Android software development is the process by which new applications are created for devices running the
Android operating system. Google states that
"Android apps can be written using
Kotlin,
Java, and
C++ languages" using the Android
software development kit (SDK), while using other languages is also possible. All non-JVM languages, such as
Go,
JavaScript,
C, C++ or
assembly, need the help of JVM language code, that may be supplied by tools, likely with restricted API support. Some programming languages and tools allow cross-platform app support (i.e. for both Android and
iOS). Third party tools, development environments, and language support have also continued to evolve and expand since the initial SDK was released in 2008. In addition, with major business entities like
Walmart,
Amazon, and
Bank of America eyeing to engage and sell through mobiles, mobile application development is witnessing a transformation.
[4] The official Android app distribution mechanism to end users is
Google Play; it also allows staged gradual app release, as well as distribution of pre-release app versions to testers.
