Android Studio vs Xamarin

May 29, 2023 | Author: Michael Stromann
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Android Studio
Android Studio is a new Android development environment based on IntelliJ IDEA. It provides new features and improvements over Eclipse ADT and will be the official Android IDE once it's ready.
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Xamarin
Microsoft owned free cross-platform open-source app platform for building Android and iOS apps with .NET and C#.
Android Studio and Xamarin are both popular development platforms for creating mobile applications, but they differ in terms of programming languages, platform support, and development workflow.

Android Studio, developed by Google, is the official integrated development environment (IDE) for Android app development. It is specifically designed for building native Android applications using Java or Kotlin programming languages. Android Studio offers a comprehensive set of tools, including an intuitive code editor, visual layout editor, debugging tools, and extensive Android SDK integration. It provides a seamless development experience for creating high-performance, native Android apps.

Xamarin, on the other hand, is a cross-platform development framework owned by Microsoft. It allows developers to create mobile apps using C# and .NET, and it supports building applications for various platforms, including Android, iOS, and Windows. Xamarin provides a single codebase that can be shared across different platforms, enabling efficient code reuse and faster development cycles. It leverages native APIs and UI components, resulting in highly performant and native-like applications.

See also: Top 10 IDE Software
Android Studio vs Xamarin in our news:

2017. Xamarin now lets run and test iOS apps directly from Windows



Until now, Xamarin by Microsoft has enabled developers to create iOS applications within Visual Studio. However, building and testing these apps still required a Mac. The introduction of Xamarin Live Player changes this scenario by allowing developers to deploy, run, test, and debug iOS apps directly from a Windows PC running Visual Studio. To utilize this new functionality, developers need to install the Xamarin Live Player app on their iOS device and pair it with their PC by scanning a QR code displayed on their screen. By offering this capability, Microsoft is bridging the gap for most developers and moving closer to its goal of positioning Windows 10 as the preferred operating system for cross-platform development.


2016. Microsoft's development platform Xamarin integrates with Visual Studio



Following its recent acquisition by Microsoft, Xamarin, the cross-platform development platform, has released updates to enhance almost all of its core features. Xamarin has made its SDKs for Android, iOS, and Mac open-source under the MIT license. These SDKs encompass command-line tools for application development, as well as the cross-platform Xamarin.Forms UI framework. However, the Xamarin IDE for Mac will remain closed-source at present. Many of the new functionalities are integrated with Microsoft's tools, particularly Visual Studio. For instance, iOS developers can now utilize Xamarin's iOS Simulator directly from Visual Studio on Windows, though the simulator itself still requires a networked Mac and Visual Studio establishes a remote connection to it. Additionally, Visual Studio/Xamarin users can deploy apps to iOS devices connected to the Windows machine's USB port directly from Visual Studio.


2016. Microsoft acquired mobile development service Xamarin



Microsoft has acquired Xamarin, a service that enables developers to create fully native applications for multiple platforms using a single shared code base. Since announcing a global partnership in 2013, Microsoft and Xamarin have collaborated closely to simplify the process of building native apps on various platforms within Visual Studio. This acquisition will significantly enhance Microsoft's collection of developer tools and facilitate the growth of mobile and Universal apps for Windows 10 devices. The integration of Xamarin, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Team Services, and Azure will offer a comprehensive solution for mobile app development, encompassing everything necessary to create, test, deliver, and monitor mobile apps across all devices.


2015. Android Studio 2.0 features Instant Run



Google has introduced version 2.0 of its integrated development environment (IDE), Android Studio, specifically designed for creating applications for its mobile operating system. Notably, this new release boasts twice the speed of previous versions, representing a significant improvement. However, the feature that developers are likely to appreciate the most is the introduction of "Instant Run." This feature emulates the experience of writing HTML, where developers can modify their code, refresh their browser, and observe the changes immediately. Traditionally, this process takes considerably longer on mobile platforms, even with enhanced build speeds. With Instant Run, developers can build and deploy their apps once, whether on an emulator or a physical device. Subsequent code changes and deployments will only require a second or two before the updated changes are visible in the running application. This feature is compatible with all apps targeting Ice Cream Sandwich and later versions of Android.


2015. Xamarin improves its mobile app development platform



Xamarin, the platform for cross-platform mobile app development with a focus on C#, has unveiled its latest version. This update brings forth a range of new features across Xamarin's suite of tools, which now encompasses frameworks, emulators, mobile app testing services, and analytics. The primary objective is to simplify the overall service and offer developers a more unified experience throughout Xamarin's expanding array of tools and services. As an example, users of Xamarin Studio and Visual Studio can now directly access tests on the Xamarin Test Cloud from their integrated development environments (IDEs). Additionally, the code required for implementing the Xamarin Insights app monitoring service, which aids in identifying performance issues and crashes, is now automatically integrated into project templates. Alongside this update, Xamarin is also making Insights available for general use.

Author: Michael Stromann
Michael is an expert in IT Service Management, IT Security and software development. With his extensive experience as a software developer and active involvement in multiple ERP implementation projects, Michael brings a wealth of practical knowledge to his writings. Having previously worked at SAP, he has honed his expertise and gained a deep understanding of software development and implementation processes. Currently, as a freelance developer, Michael continues to contribute to the IT community by sharing his insights through guest articles published on several IT portals. You can contact Michael by email stromann@liventerprise.com