Google has taken the wraps off of “Project IDX,” which will provide everything you need for development – including Android and iOS emulators – enhance it with AI, and deliver it to your web browser.
One of the common issues that developers face is that the tech stacks needed to run a particular project can be difficult to set up, and if you perhaps want to switch from your main desktop to a portable laptop for the day, you’d need to ensure the various versions are in sync. Otherwise, you may find some code behaves differently between the two devices.
On top of that, many developers don’t have room in their budgets for a second – or even first – high-powered machine to run projects on. Building a Flutter app and simultaneously running it in an Android emulator can be quite taxing on a computer.
That’s where Google’s latest tool, Project IDX, comes in. Project IDX seamlessly connects a handful of key technologies to make an experience that seems a bit like magic.
First and foremost, Project IDX is based on Code OSS (the open-source version of Microsoft’s VS Code), meaning the editor should feel all too familiar to many developers. Rather than doing any heavy lifting on your own machine, the editor and everything else you may need is run from a Linux VM in the cloud. Google offers ready-to-go templates for projects in frameworks like Flutter, Angular, React, and Next.js, but the Linux VM offers enough freedom to set up almost any tool or tech stack that you may need.
Next, Project IDX integrates live previews of your app as it’s running. For now, this is limited to previewing web apps, but this will soon be expanded with access to an Android emulator and even the iOS Simulator. Crucially, the ability to build iOS apps and run them in the iOS Simulator typically requires access to (often pricey) macOS hardware, but Project IDX will make this possible from nearly any modern device with a web browser.
According to a Google spokesperson, the company will leverage macOS-based machines to build a developer’s code and display the iOS Simulator view. More in-depth information on Project IDX’s support for Android and iOS emulators will be shared at a later date.
Once you’re satisfied with your web app’s code, Project IDX also makes it easy to deploy your work to share it with others, thanks to integrated Firebase Hosting support.
And beyond simply giving developers a workstation in the cloud, Google is also working to make it easier to write code and get help with problems. Project IDX is deeply integrated with Google’s recent generative AI efforts, Codey and PaLM 2.
Currently, Project IDX has smart code completion, an assistive chatbot, and contextual code actions like “add comments” and “explain this code”. Our AI capabilities are in their very early days, and we’re working on making IDX AI even better at helping you as you work.
That said, at this early stage, Google’s guidelines currently ask participating developers to not use any code written by AI in any production environment.
So, in total, Project IDX offers developers a way to get their work done from the cloud, access to otherwise performance-hungry Android and iOS emulators, simplified deployment, and an AI assistant to help them write and understand code. If that interests you, whether you’re a senior engineer or a Flutter beginner, you can sign up to join the free preview program.
For now, Google isn’t ready to share pricing information about Project IDX, but a spokesperson says the company is committed to ensuring it’s accessible to a broad, global audience.
Images: Google
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