Building Tomorrow’s Apps Today: The Google Drive Advantage with Jetpack Compose and Advanced Architecture
Google Drive dominates the world in providing cloud-based storage services. No matter what you do, what your profession is, or where you live, you probably have installed and operated G Drive on your laptop or mobile device.
G Drive allows you to store, edit, share, synchronize, and pin files. Recently, it underwent an overhaul.
The development team launched Drive’s homepage using new software. Let’s examine Jetpack Compose and the new Android-recommended architecture used by Drive’s developers to build a seamless new homepage.
Google Drive’s Revamp
Drive’s developers knew that their previous software and architecture would not let them complete the homepage on time and efficiently. That’s when they decided to experiment with an Android-recommended toolkit for building UI and mobile app development: Kotlin-supported Jetpack Compose.
They had previously used RxJava, but they realized that Kotlin had more to offer, especially regarding coroutines.
After several months of experimenting with Kotlin, the foundation of Compose, the decision was made to use Jetpack Compose to create a better UI.
Why Compose and Kotlin?
Kotlin is a modern programming language used by over 60% of apps, today. Android and mobile app developers claim that Kotlin is easier to use and more concise. Apps developed with Kotlin are 20% less likely to crash. Drive’s developers liked Kotlin’s syntax and null enforcement, making it safer and easier to write code with.
After experimenting and exploring Kotlin, Compose was the natural way to go since it’s Android’s modern toolkit for building native UI. It simplifies and accelerates UI development, and you can use it across various devices, too.
The developers were satisfied with Compose’s ease of use, which gave them the green signal to use It to develop Drive’s homepage.
The ‘Compose Advantage’
Let’s take a closer look at why Compose has become the go-to tool for mobile app development.
- Less Coding
Compose allows developers to achieve more results by writing less code. This leads to fewer bugs, less code to write, read and understand, and less to test. The code is written in Kotlin and is easier to follow.
- Better Tools (Preview Options, Live Editing)
Previewing and editing your work is much easier in Compose. You can use Android Studio to preview UI components.
Compose also offers many themes and layouts. It also gives you the option of editing while the app is running, hence giving you live results.
- Easy Animation
You can create beautiful apps using built-in support for animations, themes, and designs. You can also use your own design systems if you prefer. It’s easy and efficient.
- Compose is Intuitive
With Declarative API all you need to do is explain your UI, and Compose takes over! The APIs are intuitive: as the state of the app changes, the UI will be updated.
- Code Compatibility
Another feature that makes Compose accessible and easy to work with is that it’s compatible with all your existing code. For example, the interoperability between Compose and View makes it easy for developers to write code with Android Views and Compose together.
Most common libraries, like Navigation, ViewModel, and Kotlin coroutines, are also compatible with Compose, so you can start using it wherever you want.
Advanced Architecture with Android
Most mobile users use several apps on their phones within a few minutes. This is why an app should be able to adapt to user-driven tasks.
An app’s architecture should make it easy to use, easy to scale, increase its lifespan, and make it easy to test.
Android-recommended architecture for mobile app development divides the architecture into distinct layers:
- The UI Layer: This layer displays the app data on the user’s screen.
- The Domain Layer (optional): Simplifies the actions between the UI and Data layers.
- The Data Layer: The business logic of the app which determines how the app will work.
This updated architecture makes it possible to keep Android devices running smoothly.
Case Studies with Compose
There are numerous applications developed using the Jetpack Compose toolkit. Some of the leading case studies are:
- Twitter/X
The popular social media app’s UI was designed well over a decade ago, which is why the developers wanted to modernize it. They needed a tool to build a scalable design that was easy to use, intuitive, extensible and customizable.
The answer? Jetpack Compose! Twitter/X’s developers believe Compose has increased their speed and efficiency, and call the tool ‘incredible’!
- Lyft
Lyft is the leading ride-sharing company in the USA. It has over 50 million downloads on Google Play, which is precisely why its developers are always looking for ways to upgrade, modernize, and streamline its UI.
By using Compose, the developers used a plugin framework that broke down all the features into reusable modules. The developers claim that over 90% of their coding is done using Compose.
- Airbnb
Airbnb was one of the earliest users of Compose. Compose is adaptable and reduces boilerplate code, which gives developers more time to create outstanding user experiences.
Using Compose allowed developers to keep their apps small so they are easily downloadable to their users worldwide.
What Does the Future Hold?
It’s safe to say that Jetpack Compose is the future of UI and mobile app development. Its strengths lie in its intuitive nature and powerful design system. With Kotlin at its core, Compose leads the way to a comprehensive yet concise codebase and app design.
Do you want to find out how Jetpack Compose can help you build a customized mobile app? Don’t hesitate to contact us and book an appointment!
