Top Programming Languages for Android App Development in 2024

Android App Development is all the rage. There are over 3 million android apps in Google’s Play Store. And these numbers of always growing.

97% of these applications are absolutely free to use. But this isn’t all. As of today, android dominates 75% of the global market, amounting to more than 3 billion active users.

As you can see, android is a platform that comes with all bells and whistles. And there are hundreds of development partners to choose from. However, an issue appears when you have to pin down a programming language.

Clients often get confused when choosing between different programming languages for android app development. And that is why, in this blog, we shall be looking at popular android development programming languages, helping you decide the right one for you.

So, with this being said, let’s get right into it:

5 Best Android App Development Languages

While there are a number of options when it comes to choosing programming languages for android app development, here we shall be looking at the top 5 languages that stand out from the rest. With a brief description, we shall also be looking at their advantages, disadvantages, and so on.

Therefore, without further ado, let’s start with the first and most popular one, which is

1) Java – Most Popular Android Development Language

It goes without saying that Java is one of the most popular Android app development language. Being a general-purpose programming language, there are various applications of this language, android app development being one of them.

You see, what makes Java stands out from the rest is the fact that it is designed in a way that it has quite negligible dependencies.  Offering an easy learning curve and low barrier to entry, Java is widely used in the android development world.

In fact, this is the language being used most prominently in android app development.  As such, it doesn’t come without certain advantages. Let’s see, what these are:

Advantages

When you are talking about the best android programming languages, there are a number of advantages to discuss. After all, Java isn’t going to the android app development language for no reason.

1) Java is easy for developers to learn.

2) Along with Kotlin, it provides high compatibility with the android application for devices

3) It is a cross-compiled programming language.

4) Java is a vetted language, thus there are almost of prepared components available in the market.

5) It has extensive library support which makes the development process much easier

6) The worldwide and online community for Java programming language is huge

These are some of the many pros that come with java-based android development. For these reasons, it is easy to find android app developers for hire who work on Java.

Disadvantages

As with everything that is good below the sun, there come some drawbacks. And Java despite being the best programming language for android app development does have its shortcomings. Some of these are, as mentioned below:

1) Java is easy to learn but not easy to master. In fact, it takes expert developers years to expertise in this.

2) Since there are so much library support and another component, development can become confusing.

These are a few of the disadvantages Java carries. Nevertheless, Java stands as one of the top programming languages in android development.

2) Kotlin – Vetted Android App Development Services

Finally, the popular programming language developed especially for Android development is Kotlin. If you are a tech-savvy person, you knew that this was going to appear on the list sooner or later. And there are plenty of good reasons behind it.

This programming language is statically typed and less verbose when compared to the alternative. Developed by JetBrains, Kotlin has concise code syntax, which is one of the reasons why it’s a go-to choice for an android application development company.

Not only this but it can also be compiled to JavaScript or even native code. Plus, a Java Virtual machine can also be used to run it. with this being said, let’s look at some of the advantages.

Advantages

Kotlin is a modern, thus a high-level programming language. And that is why it offers many advantages that aren’t seen in other OG languages. Some of these are, as mentioned below:

1) Kotlin is a compiled programming language that makes it easier to provide scalable solutions.

2) The code written in Kotlin can also be used in Java.

3) It offers features like null safety and lambdas.

4) Kotlin code is easy to read, it’s less verbose, and also offers to refactor.

5) With a large community, there are a number of a concise sets of libraries.

Disadvantages

There is no doubt that kotlin is one of the best options when it comes to android app development.  in fact, it is one of the go-to options used to develop android app. However, everything has its disadvantages and so does Kotlin.

1) Kotlin despite being great and offering many benefits is difficult to debug.

2) This language is less compatible with older android versions as well as android app development tools.

3) Developers often claim there is a lack of documentation about feature & their working

4) Kotlin is a modern programing language which becomes a disadvantage.

Kotlin is a programming language that is still a language. Thus, it needs its time to mature. This is the reason why there are some disadvantages. Apart from that, Kotlin remains a top programming language.

3) C++ – Proven Android Development Language

C++ is one of the OG programming languages that every nerd and geek recognize let alone android enthusiasts as it has been around since 1979. In fact, it is prominently used in android app development services across the United States of America.

Considered to be one of the best, due to its simple yet effective syntax, C++ is extremely fast, to say the least. For that reason, it is mainly used for AI & ML solution development, Native App Development, as well as android game developments.

This programming language was so effective that it was the inspiration for Swift the main programming language of Apple. Moreover, C++ is used for both Android and iOS app development.

In addition, it also offers amazing design functionalities that make UI/UX stand out. We can go on and on about C ++. But let’s stop here and look at’s advantages.

Advantages

There are endless good things to say about C++ and if we sit down to discuss all of them, one blog won’t be enough. That’s why we shall be looking at some of these advantages.

1) Being one of the oldest programming languages, it can be compiled across different platforms.

2) C++ is known for its minimal memory usage, which makes it one of the faster options for android app development.

3) The community for this programming language is huge.

4) Libraries, support, and other premade components are readily available in the market

5) C++ allows to develop android applications that are scalable.

6) Since C++ is a high-level language, it is much closer to hardware enabling low-level manipulation.

7) It is fast and uses low memory, which is why it is used for artificial intelligence development.

These are some of the advantages that you get with C++-based android app development.

Disadvantages

Again like all the languages we saw before, there are certain disadvantages associated with C++. Some of these are:

1) As a low-level language, C++ can be extremely difficult to learn and even harder to master.

2) Since it is an old language, there has been segmentation. And each different version of C++ has its unique syntax.

3) Developers have experienced some security issues with C++

These are some cons that development teams have android app developer have experience with C++. Nevertheless, it remains one of the best Programming Languages for Android App Development.

4) C# – OG Android Programming Language

C# is a language that was the result of C & C++’s technological evolution. It was developed by none other than Microsoft to be a robust and modern programming language that can be used for various tasks.

That’s why in addition to, mobile app development services, it is also a good choice for desktop and web development.  So, it doesn’t come as a surprise when you learn that C# is one of the most popular programming languages for android app development.

C# code is easy to ready and precise. The simple syntax also provides an easy learning curve. But these aren’t the only reason why this language is so popular among the android dev community.

You see, one of the major points here is that it is well backed by Microsoft. The company provides development tools that make android development that much easier. Some of the popular tools include the IDEs like Visual Studio Community Edition.

Advantages

C# is a strong programming language that it is, and provides many advantages. This is the reason why every single android app development company UK citizens can come across, has an option for C# Development.  so, let’s see what are some of the advantages.

1) As a robust object-oriented programming language, C# is compatible with multiple platforms.

2) It offers versatility in development plus also allows cross-compiling.

3) This language pays much more attention to classes and objects as opposed to functions.

4) There is no undefined value in this language, making debugging process easier.

Disadvantages

There are some disadvantages associated with C# as well. Here, we shall be looking at those.

1) As it is statically typed, variables, methods, and other components are fixed.

2) C# doesn’t offer much flexibility in development.

3) Developers often complain that they have to write long code to get the same result.

These are a few drawbacks of C#’s android app development.

5) Python – The Modern Android app development language

Lastly, the modern programing language that is growing more and more popular for its application in custom mobile app development, is the infamous Python.

Despite being one of the recent and newer programming languages, it has no lack of resources to back it. And a considerable amount of it is for android app development.

While it is certain that python doesn’t find its place among the more well-established programming languages for android app development, it is certainly making its mark. Let’s see how this language performs here:

Advantages

Some of the advantages you get for choosing python for android app development are, as mentioned below:

1) Being a modern, high-level language, python is highly flexible when it comes to android development.

2) Python is famous for being one of the easiest languages to learn

3) The support for python mobile app development, especially for android is growing.

4) Python is easy to master and provides much agility in development.

Disadvantages

While python is a promising language and widely used for web development and other operations, it is not perfect. Some of its drawbacks are, as mentioned below:

1) Python is still a maturing language, and its use in android app development is not that common, so support elements aren’t abundant.

2) Being a high-level language, python does lack some functionality.

3) While python can be used for android app development, it is not built for it.

These were the five top programming languages that are widely used for android app development services or growing in popularity. Learning a bit about these languages can help you choose the right one without any issues.

However, with this many options, it can again get a bit confusing. So, we have come up with some things that you should consider when choosing a programing language for android app development.

Things to Consider When Choosing Programming Languages for Android App Development

After learning about all of these great programming languages for android app development, choosing one can be hard.

So, if you want to choose the right language for your custom android app development, but can’t. Here are some factors that you should consider before finalizing.

These things are, as mentioned below:

These are some things that you should pay attention to when finalizing a tech stack with a mobile app development company.

Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.