Google publishes guidelines on how to build a high-quality Android app

To help Android developers build quality applications, Google has set up a new app quality section on the Android Developers website. This new section will serve as a resource page for all the best practices and current trends for building high-quality apps.

The page contains updated app quality checklists for Visual Experience, Functionality, Performance & Stability, Privacy & Security, and Google Play. Google says an ideal app should offer a polished user experience, load quickly without dropping too many frames, handle user data with care and ensure compliance with Google Play Store policy.

In the Visual Experience section, Google recommends that apps use Material Design components to create a user interface, support a dark theme, and support gesture navigation.

Next up in the Functionality section, Google has several recommendations for media apps, including using the HEVC video compression standard for video encoding and supporting picture-in-picture mode. It also says apps should use the Android Sharesheet for content sharing, minimize their background activity and ensure their compatibility with Doze and App Standby. On this note, Google also warns that developers should expect restrictions on background activities to continue to tighten in the future Android versions.

In the Performance & Stability section, developers are encouraged to take advantage of Android Vitals to test and reduce app startup times and diagnose and resolve any Android Not Responding (ANR) errors.

Meanwhile, in the Privacy & Security section, Google says apps should request only the absolute minimum number of permissions and should clearly convey to the user why it needs certain permissions. Apps should also use available biometric authentication methods to protect sensitive user data and use resettable IDs and scoped storage.

Finally, Google also encourages developers to focus on other form factors such as tablets and foldable, smartwatches, Android TV devices, and Android Auto.

The app quality checklist will be updated on a quarterly basis to keep up with the latest trends. Google says it plans to set up updated quality checklists for other form factors such as tablets and WearOS. For more details, you can check out the updated quality guidelines on this page.

The post Google publishes guidelines on how to build a high-quality Android app appeared first on xda-developers.

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