Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google. It is based on the Linux kernel and other open-source software projects.
Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world, with more than one billion active users since 2015.
In this post, we’ll discuss the steps you’ll need to take to become an Android developer, from learning the programming language to developing applications.
We’ll also show you how to get started with Android development, how to build your first app and the skills you need to find a job as a mobile developer.
An Intro To Android Development
For anyone interested in programming, Android is a great place to start. With the ability to use multiple languages such as JavaScript, C, or assembly, the possibilities of development are quite literally endless. From travel to finance to music and to sports, there are so many different categories that developed applications can fall into – and those are just a handful of some of the most popular.
There are many reasons for choosing to develop and programme using the android operating system including:
- It has a very large community and developer reach.
- Easy to master for all developers with varying skill levels.
- Uses language that most programmers are familiar with.
- Ideal for initial app launches as they are usually cheap (or free).
The Essential Android Development Tool: Android Studio
If you want to get started with developing an android application, you’ve come to the right place. Android Studio is considered the one-stop shop when it comes to programming and developing both new and existing applications.
Before you dive in, you will need to ensure that your desktop is ready to achieve the goals you have in mind. You’ll have to install both Android Studio and Android SDK, which you can do with a push of a button by clicking here. But what exactly are Android Studio and Android SDK?
Android studio – this is an integrated development environment whereby you enter code, usually Java or Kotlin, and gain access to all the tools you could ever need for app development in a single place.
Android SDK – this essentially contains all the development tools that are used to create applications for the Android platform. It includes all the required libraries, a debugger, an emulator, all the relevant documentation for the (APIs), as well as sample source codes.
How To Create An Android App With Android Studio
Once you have successfully installed android studio onto your device, it is time to get started with your project. But there are a few steps that you need to take to get your idea off the ground into a reality.
- In the Welcome to Android Studio dialogue, click Start a new Android Studio project.
- Select Basic Activity (not the default) then press on Next.
- There are a few boxes to fill in here so enter “My First App” in the Name field and “Com.example.myfirstapp” in the Package name field.
- Choose where you want to place your project then press Save.
- From the Language drop-down menu select either Java or Kotlin.
- Now select the lowest version of Android you want your app to support in the Minimum SDK field.
- Click Finish.
Congratulations, you’ve just taken the first steps into developing your application. After a while, you should find that the Android Studio main window appears. You will need to review some important files on this page before running your app.
First, you need to make sure that the project window is open by selecting (View > Tool Windows > Project), and that the Android view is selected from the drop-down list at the top of that window. You should then be able to see the following files:
- app > java > com.example.myfirstapp > MainActivity. This is the main activity and the entry point for your app. When you build and run your app, the system launches an instance of this Activity and loads its layout based on it.
- app > res > layout > activity_main.xml. This XML file defines the layout for the activity’s user interface (UI) and contains a TextView element with the text “Hello, World!”
- app > manifests > AndroidManifest.xml.The manifest file describes the fundamental characteristics of the app and defines each of its components.
- Gradle Scripts > build.gradle. There are two files with this name: one for the project, “Project: My_First_App,” and one for the app module, “Module: My_First_App.app.” Each module has its own build.gradle file but as a starting project such as this, it will just have this only one.
You are now ready to run your application.
Programming For Android: What Language To Use?
You will have heard the term android language come up quite often when discussing topics such as programming and development. But what exactly is a language in the android world and what are the different types?
A programming language is a type of formal language which consists of a set of strings that produce various kinds of machine code output, in this case, for android. They essentially comprise sets of instructions for computers and operating systems.
The main language for android programming is Java. Java was the default language to write Android apps since the Android platform was introduced in 2008. But by using the software development kit (SDK), you will notice that there are other languages available.
These include Kotlin, LUA (Corona), JavaScript (PhoneGap), and C++ languages which also work when developing and programming a new application. However, large parts of Android are written in Java and Google promotes the use of Java specifically as it has good code portability making it ideal to run on different mobile architectures.
How to find a job as a mobile developer
If after reading through this quick overview of how to programme and develop android apps you decide this is something you want to pursue, you may be wondering how exactly you can find a job like this.
A developer’s skills come from knowing how to work the different types of operating systems, of which there are two main ones: Google’s Android OS and Apple’s iOS. You could focus on excelling in one type, but knowing how to work with both operating systems would make you more competitive in the field.
There are some essential skills you will need to perfect in order to become successful which include:
- Building user interfaces – you will need to be able to confidently convert any design plan into a functioning Android application using Java and XML.
- Material Design guidelines – the majority of applications are based on the Material Design framework which was created by Google in 2014 so you need to be able to know how this works when developing new apps.
- Data storage and notifications – you will need to be able to implement push notifications to reach users as well as store, update, and delete information on any device with an Android operating system.
Of course, in addition to these skills, you will need to have greater attention to detail as any mistake in code could result in huge consequences. All jobs in the development and coding industry also require a great element of problem-solving, analytical thinking and teamwork to accomplish tasks.
Sam Collier is the founder of Fifium, a web and mobile application development blog dedicated to sharing expert knowledge and insights in the tech industry. With over 15 years of combined experience among its developers, Fifium started as a small group of like-minded professionals passionate about mobile development and has grown into a respected source of information and guides.
