Welcome Android Studio 3.0
The world’s favourite cookie is now Android’s new OS. Android has just launched their latest version of the operating system called Android Oreo. This OS looks promising as it offers news way of expanding and improving your phone efficiency.
Not only are Android users excited, but even the app developers are enjoying working on the Android IDE (integrated development environment). Android Studio 3.0 is the latest version of IDE that was unveiled in May by Google at the developers conference.
The reason behind developing this new version was to ease the flow of app development and build tools that would enhance the experience. Android Studio 3.0 comprises of 20 new features that will help developers to develop, debug and improve the performance and accelerate the speed of the app reducing its life cycle.
Android 3.0 will now favourably assist the Android app development with its unique features and functionalities. This Android Studio 3.0, the first canary release offers:
1. Kotlin Programming Language
The long wait for developers is finally over; Android 3.0 has finally expanded support for Kotlin Language. This language is easy to learn, read and understand which is why it has won hearts of many developers. You can now use inbuilt conversion tools and integrate the Kotlin code in already existing Android apps. Even convert your Java files into Kotlin with such conversion tools and with minimal efforts.
2. Improved Layout Editor
The layout editor has also improved to a great extent with the release of the new Android 3.0. The updated component tree offers better drag-and-drop view insertions along with a new error panel. To keep in sync with the Constraint Layout update, the update also supports creating groups, view barriers as well as improves chain creations.
3. Android Profiler
The previous version of Android Monitor tools was replaced and rewritten with the Android Profiler. Once you deploy your app to a running device, you can tap into real-time and unified view of the CPU, Memory, & Network activity for your app. Each of these performance based events is mapped on the UI timeline that will highlight touch events, key presses, and activity changes. You can now track each performance aspect of your app.
4. Instant App Support
The instant app is basically lighter apps that help users to run immediately without installing, which is now possible to create with Android 3.0. There are two new module types introduced by Android Studio including instant app and feature. You can extend your app into an instant app by combining with the App Links Assistant and a new “Modularize” refactoring action.
5. Java 8 Language features
You now have access to features like instant Run for projects with Java 8 language features. All you have to do is update your Source and Target compatibility levels to 1.8 in the Project Structure dialogue. Android Studio 3.0 will now support Java 8 Language smoothly.
6. Adaptive Icon Wizard
Android O had introduced adaptive launcher icons (link to adaptive icons)that can help display apps in different shapes across different Android devices. This wizard helps create new launcher icons assets and provides previews of the adaptive icon would look on different launcher screen icon masks.
7. Android Things Support
In the new android 3.0, you can now initiate to develop on Android things. You can start with a new set of templates in the New Project wizard and the New Module wizard. This will help you increase your knowledge in android app development into the category of Internet of things (IoT) device.
8. XML Fonts Downloadable Fonts
Customizable fonts can now be easily added to your Android O with XML Fonts preview and font selection tools. The Android Studio also allows your app to create a downloadable font resource to avoid bundling of a font resource. You just need to make sure that your device is running Google Play Services v11.2.63 or higher.
9. Android Emulator Get Supports of OpenGL ES 3.0
Android Studio 3.0 has implemented some significant changes and included features that now make the app life cycle shorter and efficient. For old emulator system images, it offers enhancements in OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics performance. Bug report generating becomes simpler along with a redesigned UI require for proxy settings.
10. Build Speed improvements
The new release has focused on improving the speed of projects that consist of multiple modules. There have been ground breaking API changes to the Android Gradle plugin in order to support future developments and enhance speed. You should make validate compatibility using the new plugin and migrate applicable APIs if you depended on APIs provided by the previous plugin.
Conclusion
These crucial features and massive changes will play a major role in the future of app developments. It will also be a pathway for developers as they now have enough room to experiment and introduce unique user experience through their app.
Happy Android Studio 3.0 to you!
