Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) was obviously trying to earn some goodwill at its I/O developer's conference when it said it would give out free Chromebook Pixel devices to all attendees. But to developers both onsite and watching from the sidelines, the announcement of a new IDE was even better.
Google's new Android Studio is an integrated application development environment that is intended to assist new and experienced developers alike in creating apps more easily than what has traditionally been possible with Java-based toolsets.
The reaction on Twitter soon after the announcement was near-euphoric.
Another reason why i lovee googleee .Google announces Android Studio: An IDE built just for Android developers.thenextweb.com/google/2013/05…
— Keron Burrell (@keronob) May 15, 2013
This could really change my perspective on Android development. android-developers.blogspot.com/2013/05/androi…
— Kyle Stewart (@KyleRStewart) May 16, 2013
Looking forward to trying out the 'Fused Location Provider'. #androidev readwrite.com/2013/05/15/goo…
— Tom Horn (@RedBlueThing) May 16, 2013
Unlike its previous IDE based on Eclipse, Android Studio is built off of Intellij's Idea, a move that garnered strong support from a number of developers.
Wow. The new Android IDE by Google is going to be based on Intellij Idea. bit.ly/16iPfhL
— Sebastian Benz (@sebabenz) May 16, 2013
Woah, Google ditching Eclipse in favor of an IntelliJ-based IDE for Android development. That's going to make a lot of developers happy.
— Ryan Paul (@segphault) May 15, 2013
Ok, this explains all to me. Android Studio is based in IntelliJ IDEA, good movement from Google blog.jetbrains.com/blog/2013/05/1…
— Pedro Muñoz (@Pmunoz08) May 16, 2013
Eclipse IDE lost a big player, Intellij seems to be winning the game :) thenextweb.com/google/2013/05…
— Kees van Dieren (@keesvandieren) May 15, 2013
Every news about ditching Eclipse is good, even more if it's Android Studio IDE:j.mp/10Y1o2U
— Davide 'Fol' Casali (@Folletto) May 15, 2013
Surprising and awesome: "Android Studio is built off of the IntelliJ IDEA" thenextweb.com/google/2013/05…
— Danie Roux (@danieroux) May 15, 2013
Google announces Android Studio: An IDE built just for Android developers - FINALLY NO MORE ECLIPSE HELL!! fb.me/1v409N9CX
— Shabbir R Hassanally (@shabbirh) May 16, 2013
Not everyone was breaking out the party hats, however. Some suggested the move could create more conflict on the intellectual property front.
I know some devs with sour faces, google mobing to intellij :) thenextweb.com/google/2013/05…The IDE troll war will start again ;)
— Xavier Cosyns (@xcosyns) May 15, 2013
And finally, a few interpreted Google's decision as the kind of move that some of its biggest competitors should consider, though they weren't holding their breath.
so google has finally replaced eclipse with intellij idea as primary android IDE. apple should do the same w/ xcode #willneverhappen
— Jan Berkel (@jberkel) May 16, 2013