What is the advantage of using JavaFX for an android project instead of android UI itself other than portability of the code

Question

The reason why most people would ever make their android project in javafx would be to have the same codebase across different platforms (such as ios, desktop, android, maybe even web using Bck2Brwsr/teavm/doppio)

But my question is, is there any advantage in javafx ui framework itself when compared to android ui framework?

I have never ever written even a hello world application for android, but I intend to do it now. So I am wondering if having the code in javafx is worth the effort when I can develop directly on android apart from the benifit of portability.

Answer 1

This type of question might result in a subjective/opinionated answer but I think it is a good question so I will provide my assessment.

1. Having the same codebase across all those platforms is huge. Do not dismiss this. I'm using Gluon Mobile to port aspects of the Deep Space Trajectory Explorer (DSTE) to Android and iOS. As you can see from the video its extremely complex application. There's no way I would rewrite that in native Android... it would be a no-go from a cost perspective.
2. Starting development from JavaFX makes it easier to make complex visuals. I don't just mean traditional 2D GUI forms. Again looking at the DSTE you will see we use Canvas to do dense renderings and JavaFX 3D along with the FXyz library to do 3D renders. These things are easy in JavaFX and again using Gluon simply "just work" on Android/iOS. In fact it only took about a day to get those aspects of the DSTE code base to work on a Pixel C tablet, most of which was getting the Gradle build setup properly. Now imagine having to port 3D code from JavaFX to a Native framework? I'm a 3D guy and I still wouldn't try it.
3. Testing is so much easier on the desktop than a mobile device. This doesn't mean the testing is 100% on desktop. Sometimes something that works on desktop "doesn't work" on the mobile platform and you have to tweak accordingly. However you can save a LOT of time standing up the application using JavaFX knowing that 90% of it will work the same on your mobile device.

Word of advice though... remember that a desktop application is NOT a mobile application. You will be tempted to just "port" your desktop app to your device. I was my first time. You can get into other issues where the interfaces and layouts you design for a desktop "work" on the mobile device but are not appropriate and so the usability goes down. Start slow when you port. Think of what aspects of your desktop workflow should be mobilized. Only port the things you absolutely belong in a mobile workflow. Save yourself some headaches.