Introduction
Android is the most widely used mobile operating system, originally founded by Google and based on Linux. Since its launch in 2008, it swept immediately to the top position in any device category, whether it be smartphones, tablets, wearables, smart TVs, and other categories. Android is famous for being open and flexible with an ecosystem that is both massive and fertile for developers to innovate and create all kinds of diverse and forthcoming mobile applications for a worldwide audience.
Popular Android Framework
Android Jetpack
Android Jetpack is a set of libraries, tools, and architectural guidance provided by Google to help developers build high-quality Android apps more easily.
RxJava
RxJava is a reactive programming library for composing asynchronous and event-based programs using observable sequences and functional operators.
Butter Knife
Butter Knife is a lightweight library for binding Android views and callbacks, reducing boilerplate code and improving code readability.
Retrofit
Retrofit is a type-safe HTTP client for Android and Java, simplifying the process of consuming RESTful APIs by converting HTTP API into a Java interface.
Key Features
Open Source
Android is an open-source platform; developers can modify the full source of the operating system and contribute to development. This leads to innovative collaboration by the Android community.
Google Play Store
This is the official Android application marketplace, and it has millions of apps across categories like games, productivity, and entertainment, to name a few. Developers have the possibility to publish their apps to reach over three billion users around the world.
Customization
Android is all about customization; it can be designed as per the needs of a device manufacturer and its users. Whether it's a custom launcher, a custom theme, or even system-level modifications, an Android device offers a great degree of flexibility in setting up the whole user experience just the way one wants it.
Fragmentation
Fragmentation in Android highlights the large number of devices with various operating system versions, screen sizes, resolution aspects, and hardware configurations. While this is a headache for developers because of compatibility and optimization needs, it can also be seen on the bright side as a kind of opportunity for being able to address a massively large and diversified group of users on so many devices.
Applications of Android
Mobile Applications
Android is being used to develop a mobile application for services like social networking, messaging, gaming, productivity apps, e-commerce, and entertainment.
Enterprise Solutions
Custom applications have been developed in Android increasingly for use in the enterprise, among which include business management, human resources, and customer relations.
IoT
Google named its IoT platform, which is built on the Android operating system, Android Things. Android Things pairs well with building smart devices, connected appliances, and embedded systems for home automation, healthcare, and industrial applications.
Wearables
Android Wear, now known as Wear OS, is an operating system built by Google for wearable devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. Developers have to make use of this opportunity to produce a Wear OS app with added functions and features while associating apps with an Android smartphone.
Advantages
Market Domination
Android is the largest used operating system all over the world. Due to this, it enjoys a global market dominance and the maximum number of smartphone users globally.
Customization
Android is designed to be a very flexible platform, with the ability to offer developers and users ways of making unique personal applications.
Google integration
It is a Google service APIs and features that empower the developer with advanced tools to build connected, smart applications.