That Conference 2018, Kalahari Resort, Lake Delton, WI
Tips & Tricks for a Successful Android Application – Jorge Coca

Day 3, 8 Aug 2018  10:30 AM

Disclaimer: This post contains my own thoughts and notes based on attending That Conference 2018 presentations. Some content maps directly to what was originally presented. Other content is paraphrased or represents my own thoughts and opinions and should not be construed as reflecting the opinion of the speakers.

Executive Summary

• History of Android
• Some cross-platform options (code sharing)
• Some specific notes on Kotlin

 

Success?

• App being used

 

Android was originally an OS for cameras

• Not for smartphones
• Google acquired Android to do a smartphone

 

History

• Cupcake, Donut – Apr 2009
  • Linux kernel
  • Java, Eclipse ADT
  • Main widgets & SDK components
  • Gesture framework
• Eclair, Oct 2009
  • Multi account
  • Bluetooth
  • Multitouch
• Froyo, May 2010
  • Chrome (engine for web views)
  • Push notifications
  • Flash, GIFs
  • Improved market
• Gingerbread, Dec 2010
  • NFC
  • Improved UI
  • Support for front camera
  • Nexus One
• Honeycomb, Feb 2011
  • Big milestone
  • Optimized for tablet support
  • Holo interface
  • Welcome Fragments  (nobody likes them)
• Ice Cream Sandwich, Oct 2011
  • Holo for phones
  • Major update of the OS
  • Editor’s choice
• Jelly Bean, Jun 2012
  • Performance
  • Support library
  • Dev focus on quality (tools)
• KitKat, Oct 2013
  • Refreshed interface
  • Android Wear
  • Nexus 5
  • Android Studio
  • Gradle – build tool
• Lollipop, Nov 2014
  • Material Design – layers of paper
  • Dalvik
  • WebView distributed over PlayStore
  • Dev focus on performance
  • Android One
• Marshmallow, Oct 2015
  • Android for Work
  • Doze
  • Fingerprint
  • Runtime permissions
  • Batter optimizations
• Nougat, Aug 2016
  • Android beta
  • Daydream – VR
  • Multiwindow support
  • Picture in picture
• Oreo, Aug 2017
  • Kotlin
  • Architecture components
  • Focus on modular architectures
  • Adaptive icons
  • Android Go (evolution of Android One)

 

Market Share

• 2015, Android nearly 80% of smartphone market

 

Challenges (in order to be successful)

• Clear goals and expectation
• Invest your time and energy where it matters
• Build for everyone – i.e. international
• Crowded market. Be original
• Be the first.. or be the best

 

Goals and expectations

• Research your market
• Measurable goals
• Realistic exxpectations
• Indie vs. small shop vs. corporation
• Functionality vs design.. (or both)

 

Invest your time and energy where it matters

• There’s cloud
• And devices–iOS, Android
• Don’t do the same work multiple times, i.e. across multiple devices
• Cloud is the common layer–use it
• Dedicate efforts to the main use case of your app
• What can you share between iOS and Android?

 

Cross platform

• Easiest: WebView
  • Security hole
• WebView with native bridge: custom, Ionic, ..
• Xamarin
  • Business logic in shared library, shared across devices
  • Xamarin works
• Kotlin Multiplatform
  • Similar to Xamarin–business logic written just once
• ReactNative
  • Widgets
• Flutter

 

Android native

• Stop using Eclipse
  • Android Studio has better tools, better effort
• Stop using Java

 

Kotlin

• Better develop experience
• Interop with existing Java
• Null safety
• Google working on “Kotlifying” APIs
• Easer to do more complex things
• Don’t force unwrap (ignore null check)
• Default parameter values–no need for factory constructors
• Sealed classes to express more complex enums

 

Kotlin Tips

• Data classes are your friends
• Easy singletons with object
• Synthetic extensions to avoid boilerplate

 

Android

• The smaller your Activities are, the better
• The smaller your Fragments are, the better
• The smaller your Services, the better
• Remove business logic from SDK components
• MVP, MVVM, VIPER, RIBs
• Only use libraries that make you feel comfortable
• Do not overuse libraries
• The smaller your APK is, the better (code for everyone)