Google designed Android Studio, the official Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for developing Android apps. It functions as a toolbox, containing all of the tools required to create Android apps.
Android Studio supports some programming languages; however, it is primarily intended for Java and Kotlin, which are the preferred languages for Android development.
It has a powerful code editor, debugging tools, a visual layout editor for developing user interfaces and native support for the Google Cloud Platform, making it easier to integrate cloud-based services into your program.
An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a software application that offers computer programmers extensive software development tools.
When Should I use Android Studio?
Android Studio is the go-to tool for developing Android apps. It is intended to provide all of the tools required to develop high-quality Android applications.
However, if you’re primarily a Python developer and don’t work on Android-specific apps, alternative IDEs like PyCharm or tools like Jupyter Notebooks may be more appropriate and optimized for your requirements.
How To Install Android Studio
Before we can start utilizing Python in Android Studio, we must first install Android Studio.
Here’s how you can accomplish it:
- Download Android Studio. Visit the official Android Studio website to download the most recent stable version.
- Run the installation. Once the download is complete, launch the installer and follow the setup walkthrough to install Android Studio.
- Launch Android Studio: Once the installation is complete, start Android Studio. The first time you start it, it will download extra components, such as the most recent Android SDK.
Now that you’ve installed Android Studio, you can start using Python on it.
How to Use Python with Android Studio
1. Chaquopy
Chaquopy is a plugin for Android Studio’s Gradle build mechanism. It allows you to freely blend Java and Python in your app, using whatever language best suits your needs
The Python API allows you to develop a program in Python, either partially or totally. The entire Android API and user interface toolset are right at your fingertips.
Chaquopy uses Android’s standard build system. If you use Android Studio, you can start utilizing Chaquopy in 5 minutes with no changes to your current development workflow.
To start:
- Try out the Python 2 or Python 3 demo applications.
- Browse the example source code on GitHub.
- Or view the documentation.
2) BeeWare
BeeWare is a suite of tools for creating native user interfaces. BeeWare provides tools for writing Python programs with a rich, native user interface, as well as the libraries and support code required to run that code on iOS, Android, macOS, Linux, Windows, tvOS, and other platforms.
3. QPython
QPython is an on-device scripting and programming environment. In most circumstances, scripts are equally effective as native applications. You can now do that with QPython’s aid.
QPython is a script engine for running Python programs on Android devices. It can also help developers create Android apps. QPython features a complete development kit that helps you write apps on mobile and provides a conventional Python console.
How to configure the Python interpreter in Android Studio.
Configuration 1:
To configure the Python interpreter in Android Studio, follow these steps:
Step 1: Install the Python plugin.
To use Python in Android Studio, first install the Python plugin. Navigate to File > Settings > Plugins > Browse repositories, then search for Python and install the Python Community Edition plugin.
Step 2: Create a New Python Project
To start a new Python project, navigate to File > New > Project > Python. Give your project a name and specify where you want to save it.
Step 3: Configure the Python interpreter
To set up the Python interpreter, navigate to File > Project Structure > SDKs > Add Python SDK. Choose the directory where Python is installed on your machine and click OK.
Step 4: Create a Python file.
To create a new Python file, right-click on the project folder and choose New > Python File. Give your file a name, then click OK.
Step 5: Write Python code.
You may now write Python code in Android Studio.
Step 6: Run the Python Program
To launch the Python program, right-click the Python file and select Run ‘filename’. The output should be “Hello, World!” in the Run window.
Congratulations! You’ve successfully set up the Python interpreter in Android Studio and written and executed your first Python program.
Configuration 2:
To configure the Python interpreter in Android Studio, follow these steps:
Step 1: Install the Python plugin.
- Launch Android Studio and navigate to File -> Settings (or Preferences on macOS).
- In the left pane, choose plugins.
- Select the Marketplace tab and search for “Python.”
- Install JetBrains’ Python plugin.
Step 2: Configure Python Interpreter
- Navigate to File -> Settings (or Preferences on macOS).
- In the left pane, expand the Tools menu and choose Python Integrated Tools.
- In the Python SDK area, click the drop-down menu and choose “Add Python SDK”.
- Select which Python interpreter you want to use. If it isn’t mentioned, select “System Interpreter” and navigate to the location of your Python installation.
- Click OK to preserve your changes.
Step 3: Create a Python project
- Go to File -> New -> Project.
- From the left pane, select Python and choose “Pure Python” or “Python SDK” based on your needs.
- Enter the project details and then click Next.
- Choose the Python interpreter you configured in the previous step, then click Finish.
Step 4: Run Python Code
- Open the Python file that you want to run.
- Right-click the file and choose “Run.py” or click the green play icon next to the main function.
- The Python code’s output will be presented in the Run window at the bottom of Android Studio.
Make sure you have a working Python installation on your PC before configuring the interpreter in Android Studio.
Conclusion
Happy coding in Android Studio!
In this tutorial, we learned how to use Python in Android Studio. While Android Studio is not particularly built for Python, tools such as Chaquopy make it feasible to integrate Python into your Android development process. Do not be scared to explore various tools and languages. Happy coding!