Benoit Quenaudon

Last year we asked ourselves a question. One that most Android engineers avoid whispering aloud: Are Instant Apps still a thing? It turns out that Google officially said no! Instant Apps are fascinating because they offer possibilities outside of what Google originally engineered them for. Benoît (Cash App) and Cyril (Amo), both of us shipped an Instant App this year for different use cases and different implementations. The restrictions required to publish an Instant App encourage dynamic, lean and performant architectures. Savoir-faire which stays relevant even outside the context of Instant Apps. After hovering briefly over the state of Instant Apps, we’ll share how we built and shipped our projects. From development quirks to publishing oddities, we’ll highlight what worked, what didn’t, and why Instant Apps might have deserved a second look.