Ask the main part of your question in the title. This should be concise but informative.
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Android dev will be overwhelming for a beginner. If you’re still learning, I’d suggest starting with some command line stuff just to get the hang of the standard library, concepts etc.
You can use any IDE for simple stuff but Android Studio is tailored for Android framework complexities that added up over time.
You are right about android dev being overwhelming, but honestly I think if OP is motivated to make an app, that's what they should do. The tools will be bizarre and confusing, but they will get something working if they keep trying.
Once they have a barebones app on the screen, every new concept learned will have clear purpose and value, in terms of how it enables a new feature for the app.
You can just use the Kotlin compiler, or separate some scratch files in your Android Studio project. There's nothing wrong with learning Kotlin, but learning Android development is using the whole toolbox at a beginner level.
The Kotlin compiler can be run from the command line. Doing it that way might separate your concerns.
Have you looked at using Compose? Philip Lackner has some easy tutorials to follow. It takes some of the major development hurdles out of your way.
You could try Flutter with Dart: https://flutter.dev/
Dart is quite similar to Kotlin, and Flutter is Google's attempt to provide a modern app development framework without all the weird legacy stuff.
I don't have experience with it, I just know it's the thing they've invested heavily in.
In general I'd avoid hopping between technologies too much (it's the classic procrastination method we all fall into), but I do think it makes sense to try and find the most highly recommended tool when you're starting out.
All things considered, I think this is the best answer for OP.
If you're at all interested in modding Minecraft, you can do so with kotlin! Remember that once you know one language, it becomes much easier to learn subsequent languages.
As someone claiming to "only really know the basics", why are you so concerned about limited development tool options?