Posted by Sandhya Mohan, Product Supervisor, Android Studio
At the moment, we’re thrilled to announce the steady launch of Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop (2024.1.2)!🐨
Earlier this 12 months, we introduced that each Android Studio animal model can have two releases: a platform launch and a function drop launch. These extra frequent updates get vital IntelliJ updates to you quicker, whereas we give attention to high quality and polish for Android-specific options. The Koala platform launch was launched in June. At the moment, we’ll stroll by means of the function drop launch.
Get entry to cutting-edge options like new gadgets in gadget streaming, Compose previews for Look widgets, USB cable pace detection, help for Android 15 within the Android SDK Improve Assistant, and way more. All of those new options are designed to speed up your Android app improvement workflow in constructing next-generation and high-quality apps.
Learn on to be taught extra about all of the updates, high quality enhancements, and new options throughout your key workflows in Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop, and obtain the most recent steady model as we speak to strive them out!
Develop
Android Machine Streaming: extra gadgets and improved sign-up
Android Machine Streaming now contains the next gadgets, along with the portfolio of 20+ gadget fashions already out there:
Moreover, for those who’re new to Firebase, Android Studio robotically creates and units up a no-cost Firebase challenge for you while you sign-in to Android Studio to make use of Machine Streaming. In consequence, you will get to streaming the gadget you want a lot quicker. Study extra about Android Machine Streaming quotas, together with promotional quota for the Firebase Blaze plan initiatives out there for a restricted time.
As we introduced at Google I/O 2024, we’re additional increasing the choice of gadgets out there by working with companions, equivalent to Samsung, Xiaomi, and OnePlus, to assist you to connect with gadgets hosted of their gadget labs. To be taught extra and enroll within the upcoming Early Entry Preview, see the official weblog put up.
Goal Android 15 utilizing Android SDK Improve Assistant
The Android SDK Improve Assistant supplies a step-by-step wizard that will help you improve your targetSdkVersion. It additionally pulls documentation straight into Android Studio, saving you effort and time. Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop provides help for upgrading initiatives to Android 15 (API Degree 35).
Up to date sign-in circulation to Google companies
It is now simpler to check in to a number of Google companies with one authentication step. Whether or not you employ Gemini in Android Studio, Firebase for Android Machine Streaming, Crashlytics in App High quality Insights, Google Play for Android Vitals experiences, or some mixture of those companies, the brand new sign-in circulation makes it simpler to rise up and operating. With granular permissions scoping, you will all the time be in command of which companies have entry to your account. To get began, click on the profile avatar on the highest proper nook and sign-in along with your developer account.
Put on OS Tile Preview Panel
Now you can view snapshots of your Put on OS app’s tiles by together with model 1.4 of the Jetpack Tiles library. This preview panel is especially helpful in case your tile’s look adjustments primarily based on sure circumstances, equivalent to content material that depends upon the gadget’s show measurement, or a sports activities occasion reaching halftime.
Compose Look widget previews
Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop makes it straightforward to preview your Jetpack Compose Look widgets straight throughout the IDE. You may even use multi-previews to preview at commonplace widget sizes and their designed widget breakpoints (pattern code). Catch potential UI points and fine-tune your widget’s look early within the improvement course of or whereas debugging any UI points. Study extra.
Reside Edit (Compose)
Reside Edit is now enabled in handbook mode by default. It has elevated stability and extra sturdy change detection, together with help for import statements. Observe that beginning with Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop, the default shortcut to push your adjustments in handbook mode has been up to date to Management+’ (Command+’ on macOS). You may customise the shortcut on the Keymap settings web page.
Debug
USB Cable Pace Detection
Android Studio now detects when it is doable to attach your Android gadget with a quicker USB cable and suggests an improve that maximizes your gadget capabilities. Utilizing an applicable USB cable optimizes app set up time and minimizes latency when utilizing instruments such because the Android Studio debugger. USB cable pace detection is at present out there for macOS and Linux. Study extra.
Whereas most available USB cables are nonetheless the older USB 2.0 commonplace, the vast majority of trendy gadgets help the considerably quicker USB 3.0. Upgrading to a USB 3.0 cable can doubtlessly enhance your information switch speeds as much as 10x.
Machine UI Shortcuts
That can assist you construct and debug your UI, we have launched Machine UI shortcuts button motion within the Working Units device window in Android Studio. Use the shortcuts to view the impact of widespread UI settings equivalent to darkish theme, font measurement, display screen measurement, app language and TalkBack. You should use the shortcuts with emulators, mirrored bodily gadgets, and gadgets streamed from Firebase Check Lab. Machine UI shortcuts can be found for gadgets operating API stage 33 or larger. Study extra.
Pixel 8a in Emulator
The Android Emulator (35.1+) now helps the Pixel 8a within the steady channel, enabling you to check your apps on extra Pixel gadgets with no need a bodily gadget. Discover the brand new Pixel 8a within the telephone class while you create a brand new digital gadget. Moreover, you will discover Pixel 9 gadgets within the canary launch channel of Android Studio.
Optimize
Quicker and improved Profiler with a task-centric method
Widespread efficiency optimization duties like capturing a system hint with profileable apps now begin as much as 60% quicker*. The Profiler’s task-centric redesign additionally makes it simpler to start out the duty you are involved in, whether or not it is profiling your app’s CPU, reminiscence, or energy utilization. For instance, you can begin a system hint activity to profile and enhance your app’s startup time proper from the UI as quickly as you open the Profiler.
High quality enhancements
Past new options, we additionally proceed to enhance the general high quality and stability of Android Studio. In reality, the Android Studio group addressed over 520 bugs in the course of the Koala Characteristic Drop improvement cycle.
IntelliJ platform replace
Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop (2024.1.2) contains the IntelliJ 2024.1 platform launch, which has many new options equivalent to complete help for the most recent Java** 22 options, an improved terminal, and sticky traces within the editor to simplify working with massive information and exploring new codebases.
- The improved terminal encompasses a contemporary new look, with instructions separated into distinct blocks, together with an expanded set of options, equivalent to clean navigation between blocks, command completion, and quick access to the command historical past. Study extra.
- Sticky traces within the editor retains key structural parts, just like the beginnings of lessons or strategies, pinned to the highest of the editor as you scroll and supplies an choice to promptly navigate by means of the code by clicking on a pinned line. Study extra.
- Fundamental IDE functionalities like code highlighting and completion now work for Java and Kotlin throughout challenge indexing, which ought to improve your startup expertise.
See the complete launch notes right here.
Abstract
To recap, Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop contains the next enhancements and options:
Develop
- Android Machine Streaming: extra gadgets and improved sign-up
- Goal Android 15 utilizing Android SDK Improve Assistant
- Up to date sign-in circulation to Google companies
- Put on OS Tile Preview Panel
- Compose Look widget previews
Debug
- USB Cable Pace Detection
- Machine UI Settings Picker
Optimize
- New Activity UX for Profilers
High quality Enhancements
IntelliJ Platform Replace
- Sticky traces within the editor to simplify working with massive codebases
- Enhanced startup expertise
Getting Began
Prepared for next-level Android improvement? Obtain Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop and unlock these cutting-edge options as we speak! As all the time, your suggestions is vital to us – examine recognized points, report bugs, counsel enhancements, and be a part of our vibrant group on LinkedIn, Medium, YouTube, or X. Let’s construct the way forward for Android apps collectively!
**Java is a trademark or registered trademark of Oracle and/or its associates.
