Java Android Development: Is Java Still a Viable Choice for Android Apps in 2026?

Java was the original language of Android development, and for nearly a decade after Android's launch, it was effectively the only mainstream option available to developers. The vast majority of mature, large-scale Android apps still in production today were originally built in Java, which is why "Java Android development" remains a meaningfully searched term even years after Kotlin became Google's preferred language.

Java's current status is best described as mature but no longer the default. Google continues to support Java for Android development — existing Java code compiles and runs without issue — but new official libraries, sample code, and platform features are increasingly documented and optimized Kotlin-first.

This shift doesn't mean Java Android apps are obsolete or unsupported. It means new projects have a clear reason to default to Kotlin, while a large body of existing, well-functioning Java codebases continues to run in production, requiring ongoing maintenance and thoughtful modernization decisions rather than a rushed rewrite.

At Samarthyaa, we maintain a strong understanding of both languages precisely because of this reality. With 7+ years of experience and 230+ projects delivered, our team regularly works with established Java codebases alongside new Kotlin builds, and helps clients make the right call for their specific situation.

For a brand-new Android project starting today, the choice between Java and Kotlin has a fairly clear answer for most businesses — but it's worth understanding the actual trade-offs rather than following the recommendation blindly.

The Case for Kotlin on New Projects: Kotlin's null safety, conciseness, coroutines, and status as Google's officially preferred language make it the stronger default for the vast majority of new Android apps, particularly those expected to be actively maintained and extended over several years.

When Java Might Still Be Considered: If your development team has deep, long-standing Java expertise and limited Kotlin experience, and the project timeline doesn't allow for a learning curve, starting in Java may be a pragmatic short-term choice — though this should be weighed against Kotlin's long-term maintainability advantages.

Team and Ecosystem Considerations: If your app needs to share significant code or libraries with an existing large Java codebase — internal tooling, shared enterprise libraries — starting the new module in Java can reduce integration friction, at least initially.

Talent Availability: Both Java and Kotlin developers are readily available in the Indian development market, so talent scarcity is rarely the deciding factor it once was.

Samarthyaa's Recommendation: For nearly all new Android projects, we recommend Kotlin as the default, reserving Java only for specific integration or team-continuity scenarios where the trade-off genuinely makes sense — a decision CEO MR. Ritesh Verma evaluates case by case with every new client.

Despite Kotlin's dominance for new projects, there are specific, legitimate scenarios where continuing with Java — rather than switching to Kotlin — is the right business decision.

Actively Maintained Legacy Apps: If your app is built in Java, performs well, and doesn't require significant new feature development, continuing to maintain it in Java is often more cost-effective than an unnecessary migration.

Large Existing Java Codebases: For apps with substantial existing Java infrastructure and a development team deeply familiar with that codebase, incremental Java maintenance may be more practical than a disruptive migration, at least in the short term.

Enterprise Integration Requirements: Some enterprise environments have existing Java-based internal libraries, tooling, or compliance requirements that make continuing in Java the path of least resistance for a specific project.

Budget and Timeline Constraints: For a project with a tight budget and timeline where the development team's existing Java expertise significantly outweighs their Kotlin familiarity, staying in Java can be the more pragmatic short-term choice.

The Key Distinction: These are valid reasons to continue with Java for a specific existing project — they are rarely good reasons to start a brand-new Android app in Java today, given Kotlin's clear advantages for new development.

For businesses with an existing Java Android app considering modernization, understanding what a migration actually involves helps set realistic expectations.

Incremental, Not All-at-Once: Because Kotlin and Java are fully interoperable, migration can happen module by module or file by file, allowing new features to be built in Kotlin immediately while existing Java code is migrated gradually over time.

Automated Conversion as a Starting Point: Android Studio includes automated Java-to-Kotlin conversion tooling that provides a reasonable starting point, though the converted code typically needs manual refinement to take full advantage of Kotlin idioms like null safety and coroutines rather than just mechanically translated syntax.

Testing Is Critical: Every migrated module should be thoroughly tested against its original Java behavior before being considered complete, since subtle behavioral differences can emerge during conversion, particularly around null handling and threading.

Prioritizing What to Migrate First: Rather than migrating the entire codebase indiscriminately, it's usually more effective to prioritize actively developed modules first, where Kotlin's productivity benefits will be realized immediately, while stable, rarely-touched Java modules can be migrated later or left as-is.

Realistic Timeline Expectations: A full migration of a substantial Java codebase to Kotlin is a multi-month undertaking best done incrementally alongside regular feature development, not as a standalone project that pauses other work.

Samarthyaa has guided multiple clients through this exact migration process, balancing modernization against the practical need to keep shipping features throughout.

For businesses continuing to maintain Java-based Android apps, there's still significant room to improve performance without a full Kotlin migration.

Efficient Memory Management: Reviewing object allocation patterns and eliminating memory leaks — a common issue in older Java Android codebases due to improperly managed Activity or Context references — can meaningfully improve app stability and performance.

Background Thread Optimization: Ensuring long-running operations are properly moved off the main thread using AsyncTask alternatives or modern Java concurrency utilities prevents the UI freezing that frustrates users and drives negative reviews.

ProGuard/R8 Code Shrinking: Properly configuring code shrinking and obfuscation tools reduces APK size and can improve app startup performance, an optimization step that's often under-configured in older Java projects.

Layout Optimization: Reviewing and flattening deeply nested XML view hierarchies — a common issue in Java-based apps using the traditional Android View system — improves rendering performance, particularly on lower-end devices.

Dependency Auditing: Older Java Android apps often accumulate outdated or unnecessary third-party libraries over time. Auditing and removing unused dependencies reduces app size and eliminates potential sources of instability.

At Samarthyaa, we don't force every client into the same technology decision. We evaluate each project on its own merits and recommend the language and approach that genuinely serves the client's goals.

Deep Expertise in Both Languages: Our development team maintains strong proficiency in both Java and Kotlin, allowing us to work confidently with existing Java codebases while defaulting new projects to Kotlin's modern advantages.

Honest Migration Guidance: When a client has an existing Java app, we provide a clear-eyed assessment of whether migration to Kotlin makes business sense given their specific codebase, timeline, and goals — rather than defaulting to a migration recommendation for its own sake.

Performance-First Maintenance: For clients continuing with Java, we apply proven performance optimization techniques to keep the app fast and stable, without requiring an unnecessary rewrite.

Incremental Modernization Paths: For clients ready to modernize, we design incremental migration plans that introduce Kotlin without pausing ongoing feature development or introducing unnecessary risk.

Long-Term Technology Partnership: With 7+ years of experience and 230+ projects delivered, CEO MR. Ritesh Verma and our team approach every Java or Kotlin decision as a long-term technology partner, not just a vendor executing a one-time build.

Whether your app runs on Java, Kotlin, or a mix of both, contact Samarthyaa for a free consultation on the right path forward for your Android app.