Like Android, but not Java/XML. Any alternatives?

4 pointscurtis1711y ago6 comments

Android L with the Material design language looks very attractive. But I really dislike the Java/XML combo for development.

So, anyone tried the alt-Java's for coding Android apps: Kotlin, Xtend, Scala etc.

Or even Xamarin or QT/QML.

P.S With ART, I hoped Google were moving away from Java and would bless one of the alt-Java syntaxes and eventually cut-out Java and evolve ART independently. But apparently not.

6 comments

higherpurpose11y ago

This here explains why they can't move to other languages overnight:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N3XyVkAP8nmWjASz8L_Ojjnj...

They basically need to rewrite Android from scratch, and then find a way to make all old Java apps compatible with the new Android, too, but I'm guessing that should be easier with ART available.

frowaway00111y ago

That doesn't make any sense in the OP's context.

In which language Android core classes are implemented doesn't matter as long as both languages compile down to Adnroid's bytecode.

curtis17OP11y ago

Yes. My understanding is that currently the Android ART toolchain is:

Java source -> Java byte code -> Dalvik byte code in apk -> install time compile to Oat file for execution in ART

Initially, just looking for something more expressive/succinct than Java that compiles down to Java byte code and is sympathetic to the Android frameworks. Not sure if there are any tools that compile down directly to dalvik and skip Java byte code entirely.

1 more reply

_random_11y ago

C# and/or F# + Xamarin: http://fwaris.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/xamarin-f-experience-...

(I have not yet tried, but am going to)

PS: why hate XML? It has its place. JSON is not meant to be extensible and it's a data, not mark-up language.

frowaway00111y ago

People use Scala and it works pretty well.

Here is a mailing list full of those people: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/scala-on-android

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

Like Android, but not Java/XML. Any alternatives?

4 pointscurtis1711y ago6 comments

Android L with the Material design language looks very attractive. But I really dislike the Java/XML combo for development.

So, anyone tried the alt-Java's for coding Android apps: Kotlin, Xtend, Scala etc.

Or even Xamarin or QT/QML.

P.S With ART, I hoped Google were moving away from Java and would bless one of the alt-Java syntaxes and eventually cut-out Java and evolve ART independently. But apparently not.

6 comments

higherpurpose11y ago

This here explains why they can't move to other languages overnight:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N3XyVkAP8nmWjASz8L_Ojjnj...

They basically need to rewrite Android from scratch, and then find a way to make all old Java apps compatible with the new Android, too, but I'm guessing that should be easier with ART available.

frowaway00111y ago

That doesn't make any sense in the OP's context.

In which language Android core classes are implemented doesn't matter as long as both languages compile down to Adnroid's bytecode.

curtis17OP11y ago

Yes. My understanding is that currently the Android ART toolchain is:

Java source -> Java byte code -> Dalvik byte code in apk -> install time compile to Oat file for execution in ART

1 more reply

_random_11y ago

C# and/or F# + Xamarin: http://fwaris.wordpress.com/2014/03/26/xamarin-f-experience-...

(I have not yet tried, but am going to)

PS: why hate XML? It has its place. JSON is not meant to be extensible and it's a data, not mark-up language.

frowaway00111y ago

People use Scala and it works pretty well.

Here is a mailing list full of those people: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/scala-on-android

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse