Getting Started with Android App Development
By- Dhruv Mehta, Android Lead GDSC VIT Bhopal
Introduction
Being in the android field for the past few years, I have faced this question multiple times —how can one start with Android App development? And what is the right way to get started with it?
As we know, Android has dominated the global market share of smartphone operating systems for several years. According to research firm Gartner, Android led worldwide sales of new smartphones by 86.2% in the second quarter of 2016. Android application development is a recognized industry occupation as a full-time career option.
From the title, it is pretty evident that I will be looking towards the Android operating system and brief you over on how to start developing native Android applications.
Choosing the correct programming language
There are numerous programming languages used to build mobile applications like Java, Python, Xamarin, Swift. But the two main programming languages that come to mind when we hear about Android development are Java and Kotlin. These two programming languages have long dominated the Android application development industry.
NOTE If one is starting from scratch, then my suggestion is to start with Kotlin. Ask me why? Because Google has announced Kotlin as the official language for Android application development. Shortly the Android development paradigm will shift from Java to Kotlin. Google is also pushing Jetpack Compose, the latest Android development UI toolkit for developing and designing applications that are only compatible with Kotlin. Jetpack Compose makes application design easy by eliminating the need for XML and only developing a user interface with Kotlin. So I recommend that if you are beginning Android development, it is better to start Android development with Kotlin.
Actually Starting with Android development
These are some of the key points one must go through before getting started with Android App Development.
- Now that we have identified ideal languages for android development, it is time to start learning one of the programming languages, be it Java or Kotlin, and clarify the basics in that particular programming language.
Resources :
For Kotlin —
Learn the Kotlin Basics for Free on JetBrains Academy | The Kotlin Blog
Kotlin Course — Tutorial for Beginners
For Java —
https://hyperskill.org/tracks/8
Java Beginner Course — Get Started Coding with Java!
- Visit the Android developer website to learn more about new updates and improvements in the Android development industry and what Google is bringing to the table for new Android developers.
- To finally get your hands dirty with Android development, set up the environment by watching a tutorial or following the official documentation.
- To start building Android applications, we need the Android Development Toolkit, which includes debuggers, emulators, and the required software development kit (SDK).
- Download and install one of the updated and stable versions of Android Studio to start Android development.
- Now it’s time to get a good Android learning course and resource. Get thorough with Android basics and every Android component such as activities, snippets, services, intents, streaming receivers.
Resources :
Google Provided official Android Development courses
Android app using Kotlin — Course
Build and Publish an Android App — Full Course with Kotlin
Android Development for Beginners — Full Course
- Another part of Android development is the design of the user interface, that is, the encoding through XML. Android uses XML to create user interfaces for the application. Therefore, you should familiarize yourself with XML and material design.
Conclusion
Lastly, on an ending note, I would like to state that, make lots and lots of Android Projects and apps. I cannot emphasize enough how important and helpful it is to practically implement and experience whatever you have learned in your Android development journey.
Strive to innovate and learn something new in every app you create. Try to combine and put together everything you have learned so far in one application. Trying new possibilities unlocks the true potential and helps improve individual skills. Ultimately, it is okay to make mistakes when developing applications and learning from them. So crack your knuckles and get started!
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