Developers, have I got a treat for you today: AIDE - Android Java IDE. AIDE is a self-contained integrated development environment that allows devs to write, compile, and run Android apps on their Android devices. Normally, if you want to write Android apps, you do it on a separate machine running Eclipse (or an alternative IDE). Now... well, you probably still do for major projects (especially ones involving complex library dependencies), but you can edit or create smaller ones without ever leaving the Android ecosystem.

AIDE really is more than just an editor - it supports code completion, real-time error checking and highlighting, code refactoring, formatting, and smart navigation, as well as compilation and execution of APKs.

But AIDE doesn't just work on tablets - it works on phones too, although I can't see serious development getting done on smaller screens:

To put it simply, this is pretty awesome. Tablets in general have been aiming to replace laptops and netbooks as a user's primary computing device. That can't happen as long as Android relies on other OSes to write its apps. This first IDE may not be enough to outright replace Windows, Linux, or Mac, but it's a great first step.

AIDE is fully compatible with existing Eclipse projects, so if you're not eager to ditch your killer compiling rig to set up a 10" tablet with a mobile processor in its place, you can still use your usual development environment and edit on the go.

Oh, and did I mention it's free? Yup. Check out the widget for the download link and a comprehensive feature list. And after that, may we suggest getting a keyboard for your tablet if you haven't already? You're going to need it.

A brief summary of features... Edit-compile-run cycle:

- Create a sample App with a single click

- Run your App with a single click

- No root access required

- Incremental compilation for fast build times

- Uses Eclipse .classpath project format for compatibility

- Integrated LogCat viewer Real-time error checking:

- Real time error analyis throughout the whole project as you type

- Automatic Quick-Fixes for many errors Refactoring:

- Rename

- Inline variable

- Introduce variable

- Extract method Code:

- Code formatter

- Organize imports

- Out-comment code

- Create setters/getters/constructors from fields Code navigation:

- Goto defintion

- Find usages

- Goto symbol

- Goto class Editor:

- Very fast editor even with large files

- Code completion for Java and Android XML

- Android online help directly from the code

- Syntax highlighting for Java and XML

- Unlimited Undo/Redo

- Pinch zoom

- Smart expand selection

- Keyboard support with configurable keybindings

- UI optimized for small screens to show as much code/content as possible Filebrowser:

- Built-in file manager with the most common features: Rename, delete, create file or folder

And last but not least: "Yo Dawg, I heard you like Android apps, so we made an Android app that makes Android apps on your Android."

Thanks Abel!