At present, Android dominates the worldwide smartphone
operating system market. Also, the statistics posted on various websites indicate
that Google Play Store currently offers more apps and games than Apple Play
Store. The trends depict that many developers prefer developing apps and games
for the Android platform.
The developers have option to write apps and games for
Android in C, C++ or Java. But Java is the official language for developing
games and apps for Google's mobile operating system. Google further recommends
developers to write new Android applications and games in Java. Also, many
developers find it easier to write mobile games in Java than other programming
languages.
Why Many Developers prefer writing Mobile Games in Java?
Java is a Popular Programming Language
Java is currently one of the most widely used
general-purpose programming languages. The developers have option to use Java
for developing desktop GUI applications, web applications and mobile apps. So
many beginners prefer learning a programming language that enables them to
build a wide variety of applications. Also, Java enables developers to write,
compile and debug code without putting any extra effort. That is why;
enterprises can build mobile apps easily by deploying skilled Java programmers.
Java is a Multithreaded Programming Language
Developers always prefer writing mobile games in a
programming language that supports multithreading fully. The multithreading
support is essential for performing several tasks concurrently within a single
program. So the users can easily play the mobile games written in Java while
performing other tasks like checking emails and browsing internet. The
multitasking support makes it easier for programmers to build games that allow
users to switch from one task to another seamlessly.
Facilitates Cross-Platform Game Development
Unlike other programming languages, Java enables developers
to port applications from one platform to another seamlessly. They programmers
can write the mobile game in Java once, and run it on multiple devices and
platforms without recompiling the code and using extra implementation
dependencies. So it becomes easier for developers to build the mobile game
initially for the Android operating system, and reuse the same code to extend
the game to other mobile platforms.
Helps Developers to Build Flawless Games
Like mobile apps, mobile games also need to work flawlessly
and deliver richer user experience to become popular and profitable. So the
developers need to ensure that the code written by them is flawless. Also, the
must identify and repair the bugs or flaws in the code immediately. Unlike
other programming languages, Java enables programmers to identify and eliminate
coding errors early and quickly. The programmers can further take advantage of
the Java compiler to detect errors occurring at the time of code execution.
Features Included in Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME)
While writing mobile games in Java, the developers can take
advantage of the robust features provided by Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME). In
addition to being an open platform, J2ME further includes Mobile Information
Device Profile (MIDP) API. The MIDP API helps developers to create apps and
games for constrained devices. The latest version of MIDP API comes with
several new features to make mobile game development simpler and faster.
The programmers can further use Java runtime environment and
libraries to make the game run seamlessly on various mobile devices. At the
same time, the rich user interface features of J2ME make it easier for
developers to make the games more visually appealing. Also, the platform can
queue network operations and catch efficiently. Hence, the developers can use
J2ME to enable users to play the games even when there is no internet
connectivity.
Loads of Game Development Tools
The developers can further avail a number of tools to build
2D and 3D mobile games in Java rapidly. For instance, the programmers can use
advanced 3D game engines like jMonkeyEngine to create stunning 3D worlds. These
tools further boost the performance of Java games significantly, and enables
developers to port the games to different platforms.
Some of these tools even allow programmers to write robust
games in Java using widely used integrated development environments (IDEs) like
NetBeans and Eclipse. These game development tools contribute immensely towards
making Java mobile game development popular.
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