After testing in beta for months, Google has finally released the latest version of Android Studio — Studio 4.2 — for the public. The SDK is the primary tool developers use to make Android apps, and now its latest version, the Android Studio 4.2, is available to download for developers through the stable channel.
The latest stable release of the SDK features an upgraded IntelliJ IDEA platform, and app developers will now be able to make use of an updated GitHub UI for pull requests. There’s also a new centralized problems window that you can use in Studio 4.2, which was found in the IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2020.2. Further, Google has opted for a new naming scheme that makes it easier for users to know which IntelliJ version the SDK is based on.
Android Studio 4.2 Update: New Features
In addition to the latest IntelliJ IDEA and updated UI, Android Studio 4.2 comes with a slew of other updates that aim to improve productivity. These also include enhancements to features like the Database Inspector, System Trace, and SafeArgs support. There’s also a new upgrade assistant that makes migrating your project to the latest Android Gradle Plugin even easier. It will allow users to preview which files will be affected by the upgrade, toggle the commands that will be executed, and more.
Further, the Mountain View-based software giant has also added multiple device deployment support. Though it was available in an earlier version of Android Studio, it was removed from the SDK for some reason. Now, it has been brought back which will allow deployment of an app on multiple devices. Now it’s integrated directly into the device selection menu.
If you already have Android Studio installed on your PC then you can update it to v4.2 directly from within the SDK. If you haven’t the SDK installed, you can also download it from the official website. You can check out the list of all the changes and improvements done in the Android Studio 4.2 here.
Images/GIF courtesy: Android Developers Blog
