here are 6 popular Android programming languages you can consider:

2.1. Java for Android development

Java was once the official language for Android app development and still plays a crucial role with many apps available on the Play Store. Java is still considered to provide a comprehensive experience in Android development with substantial support from Google. Thanks to a large online community, Java offers plenty of support when issues arise. 

However, Java can be quite complex due to features like constructors, Null Pointer Exception (NPE), concurrency, and checked exceptions.

2.2. Kotlin Android

Kotlin, officially recognized by Google as the main language for Android app development since 2019, is a better alternative to Java. Kotlin is a cross-platform programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine and is fully compatible with Java. Kotlin simplifies many issues of Java, eliminating problems like null pointer exceptions and requiring semicolons, making development easier. If you want to program for Android, Kotlin is a language you cannot overlook.

2.3. C++ for Android app development

C++ can be used in Android mobile app development through the Android Native Development Kit (NDK). NDK allows developers to integrate C++ code into Android apps, providing high performance for parts of the app that require powerful processing or resource optimization, such as graphics modules or complex calculations.

However, using C++ to develop an entire Android mobile app may not always be the most practical choice. While C++ is valuable for implementing specific components, it involves complex configuration and setup. Additionally, managing memory, handling errors such as null pointers, concurrency issues, and checked exceptions can introduce extra challenges and bugs. Due to these complexities, C++ is generally not the best option for developing the entire app.

Thus, in most cases, Java and Kotlin are generally more reasonable choices compared to C++ because they are faster, easier, and less problematic.

2.4. C# for Android mobile app development

C# has many similarities with Java, making it another choice for Android mobile app development. With features like garbage collection and clearer syntax, C# helps manage memory efficiently and maintain the source code easily.

Previously, C# primarily operated on Windows via the .NET Framework, but .NET MAUI now facilitates the use of C# for developing Android apps and sharing code across platforms. Xamarin is not included in this list as it ceased operations on May 1, 2024. Therefore, if you aim to design effective Android apps, C# remains a strong option alongside Java and Kotlin.

>> Read more: Top Cross-Platform Frameworks: Flutter Vs. .NET MAUI, Vs. React Native

2.5. Designing apps with HTML, CSS, JavaScript

You can develop Android apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript through the Apache Cordova framework (formerly Adobe PhoneGap). This framework allows you to use web development skills to create hybrid apps displayed through “WebView”. Although Apache Cordova can handle basic tasks, this option is often not highly rated for performance.

For those familiar with JavaScript, learning and creating hybrid apps with frameworks like React Native or Flutter may be a better choice.

2.6. Writing Android apps with Dart

Ignoring Dart as an Android programming language would be a significant oversight. Dart is an open-source language developed by Google. When combined with the Flutter framework, developers can create beautiful and high-performance software for web, desktop, and mobile apps in a short time.

Dart's strengths lie in its design for rapid application development on any operating system, with features like hot-reload that allow developers to see changes immediately while working on the app, compilation to ARM and x64 machine code for mobile and desktop, as well as JavaScript code for web applications. Currently, Dart and Flutter have become leading languages for rapid Android programming.

>> Related topics:

• Which is the best programming language for iOS development?
• Native Apps vs. Web Apps vs. Hybrid Apps: Pros, Cons, and Costs Explained
• Top 3 Tools for Quickly Converting Websites to Mobile Apps 2024

3. Which Android programming language is the best?

After reading through this list of the top 6 Android programming languages, you might wonder – which programming language is the best choice for Android development? The answer will depend on various factors such as your specific needs, project scale, and budget. For example, if you’re looking for a language that is easy to learn and integrates well with current technologies, Kotlin is the ideal choice. On the other hand, if your project requires high performance and you have experience with older technologies, Java or C++ might be more suitable.

Additionally, choosing the right technology should also consider factors such as compatibility, community support, and app scalability. A suitable technology choice not only saves you time and development costs but also ensures that your app will run smoothly and efficiently in the long term.

If you need expert advice to choose the most appropriate development language, Aegona, the software development company in Vietnam is the ideal partner. With a team of over 80 experienced software engineers, we are committed to providing optimal solutions for management and commerce through Android and iOS apps. 

Contact us via WhatsApp at (+84) 914 518 869 or email us at [email protected].

AEGONA LTD - IT SERVICE & SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
 Email: [email protected]
 Phone: Office: (+84) 28 7109 2939. Hotline: (+84) 91 451 8869 | (+84) 83 940 5469
 WhatsApp: (+84) 91 451 8869 
 Website: www.aegona.com, www.aegona.vn
 Address: Orbital Building (QTSC Building 9), Quang Trung Software City, District 12, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.