Android Studio is the official IDE for Android app development, maintained by Google and built on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA platform. It bundles the Android SDK, a visual layout editor, an emulator for testing apps without physical devices, and Gradle-based build tooling into one download. It supports Kotlin and Java, and is the IDE Google recommends for anyone publishing apps to the Play Store.
Android Studio vs. Visual Studio Code for Android Development
Some developers try building Android apps in general-purpose editors like Visual Studio Code using community extensions, but Android Studio remains the only fully Google-supported path. It ships with the Android SDK manager, a built-in device emulator, a drag-and-drop layout editor and deep Gradle integration configured specifically for Android projects, tooling that a general editor can only approximate through third-party plugins.
Android Studio Features
- Code Editor — intelligent code completion, refactoring and analysis for Kotlin and Java
- Layout Editor — drag-and-drop visual UI designer with a live preview
- Android Emulator — runs virtual Android devices to test apps without physical hardware
- Gradle Build System — manages dependencies, build variants and app packaging
- APK Analyzer — inspects the size and contents of a built APK or app bundle
- Profiler — monitors CPU, memory and network activity while an app runs
- Jetpack Compose Tooling — preview and design support for Compose-based UIs
- Version Control Integration — built-in Git and other VCS support for project history
How to Install Android Studio on Windows, macOS or Linux
- Download the installer for your operating system from the official link on this page or developer.android.com.
- Run the installer (.exe on Windows, .dmg on macOS, or extract the .tar.gz on Linux) and follow the setup wizard.
- Complete the Setup Wizard inside the app, which downloads the Android SDK and default emulator images.
- Create or import a project to confirm the IDE and SDK are working correctly.
- Set up a virtual device in the Device Manager so you can run and test apps immediately.
Is Android Studio really free?
Open Source. Android Studio is free to download and use, released under the Apache License 2.0, with no paid tier; Google funds its development as part of the Android platform.
How to download Android Studio safely
Use the request button on this page and we will email you the current link for developer.android.com — the publisher's own website — so you receive the authentic build. We do not host, mirror, patch or repackage this software in any way.
Avoid third-party "download manager" sites offering Android Studio. They commonly wrap the genuine installer in their own bundler, which is how adware and browser hijackers get onto a machine that the user believed was clean.
Alternatives to Android Studio
Other free developer tools software worth comparing before you decide:
Visual Studio Code
Free, extensible code editor usable for Android dev via extensions.
IntelliJ IDEA
General-purpose Java/Kotlin IDE that Android Studio is built on.
Eclipse
Long-standing open-source IDE historically used for Android before Android Studio.
Frequently asked questions
Is Android Studio really free?
Yes, it's completely free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no premium version.
Do I need Android Studio to publish apps to the Play Store?
You don't strictly need it since other toolchains can build Android apps, but Google officially supports and recommends it, and most Android tutorials assume you're using it.
Can Android Studio run on Linux?
Yes, official builds are available for Windows, macOS and Linux.
How much disk space and RAM does Android Studio need?
Google recommends at least 8GB of RAM and several gigabytes of free disk space for the IDE, SDK components and emulator images.
Does Android Studio support Kotlin?
Yes, Kotlin is Google's preferred language for Android development and is fully supported alongside Java.
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