Jetpack Compose completely changed how we write Android UIs. It brought declarative programming to an ecosystem desperate for it. But while the code changed, the tooling didn't.
Android developers were writing elegant, modern Compose code, but compiling it using a heavily bloated, multi-minute, slow pipeline. We built JetStart to bring the tooling into the modern era.
Where JetStart is Going
We successfully replaced our old DSL parser with raw DEX compilation. This allows developers to use genuine Compose functions without any syntax hacks. What's next for the JetStart ecosystem?
1. Expanded Desktop & iOS Support
Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) has taken the world by storm. Compose isn't just for Android anymore—it's for iOS and Desktop natively. JetStart currently focuses heavily on the Android execution path, but we are working on abstracting our WebSocket injection layer to target Compose Multiplatform apps on iOS and macOS/Windows.
2. Live State Injection
Live hot reload is amazing, but it can lose local UI state if an overarching class is redefined. We are building a memory-graph inspector that captures the Compose tree's state payload right before the hot-reload byte replacement and injects it back after the class loads.
3. VS Code & IntelliJ Extensions
We are finalizing our JetStart VS Code Extension and planning an IntelliJ plugin to tightly bind the OverrideGenerator warnings, connection statuses, and logs directly into your IDE.
JetStart is more than just a hot-reload CLI—it is a philosophical shift in how Android apps are compiled and tested. Try npx jetstart create my-app today and see the future of Android development.
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