Summary
- Android Studio introduced a new versioning system using animal names for major updates, making tracking easier for developers.
- The latest release, Android Studio Koala, kicks off a new Feature Drop release cadence similar to what’s seen on Pixel phones, where a large swath of new functionality is added at one time.
- Each future Android Studio update will have an accompanying Feature Drop, enhancing Android app development productivity.
Android’s open ecosystem empowers developers to design, code, and publish apps for the operating system with ease. The primary tool for this is Android Studio, the platform behind most Android apps. Excitingly, Android Studio is transitioning to a new release cycle, promising “more frequent, focused updates” that will enhance the development experience for the Android community.
Android Studio Hedgehog is here to help polish apps for Android 14
The latest version of Android Developers’ IDE is now stable
As detailed on the Android Developers Blog, Google is revamping its versioning and naming system to simplify tracking for developers. Starting in 2020, Google began using animal codenames for major Android Studio updates. Going forward, each Android Studio platform update will be accompanied by a feature drop, making it easier for developers to stay updated.
Android Studio now has a new release cycle
Additionally, future Android Studio releases will use the following versioning schema: <Year of IntelliJ Version>.<IntelliJ major version>.<Studio major version>
| Versioning system | Year of IntelliJ Version | IntelliJ major version | Studio major version |
| Jellyfish | 2023 | .3 | .1 |
| Koala | 2024 | .1 | .1 |
| Koala Feature Drop | 2024 | .1 | .2 |
As an Android Studio Senior Product Manager explains:
The initial animal releases will have the ‘.1’ Android Studio major version and introduce the updated IntelliJ platform version, while subsequent Feature Drops will increase the Android major version to ‘.2’ and focus on introducing Android-specific features that help you be more productive for Android app development.
Google first used the Feature Drop name for releasing software updates to Pixel devices. Similarly, the Feature Drops on Android Studio are focused on providing developers with a batch of new and updated features tailored to Android development. The first release is the Koala Feature Drop, numbered 2024.1.2.
The Android Studio Koala Feature Drop introduces a range of new features, like a revamped sign-in flow that streamlines the onboarding process. It also includes Device UI Setting Shortcuts in the Running Device Window, enabling developers to test their apps quickly on various device UI settings. As for the AI part, it adds a new Gemini API template to help developers incorporate generative AI into their apps. Google also plans to release a new Android Gradle plugin version for each platform update and Feature Drop.
Moreover, the Android Studio Koala (2024.1.1) will be available in Q3 2024, while the Koala Feature Drop (2024.1.2) is scheduled for Q4. More details about the new release cycle will be announced on Google I/O 2024.
