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Google today is announcing Compose for TV, the brand-new Android TV UI framework that will make it easier for developers to develop apps for the Android TV platform.
And that in turn, should hopefully lead to better user experiences. Not the least of which could be more available apps, quicker turn arounds on updates and so-on. For developers, here’s what to expect in terms of changes and improvements.
To start, Compose for TV will let you develop an app using less code. As, the UI framework is setting things up to allow for less code to be needed for development. But Google also says developers will be able to do more by using less code. So in a way they can build more robust applications for Android TV more efficiently and potentially, in less time. Google also claims this will allow developers to avoid “entire classes of bugs.” Which the company says will make apps easier to maintain as time goes on.
Seems like a pretty good tradeoff if you’re a developer. And if you’re an end-user, well it might just mean improved support for your favorite apps.
Compose for Android TV makes development intuitive and fast
Two other big traits of Compose for Android TV are the intuitiveness and the faster development times. Google says developers can simply “describe your UI and Compose will take care of the rest.” The UI will also automatically update as the app state changes.
In terms of development time, Compose for TV is compatible with all existing code. So developers can continue developing for their apps faster and even issue live previews. Additionally, Compose allows developers to create apps that have direct access to other Android platform APIs that can be reused between other form factors. This should make it easier for developers to create apps across device types including mobile, wearables, TV, foldables, tablets and more.
Google says the Alpha release of Compose for TV will be available at Google I/O. So developers should be able to gain access as early as today.