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Kotlin Multiplatform enters beta for cross-platform development
Kotlin Multiplatform has entered beta, and it's one of the best ways to build multi-platform projects for both Android and iOS.
If you've ever gotten into Android development, you've probably heard of Kotlin. It's a language designed by JetBrains that is fully interoperable with Java. You can build applications for Android, the web, and iOS in it, and Google actually says that it's the preferred language for app developers to write in. Now Kotlin Multiplatform is entering beta, which will allow developers to build for both Android and iOS from the same codebase.
Android Development Basics: How to add Kotlin to an existing Java Android project
If you're looking to access Kotlin APIs from an existing Android project that's written in Java, here's how you can do so in Android Studio.
Kotlin is pretty great. It's got a whole bunch of useful language features, and the syntax is generally clean and simple. It's also cross-platform, and the base language can compile to a whole bunch of different languages and platforms.
Android Development Basics: How to replace AsyncTask with Kotlin's Coroutines
Are you still using AsyncTask in your Android apps? You probably shouldn't be anymore. Here's how to replace them with Kotlin's Coroutines.
For a very long time in Android, if you needed to do anything asynchronously when making an app, you'd probably be using AsyncTask. AsyncTask is an API in Android's framework that makes it easy(ish) to run operations in the background and return values when finished. And that makes sense. Unlike Kotlin's Coroutines, AsyncTask has been around for a while, and it's built right in.
Android Development Basics: How to add View Binding to an Android Gradle project
View Binding makes it easier to write code that interacts with views. Here's how to set it up in your Android Gradle project.
Most Android developers are probably familiar with the classic findViewById() method. Pass it an ID of one of the Views in your XML layout and it'll return a reference to the inflated version of that View. That's all assuming you passed the right ID though, and that the View actually exists. findViewById() has no checks built in to prevent you from trying to retrieve a View you can't retrieve. Enter View Binding.
JetBrains launches Kotlin Basics, a free starter course on Kotlin
JetBrains Academy is a service to help anyone learn to program. Today, JetBrains is launching the free Kotlin Basics course.
Back in 2019, JetBrains launched its Academy program. Academy lets anyone who wants to learn a language do so through guided lessons and projects, with integrations in JetBrains' IDEs. For instance, JetBrains advertises lessons in over 400 topics related to Java programming. In general, full JetBrains Academy courses cost money, while courses in beta are free. Today, however, JetBrains is launching Kotlin Basics.
JetBrains Compose for Desktop and Web is now in alpha
JetBrains has released Compose for Desktop and Web, a port of Google's Jetpack Compose for Android, to alpha. Here's what's new.
If you haven't heard of Jetpack Compose, where have you been lately? Google created this declarative UI framework to replace the standard XML layout engine in Android. Compose lets developers create their layouts and accompanying logic all in Kotlin. JetBrains, the company behind Kotlin, also got in on the Compose action and is working on porting it to both desktop and the web.
Google unveils new features for Android Jetpack, Android Studio, and Kotlin at Google I/O 2021
Google I/O 2021 is a developer conference, so it's no surprise that Google announced new features for Jetpack, Android Studio, and Kotlin.
We're now well into the Google I/O 2021 developer conference, and so we're seeing a bunch of developer-centric news for all of Google's development products. On top of changes to Flutter and Firebase, we've also got some new features for native Android development, including announcements about Android Jetpack, Android Studio, and even Kotlin.
Google releases Jetpack Compose beta, with a stable API, accessibility support, and more
Google has released Jetpack Compose in Beta, the company's declarative UI engine written in Kotlin made to simplify UI development.
Here we are again. I wrote about Jetpack Compose, Google's new UI engine, back when it went into alpha, and again when JetBrains ported it to desktop platforms. Today, the beta release of Jetpack Compose is here.
Google is redesigning the Play Console and adding new features to Android Studio, Kotlin, and Jetpack
Alongside the Android 11 Beta, Google has announced a redesign of the Play Console and has added new features in Android Studio, Kotlin, and Jetpack.
The Android 11 Beta might have just been released, but if you're a developer, there's more to be excited about. Along with Android 11, Google is introducing a whole bunch of goodies for developers, including a new Google Play Console design, new versions of Android Studio, and a bunch of AndroidX and Kotlin updates.
Android Jetpack Rockets Forward With Cameras and Biometrics
Android's next step forward in ease of development is here with a massive update to the Kotlin-first Android Jetpack Support Libraries!
The speed and ease of development have been core focuses of the Android platform practically since day one. Right from the beginning, Google set out to lay the foundation for how to support the greatest number of devices in the easiest possible manner on already available phone hardware. Last year at Google I/O 2018, Google laid the foundation for the next generation of Android support libraries with Android Jetpack. At Google I/O 2019, Google is taking their support libraries to the next level with a series of new releases from an easier to use Camera library with CameraX to a simple way to integrate Biometric Authentication of the user's choice with Biometrics Prompt.
Square announces their In-App Payments SDK for Android, Flutter, and iOS
Square recently announced its new mobile payments SDK. This SDK allows developers to integrate Square right into their app, without any extra hardware.
Many of you have probably heard of Square Inc. They're a company that specializes in financial services, especially when concerning mobile payments and point-of-sale systems. You've probably seen their card readers at restaurants, retail stores, or even outdoor events.
Android Jetpack is a set of Android components designed with Kotlin in mind, available with Android Studio 3.2
Today, Google has announced Android Jetpack, a set of next-generation Android components designed to work well with Kotlin. The new Android Studio 3.2 features tools for Jetpack.
Google's annual I/O developer conference is where the company unveils their latest tools and features for Android developers, and this year is no exception. Today, the company announced Android Jetpack, a set of components to accelerate app development. Jetpack is designed with Kotlin in mind to help you simplify your code. The latest Android Studio 3.2 canary available today also features new tools for Jetpack.