The Android operating system is more than 12 years old. Over time, its APIs and libraries for creating applications have been updated and supplemented so many times, that some of them became obsolete. Others, on the contrary, have been added to the actual arsenal of developers.
Overall, massive updates have led to the complexity of the platform. To simplify the development process – make it faster, easier, and more supportive – in May 2019 Google announced a new toolkit – Jetpack Compose.
What is Jetpack Compose? What are its benefits and downsides? What are its history and prospects? Let's find out.
WHAT IS JETPACK COMPOSE?
Jetpack Compose is a modern toolkit from Google for creating Android applications in the Kotlin programming language. Jetpack Compose makes it easy to write and update an application's visual interface by providing a declarative approach.
Jetpack is compatible with the existing set of Android libraries that can be used in standard Java and Kotlin projects for writing Android applications. A distinctive feature of Jetpack Compose is that it offers a radically different approach to creating applications.
WHAT ARE THE CONCEPT AND KEY FEATURES OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
The core concept of the Jetpack Compose toolkit is the composable function (a function that has the @Composable annotation). This function manages functions of the visual interface that the application is built on. It simplifies building and updating complex interfaces, as well as testing and supporting the components themselves.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
Jetpack Compose simplifies UI development, allowing developers to work faster and more efficiently, reducing time spent on coding and testing.
The declarative nature of Jetpack Compose leads to an intrinsic separation of concerns, making the app's code structure easier to read and support.
Jetpack Compose supplies an easy-to-learn set of APIs that can be used to create customized, flexible user interfaces that can be adjusted according to specific design requirements and user feedback
Jetpack Compose makes testing UI simpler, with a context which allows developers to easily assert UI behavior.
WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
As a recently released technology, Jetpack Compose has undergone a limited testing period. It is possible that bugs or issues may still arise even with its new release.
Developers must learn a new toolkit and adjust to its programming structure, which may lead to a short-term productivity loss.
WHAT ARE THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
The first alpha release of Jetpack Compose was delivered in November 2019, and over the next releases throughout 2020, several improvements and new features were introduced. In July 2021, Jetpack Compose reached version 1.0 and became stable for end-users.
Jetpack Compose is used in various Android apps, including social media, e-commerce, news, and productivity apps. It is also used in gaming apps to create immersive user interfaces. Overall, Jetpack Compose is a powerful tool that is becoming increasingly popular among Android developers.
It is likely that this toolkit will be widely used in Android development and become a core part of it, supporting use cases of varied sizes, and reducing fragmentation of the Android ecosystem. Let's see its evolution and adoption from the Android community in the upcoming years.
IN A NUTSHELL
Today Jetpack Compose is one of the favorite tools for thousands of Android developers all over the world. It allows them to create user interfaces more efficiently and with less code.
Jetpack Compose saves time and resources, allowing for faster development and deployment of mobile apps. Additionally, Jetpack Compose is designed to be easy to learn and use, making it accessible to developers of all skill levels.
Its flexibility and versatility make it an asset to the tech community.
Overall, massive updates have led to the complexity of the platform. To simplify the development process – make it faster, easier, and more supportive – in May 2019 Google announced a new toolkit – Jetpack Compose.
What is Jetpack Compose? What are its benefits and downsides? What are its history and prospects? Let's find out.
WHAT IS JETPACK COMPOSE?
Jetpack Compose is a modern toolkit from Google for creating Android applications in the Kotlin programming language. Jetpack Compose makes it easy to write and update an application's visual interface by providing a declarative approach.
Jetpack is compatible with the existing set of Android libraries that can be used in standard Java and Kotlin projects for writing Android applications. A distinctive feature of Jetpack Compose is that it offers a radically different approach to creating applications.
WHAT ARE THE CONCEPT AND KEY FEATURES OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
The core concept of the Jetpack Compose toolkit is the composable function (a function that has the @Composable annotation). This function manages functions of the visual interface that the application is built on. It simplifies building and updating complex interfaces, as well as testing and supporting the components themselves.
- Jetpack Compose offers the use of the Kotlin language with all its advantages. (So, to work with the toolkit, you must have basic knowledge of this language);
- Jetpack Compose offers a declarative API that is more intuitive;
- Jetpack Compose reduces the amount of code.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
- Efficiency
Jetpack Compose simplifies UI development, allowing developers to work faster and more efficiently, reducing time spent on coding and testing.
- Code structure
The declarative nature of Jetpack Compose leads to an intrinsic separation of concerns, making the app's code structure easier to read and support.
- Flexibility
Jetpack Compose supplies an easy-to-learn set of APIs that can be used to create customized, flexible user interfaces that can be adjusted according to specific design requirements and user feedback
- Testing
Jetpack Compose makes testing UI simpler, with a context which allows developers to easily assert UI behavior.
WHAT ARE THE DOWNSIDES OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
- Stability
As a recently released technology, Jetpack Compose has undergone a limited testing period. It is possible that bugs or issues may still arise even with its new release.
- Learning Curve
Developers must learn a new toolkit and adjust to its programming structure, which may lead to a short-term productivity loss.
WHAT ARE THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF JETPACK COMPOSE?
The first alpha release of Jetpack Compose was delivered in November 2019, and over the next releases throughout 2020, several improvements and new features were introduced. In July 2021, Jetpack Compose reached version 1.0 and became stable for end-users.
Jetpack Compose is used in various Android apps, including social media, e-commerce, news, and productivity apps. It is also used in gaming apps to create immersive user interfaces. Overall, Jetpack Compose is a powerful tool that is becoming increasingly popular among Android developers.
It is likely that this toolkit will be widely used in Android development and become a core part of it, supporting use cases of varied sizes, and reducing fragmentation of the Android ecosystem. Let's see its evolution and adoption from the Android community in the upcoming years.
IN A NUTSHELL
Today Jetpack Compose is one of the favorite tools for thousands of Android developers all over the world. It allows them to create user interfaces more efficiently and with less code.
Jetpack Compose saves time and resources, allowing for faster development and deployment of mobile apps. Additionally, Jetpack Compose is designed to be easy to learn and use, making it accessible to developers of all skill levels.
Its flexibility and versatility make it an asset to the tech community.
