Android Nomad #60 - Swift on Android
Bridging the Divide—How iOS and Android Developers Are Reacting
The announcement of the Swift Android Workgroup marks a significant milestone in the evolution of mobile development. For years, Swift has been synonymous with iOS, while Kotlin has reigned supreme on Android. Now, with the official backing of the Swift community to bring first-class Swift support to Android, the landscape is poised for transformation—and developers on both sides of the platform divide are taking notice.
A Dream of Unified Development
Among iOS developers, the sentiment is largely optimistic. Many see this as an opportunity to leverage their Swift expertise beyond the Apple ecosystem. The idea of writing once in Swift and running everywhere—on iOS and Android alike—has long been a dream. As one developer put it, “Congratulations Android developers! Today Android devs can develop in the great language Kotlin, soon they can develop in the AMAZING language Swift!” The potential for shared business logic, reduced code duplication, and faster onboarding excites those who have long juggled two separate codebases.
Some iOS professionals, however, remain pragmatic. While the prospect of cross-platform Swift is appealing, they acknowledge the maturity and stability of Kotlin and Jetpack Compose on Android. “If you’re starting from scratch, Flutter or KMM might still make more sense, but Swift on Android is a game-changer for teams invested in Apple’s ecosystem,” notes an iOS engineer who has dabbled in Android development.
Android Developers: Cautious Curiosity
On the Android side, the reactions are more mixed. Some developers are skeptical, questioning the necessity of Swift when Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMP) already enables code sharing across platforms. “My thing is, why? We already have KMP,” one Android developer remarked. Concerns about tooling, app size, and the learning curve are prevalent, with some recalling past attempts at cross-platform Swift that fizzled out.
Yet, there’s also a sense of curiosity and cautious optimism. The open-source nature of Swift and the community-driven approach of the Android Workgroup are seen as positives. For those who favor language diversity and want to tap into Swift’s performance and safety features, the initiative is worth watching. “Swift going multiplatform is probably one of the biggest dev announcements (to me) from Apple,” shared another developer, highlighting the potential for innovation.
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
The road to seamless Swift-on-Android development isn’t without hurdles. Issues like APK size, Swift-to-Java bridging, and the need for robust tooling remain. However, with projects like Skip enabling native SwiftUI apps on Android and the workgroup’s commitment to continuous integration and best practices, momentum is building.
For now, Swift on Android represents hope for a more unified future—a future where developers can focus on building great experiences rather than wrestling with platform boundaries. Whether this dream becomes a widespread reality will depend on the community’s willingness to contribute, experiment, and push the boundaries of what’s possible.
One thing is clear: the conversation is just beginning, and both iOS and Android developers have a stake in shaping what comes next.