Android Native Development Kit (NDK) continues to play a crucial role in building high-performance applications that leverage C and C++ code. As we move further into 2025, developers are increasingly relying on powerful libraries to streamline NDK-based development and enhance app capabilities. Whether you’re working on gaming, real-time graphics, or performance-critical applications, the right libraries can significantly reduce development time and improve efficiency.
Here’s a curated list of the Top 10 Libraries for Android NDK Development in 2025:
1. Retrofit
Although primarily known as a REST client for Android and Java, Retrofit has evolved to support native integrations through NDK when combined with appropriate bindings. It simplifies network requests and ensures type-safe API calls, making it an essential tool even for hybrid native-Java applications .
2. ML Kit by Google
Google’s ML Kit is now more deeply integrated with native development workflows. It enables features like face detection, barcode scanning, and text recognition using native modules, allowing developers to embed AI functionalities directly into performance-sensitive parts of their apps .
3. Android Jetpack Libraries
Jetpack components such as ViewModel and LiveData have started offering extended support for native code integration. These libraries help manage UI-related data in a lifecycle-conscious way, reducing boilerplate and improving stability when used alongside NDK modules .
4. OpenCV
OpenCV remains one of the most popular libraries for image and video processing. With optimized C++ APIs and extensive Android NDK support, it’s widely used in computer vision applications, augmented reality, and real-time media manipulation .
5. SFML (Simple and Fast Multimedia Library)
SFML provides a straightforward API for multimedia tasks such as graphics, audio, and window handling. Its lightweight design and compatibility with Android NDK make it ideal for game development and multimedia applications requiring native performance .
6. Boost C++ Libraries
The Boost library collection offers peer-reviewed, portable C++ source libraries that are invaluable in NDK projects. From algorithms to system-level utilities, Boost helps bridge the gap between standard C++ and Android-specific requirements .
7. FFmpeg
FFmpeg is a powerhouse for multimedia processing. Its NDK-compatible builds allow developers to decode, encode, transcode, and stream audio/video content directly within native Android code, making it indispensable for media-centric apps .
8. OpenGL ES / Vulkan
For rendering 2D and 3D graphics, OpenGL ES and the newer Vulkan API remain critical in NDK development. They provide low-level access to GPU resources, enabling high-performance games and visualizations .
9. CMake (Build System)
While not a library per se, CMake is the default build system recommended by Android Studio for NDK projects. Its flexibility and cross-platform capabilities make it essential for managing complex native dependencies and compiling native code efficiently .
10. SQLite (Native Bindings)
SQLite continues to be the go-to embedded database engine for local data storage. With native bindings and optimized C interfaces, it integrates seamlessly into NDK-based applications for efficient data persistence and querying .
Conclusion
As Android NDK development matures in 2025, the ecosystem around it has grown richer with specialized libraries tailored for performance-intensive use cases. Whether you’re developing games, AI-powered tools, or media-heavy applications, leveraging these top libraries will help you deliver robust, scalable, and high-performing Android apps.
By combining the power of C/C++ with these well-maintained libraries, developers can push the boundaries of what’s possible on mobile platforms today.
