Fragmented - Android Developer Podcast

Vinay Gaba, an Android GDE known for his insights on Jetpack Compose, shares his vision for Android development in an AI-driven world. He discusses how AI will reshape development roles and the skills needed for the future. Highlights include the launch of his 'Dispatch' newsletter aimed at fostering community among developers and reflections on interviews with ten Android devs about adapting to change. They also tackle how AI can transform standard apps into outstanding ones and the evolving landscape of resources in mobile development.

Discover the power of rapid prototyping with Kotlin and how it can enhance your workflow and impress stakeholders. Explore its applications in scripting, web development, and mobile apps. Learn about the role of AI in transforming development practices, and why foundational coding skills remain essential in a fast-paced tech environment. From creating static sites to dynamic applications, this discussion covers a range of innovative approaches that Android developers can leverage.

Dive into the intriguing world of Data Oriented Programming (DOP), where data takes center stage for cleaner, more efficient code. Discover how well-modeled data minimizes defensive logic and enhances stability in applications. Explore the nuances of DOP compared to Object Oriented and Functional Programming, and learn about the significance of precise data modeling. You'll also find valuable insights into Kotlin and Java's support for DOP, along with practical examples and resource recommendations to boost your programming skills.

Dan Rusu, a backend engineer and creator of the Immutable Arrays library for Kotlin, discusses his quest for performance improvements in Kotlin/Android apps. He shares how his library achieves significant speed boosts and lower memory usage, thanks to concepts of immutability and effective benchmarking. The conversation explores the impact of primitive versus reference types, the challenges of adopting immutable arrays, and the advantages of using Kotlin in backend development. Dive into the exciting world of enhanced programming efficiency!

Pierre-Yves Ricau, an Android developer at Square and creator of the logcat library, joins to discuss innovative logging strategies. He outlines the origins and advantages of logcat, comparing it with the popular Timber library. The conversation dives into the performance implications of logging practices and strategies for optimizing log usage in production. Pierre-Yves also emphasizes the importance of community contributions in open-source projects and shares insights on streamlining logging for better developer experience.

Márton Braun, a developer advocate at JetBrains, dives into the significance of creating personalized starter templates in Android development. He discusses how custom templates can ease decision fatigue and improve workflow efficiency. The conversation highlights Amper, a groundbreaking tool from JetBrains designed to simplify Kotlin project setups. By focusing on streamlined project configurations and versioning, Braun emphasizes how Amper could revolutionize the developer experience by reducing friction from idea to code.

Ralf Wondratschek, a principal engineer at Amazon and an expert in dependency injection, joins the show to discuss the evolution of DI in Android development. He reveals the challenges Dagger faced and introduces Kotlin Inject as a strong contender for the future. The conversation touches on the shift from Dagger to Kotlin Inject, emphasizing enhanced productivity and reduced boilerplate code. Listeners gain insights into the pros and cons of various DI frameworks, advocating for informed choices in large-scale projects.

The hosts celebrate a milestone by reflecting on their podcasting journey and the friendships formed. They share personal stories about evolving from casual Android developers to entrepreneurs. Discussing the challenges of the evolving Android landscape, they urge listeners to embrace curiosity and explore their passions. In a surprising twist, they announce a new podcast focusing on freelancing and financial freedom. With gratitude to their audience, they underscore the importance of community in their journey.

In this episode of our podcast, we explore the diverse landscape of Java versions within the Android ecosystem. Our guest is Michael Bailey, a seasoned Java expert who has been a frequent presence on our show since the early days of our podcast. We kick off with a solid foundation, discussing the differences between JDK and JRE, as well as the distinctions between the available Java JDKs. We also guide listeners through Android Studio settings, exploring how to select a suitable JDK, its utilization, and how it relates to JAVA_VERSION on one's home path/terminal.As we dig deeper, we start to unpack some of the crucial Android app settings. From compileOptions to sourceCompatibility/targetCompatibility, we shed light on why these versions are important. We also demystify the compileSdk vs minSdk vs targetSdk, and how they interconnect. Drawing from Kaushiks's recent experience in building a new app, we provide real-life examples that can better clarify these topics for our listeners.We conclude the episode by providing some valuable resources for further understanding and exploration. This episode is designed to be a comprehensive guide to understanding and navigating the intricacies of Java versions in Android development.LinksMichaely Fragmented Episode 9 (Google IO Special)Fragmented Episode 10 (core java)Fragmented Episode 78 (testing strategies)OpenJDK on GitHubFooJayCompile Options ReferenceSDK extensions@Yogurtearl explanationJpackageFind Michael Online@yogurtearl on TwitterDonn's Git CourseNeed to learn Git? Donn has the course for you. In this FREE course you'll learn everything you need to know in order to start working with Git everyday. Watch it here.AndroidJobs.IOJob postings are FREE on AndroidJobs.IO 🎉Sign up to get notified of new jobs on a weekly basis as well.AndroidJobs.IOSoftware FreelancingFreelance Tactics BookDonn's Freelancing Content on YouTubeContact@fragmentedcast on Twitter or our YouTube channelDonn@donnfelkerdonnfelkerDonn's YouTubeDonn's WebsiteKaushikkau.sh (has links to all my networks)twitter.kau.shmastodon.kau.shyoutube.kau.sh (on YouTube)Disclaimer: Many of the links we share to products are affiliate links. They help support the production of Fragmented. Thank you for your support.

In this edition of Fragmented, we're thrilled to host Ishan Khanna, a software engineer at Tinder who possesses great enthusiasm for feature flags and A/B testing. Donn discusses why he invited Ishan on the show, highlighting Ishan's passion for feature flagging and A/B testing. The conversation kicks off with an insightful story from Ishan about feature flagging at Booking.com, leading to a discussion on the difference between A/B Testing and Feature Flags, when and why to introduce feature flagging, and how to measure its effectiveness. The show also focuses on the benefits and risks of feature flagging, along with ways to manage potential complexities in the codebase.We then delve deeper into the topic of feature flagging, covering how to get started, what to look for in a tool, and the role of testing. Discussion points include the best practices for rollout percentages, considerations for multi-platform implementation, and the specifics of targeting in feature flagging. The conversation wraps up with an exploration of available tools for those looking to introduce feature flagging or A/B testing frameworks into their operations, examining when it might be necessary to build a bespoke solution.The episode offers a wealth of resources for listeners, including links to an array of feature flagging and A/B testing tools, such as Firebase Remote Config, Optimizely, and LaunchDarkly. For more insight into the topics discussed, Ishan recommends his Droidcon Berlin talk on 'Customer Driven Development' and Stuart Frisby’s talk on A/B Testing. To reach out to Ishan, listeners can contact him via Twitter, LinkedIn, or his website.LinksHere are the links mentioned in the document, in markdown format:Firebase Remote ConfigOptimizelyLaunchDarklyAWS AppConfig for Feature FlagsVWOUnleash - Open Source Feature FlagsPosthog Feature Flags and A/B TestingIshan's Droidcon Berlin TalkStuart Frisby's Talk on A/B TestingErindoesthingsContact IshanIshan on Twitter - @droidchefIshan on LinkedInIshan's WebsiteDonn's Git CourseNeed to learn Git? Donn has the course for you. In this FREE course you'll learn everything you need to know in order to start working with Git everyday. Watch it here.AndroidJobs.IOJob postings are FREE on AndroidJobs.IO 🎉Sign up to get notified of new jobs on a weekly basis as well.AndroidJobs.IOSoftware FreelancingFreelance Tactics BookDonn's Freelancing Content on YouTubeContact@fragmentedcast on Twitter or our YouTube channelDonn@donnfelkerdonnfelkerDonn's YouTubeDonn's WebsiteKaushikkau.sh (has links to all my networks)twitter.kau.shmastodon.kau.shyoutube.kau.sh (on YouTube)Disclaimer: Many of the links we share to products are affiliate links. They help support the production of Fragmented. Thank you for your support.