Google frequently releases tools to developers to make developing for Android easier, including offering OS version distribution stats and detailing Lollipop’s Material design and security features. Today Google is back at it with the release of Android Studio 1.0.

Android Studio 1.0 is now available as a stable release for anyone that’s already developing for Android or is interested in starting. The app includes the following features:

Startup

• Automatically installs the Android SDK, creates an optimized emulator for app testing, includes code templates, supports importing Google code samples
• Code and resource editing, UI design
• Uses IntelliJ IDEA code editing features like advanced code completion, refactoring and code analysis, support for editing and previewing Android layouts across multiple screen sizes, languages and API versions

Performance analysis

• View an app’s memory usage to find ways to improve its performance

Unified build system

• Uses Gradle-based build system for flexibility and extensibility, support for building from within and outside of Integrated Development Environment, build variant support for handling different builds like debug vs release and paid vs free

Instant access to Google Cloud Services

• Easily add Google Cloud Backends and Endpoints as well as Google Cloud Messaging to an app

Time to migrate and update

• Import Eclipse projects directly into Android Studio

While this news doesn’t mean much for regular users, it’s pretty exciting news for Android developers. Current devs can use Android Studio to edit and improve their apps and test layouts across all kinds of hardware, and anyone that’d like to get started in Android development should now have an easier time than ever getting into it.