How to create Android applications from scratch. Android programming: how to start creating your own apps and games

How to create an application for Android or iPhone?— these questions are increasingly being asked not only by web developers, but also by ordinary owners of small business websites and bloggers.

This review suggests considering , which are constructors for quickly and easily creating Android and iPhone applications. At the same time, without requiring the user to have programming skills or other special IT knowledge. Such applications are indispensable for various types of businesses - after all, they are a great way to expand the target audience and attract customers.

Thus, everything discussed in the review for application development can be united under the slogan: simple, fast and without programming!

— free a web service that allows you to convert your website content into an Android application and distribute it through Google Play. In addition, the created applications can be both sold and advertising placed in them.
You can create an unlimited number of Android applications from three types of content: a website, a simple html page and a YouTube video. To create an Android application, AppsGeyser uses a simple and intuitive template wizard.

AppsGeyser websites: http://www.appsgeyser.com, http://www.appsgeyser.ru

— free online service for quickly creating mobile applications. TheAppBuilder creates applications using a designer and standard templates - for business, events, education, music, sports, etc. Created applications are free, and for 5 USD per month You can disable the display of third-party advertising in the created application. TheAppBuilder allows you to create Android and Windows Mobile applications.

TheAppBuilder website: http://www.theappbuilder.com

is an online service that allows users to create and publish their own mobile applications in a few clicks on the Internet. The Appsmakerstore platform creates mobile applications supported by HTML5, iTunes, Android Market, Blackberry Marketplace, Windows Marketplace and Facebook without any deep technological skills. This is total 1 application for 6 different platforms. Appsmakerstore is offered in 23 languages, including Russian and Ukrainian.

The peculiarity of Appsmakerstore is that it offers a choice of ready-made templates for certain industries (for example, legal services, nightclubs, restaurants and cafes, trade, beauty salons, etc.)

• DIY - $9.78 per month.
• “We make an application for you” – $249
  
• “Reseller” is a special price that must be found on the website separately.
  

Always included in all plans:

• Unlimited content changes and app updates.
• Update app content on iTunes and Google Play without having to republish.
• Send an unlimited number of push notifications to users.
• Automatically receive and use all system updates.
• Secure hosting on our servers.

— paid online designer of mobile applications (iPad, Android, HTML5) for small businesses. Features include geolocation, receiving and sending messages, a shopping cart, notifications, integration with social networks, posting information about the menu, range of services, upcoming events, etc. There are templates for restaurants, realtors, gyms, etc.

This service is represented by the following plans:

• “Mobile site” – $29 per month.
• "Mobile application" - $59 per month
  
• « White Label Partner" creation of applications for your clients - a special price that needs to be found out separately on the website.

5. AppGlobus

AppGlobus is a paid one of the Russian online mobile application designers that allows users to independently create and publish their application in the App Store and Google Play.

It uses the new design and capabilities of the Ionic Framework, which significantly improves the quality of development, and makes it possible to create mobile applications on HTML5, iOS, Android, even without programming skills.

At the moment, AppGlobus is offered in 8 languages, including Russian.

AppGlobus.com offers the following packages:

• STARTAP - 900 rub./month.
  • Applications: HTML5/Android, admin panel, store, no restrictions on Push, no restrictions on installations, no advertising.
• BASIC - 1500 rub./month
  • Applications for both Android and iOS, admin panel, store, no restrictions on Push, no restrictions on installations, no advertising.
• STUDIO - 2000 rub./month
  • Applications: Windows/Android/iOS, admin panel, store, no restrictions on Push, no restrictions on installations, no advertising.
• PRO - 45,000 rub./one-time
  • Applications: Windows/Android/iOS, custom development, we will publish it in the App Store and Google Play ourselves, we will provide the source code

— a paid online service for creating your own mobile application for business or personal use. No special skills required. Well suited for small businesses, such as online stores. It only takes 5 minutes to create your application - you just need to select the necessary modules and design. There are English and Russian versions.

My-apps.com offers the following packages:

• Start - 599 rub. /month
  
  • apps only for Android, access to the designer, free app templates and icons, content updates every 48 hours, app source updates in stores yourself no more than once every 2 months.
• Light - 990 rub. /month
  • applications for both iOS, access to the designer, free application templates and icons, basic application screenshots, Push notifications - 1 per month, content updates every 24 hours, application source updates in stores once every 2 months.
• Standard — 2490 rub. /month
  • applications for both Android and iOS, access to the designer, free application templates and icons, basic application screenshots, Skype support, Push notifications - 10 per month, content updates every 12 hours, application source updates in stores once a month.
• Business - 9890 rub. /month
  • applications for both Android and iOS, access to the designer, free application templates and icons, basic application screenshots, Skype and email support, personal manager, Push notifications - 50 per month, instant content updates, application source updates in stores - without restrictions.

• VIP — 3999 rub. /month + 150,000 rub. installation payment

  • applications for both Android and iOS, access to the designer, free application templates and icons, basic application screenshots, Skype and email support, personal manager, Push notifications - unlimited, content updates - instantly, application source updates in stores - without restrictions.

provides a platform “ do it yourself” to create iPhone/applications , which also does not require programming skills. This service provides each organization with an easy way to create mobile (iPhone, iPad, Android) applications and publication materials. Clients can create their own catalogs, flyers, brochures, reports, resumes, etc. and deliver them using the SaaS solution. There are English and Russian versions.

iBuildApp is provided in the following packages:

• Business (2,400 rubles per month) - 3,000 installations, unlimited mobile site views, no built-in advertising, publication of the application on iTunes and Google Play.

— online service for application development (iPhone, iPad, Android). Allows you to create an application based on one of many application templates. Elements of the created application user interface can be associated with functions such as sending email, SMS messages, sending to Facebook and Twitter services.

• Developer - $33 per month. (only 1 application can be created)
• Professional - $79 per month.
• Premiun - $129 per month.
• Enterprise - The price must be inquired separately.

All packages support the following platforms: IOS (iPhone/iPad) & Android (Phone/Tablet)

Viziapps website: http://www.viziapps.com

- an online editor that allows you to create applications for iOS, Android and Windows Phone. It is very simple to use: you can assemble your own program from ready-made parts. Despite the fact that AppsBuilder tries to be simpler and more understandable for inexperienced users, it also adds some features for programmers: for example, you can supplement the created applications with your own Java scripts.

There are three paid packages that include a 30-day free trial:

• Starter (49 euros per month) -1 application.
• Regular (199 euros per month) - up to 5 applications.
• Scalable (from 249 euros per month) - more than 5 applications.

There are two ways to create a program for Android. The first, which is used by serious developers, requires an understanding of the Java language and installation of a special development environment. Users without special knowledge looking for information on how to create an application for Android can be advised to use one of the dozens of existing online editors, which in some cases allow them to generate simple mobile utilities in minutes. Let us next consider the process of creating a program using several specialized constructors.

Defining Application Functionality

This is the first stage of creating any mobile program. In our case, no time is wasted on steps such as, for example, creating icons, buttons, or planning the design of the utility. Internet editors use ready-made solutions, so all that remains is to choose an existing layout, filling it with original content, which can be, for example, informational or gaming.

And for this you need to decide on the functionality. For example, for an online store it could be as follows:

1. Convenient navigation. The presence of categories and subcategories where the client could find the desired product using given templates.
2. Using a user-friendly ordering block with a payment system and status tracking.
3. Personal account for the client with sections “Favorites”, “Purchase History”, etc.
4. Availability of an information section with news reviews.

In this way, you can formulate tasks and determine the functionality of any type of Android application being created, be it forms, any services, content projects. Next, we’ll tell you how to become a developer of your own Android utility.

A utility with the functionality defined at the previous stage can now be written from scratch using various Internet services tailored for the creation of multifunctional or highly specialized applications. Since the minimum list of online store capabilities for Android was previously defined, let’s look at how to create a program of this type using MobiCart.

This service is designed specifically for commercial utilities. An Android application written using MobiCart can effectively replace an existing network platform. Features of the designer in question:

1. Russian interface support;
2. Payment is accepted by cash or PayPal;
3. Availability of a non-commercial tariff with limited functionality in the form of the ability to add a dozen items to the storefront.

To create your own utility, register in the service. After this, you can use your account, where as the first step you need to select Create Application. Next:

1. By selecting Upload logo, upload the logo of your future program and specify the design color.
   
2. Below you will need to select the tabs that users will see on the device screen. This section also specifies the pages that the designer will need to generate for your store.
   
3. After saving the changes, go to the settings of the application being created. This feature is available in the Store Settings section.
   
4. The name of the store being created and your email address are written on the Store tab. You can select the currency to use from the drop-down menu.
5. The service, if necessary, displays Google Maps in the utility, for which the registered API key is indicated in a special field.
6. If you expect free delivery, here you can activate the above option and specify its conditions. In the Cash On Delivery line, you can specify the surcharge (in the form of a decimal fraction) that the client will have to pay for cash on delivery. For example, the number 1.06 would mean that the purchase price will increase by 6%.
7. Specify the region in Shipping in the drop-down list. You can specify the delivery price for a single (Single order) or a package (Multiple orders) of goods.
   
8. Select the line Prices to include tax by going to the Tax section. This means that the price of the product will be indicated including VAT, which is typical for all domestic retailers.
   
9. Payment systems through which clients will transfer funds to you are indicated in Payments Gateway. Popular systems like Qiwi or Yandex.Money are not supported in MobiCart, so be sure to activate the ability to use cash on delivery.
10. The language is configured in the Languges section. Since Russian is not supported here, the text of messages must be entered manually, and then be sure to save the information.
    
11. Go to App Vital, where you need to specify the name of the utility you are creating, as well as the countries in which the application can be used.
12. The icons that the user will see on the screen of his gadget in the store can be uploaded to Images. Upload the image for the main screen to the Home Gallery.
13. Descriptions for products can be placed in Store Builder in several ways:
    
14. News content for the site can be created in the News section. Write the content of the message and click on Publish News.

Next, all that remains is to create an installation file for the practically created mobile online store utility. For this purpose, go to Create Application, open the Submit Apps tab in it, click Continue. Here you will need to accept the license agreement, after which the system will generate an installation file for the mobile application based on the settings you have made.

If you choose a non-commercial tariff, you will have to place the created file in the Google Play store yourself - the appropriate instructions will be sent by email. If you choose a paid plan, MobiCart will independently publish your development on Google Play. You can verify that the program is working by installing the latter on your own gadget and checking that product cards and news are displayed correctly.

Creating a themed mobile utility with AppsGeyser

To start using this Android constructor, you need to register, for which click Create Now.

AppsGeyser has become a multifunctional service that allows you to develop any type of mobile utility. The following available templates are suitable for the information resource:

1. Manual for creating a small guide utility;
2. Blog for reading your blog pages on the gadget screen;
3. Website to convert a website into a mobile application;
4. News, which creates an aggregator of news, for example, some thematic or regional;
5. Page, capable of converting an e-book or other similar content into an Android application.

Use a Blog template:

If you have already registered with AppsGeyser, the system will redirect you to your personal account, where you can install the created Android program on your own device and publish it on Google Play. The utility can be monetized here. When this option is selected, users will see advertisements. Information about the number of installations of your program is also available in your personal account, and here you can edit it.

Other Android app builders

For one reason or another, neither MobiCart nor AppsGeyser may be suitable for you. And they cannot solve such a problem as creating a game on Android without programming, for example. However, there are many similar constructors on the Internet today, with which you can write a program in a similar way. Here are some:

1. AppsMakerStore. Creates Android applications of almost any type - from commercial to thematic ones. It has a Russified interface and a comprehensive manual. There is a fee for use.
2. Mobincube. Allows you to write and monetize generated utilities on various topics. Basic functionality is free.
3. Monomobi. A commercial tool for quickly creating Android programs with a Russified interface. You can try the service for free during the trial period.
4. Appsbar. Free Android editor for creating simple applications for phones.

Most of these editors are paid, especially if the utilities created in them can be monetized for profit without the ability to “code.” You can learn from free constructors and try to make something of your own, but the quality and functionality of the program will be low. And it’s also unlikely to be possible to create a high-quality game on Android without programming.

Remember that when you make a program using such a constructor, you often become dependent on a service that, if desired, can “cover” your project. Therefore, to create serious projects, it is better to learn the basic fundamentals of programming and develop the necessary applications without network assistants.

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Creating a new mobile application is far from an easy task. To do this, you need to master programming languages ​​and write software from scratch. However, you can use special constructors that simplify your work by unifying many tasks and interfaces. Most of these services require payment for the capabilities provided, but there are also completely free programs among them. In this article we will take a closer look at how you can create your own Android application using several popular designers.

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TheAppBuilder

Let's consider TheAppBuilder as the first designer for creating applications for the Android OS. This program is a desktop service with some additional online tools. With its help, you can independently create an application for such mobile operating systems as Android and iOS.
To develop new programs, TheAppBuilder uses a constructor and standard templates - for sports, science, business and others. There is also a large set of tools for creating designs. In addition, for $5 you can completely disable annoying advertising in the created application. After you have completed your project, it is advisable to promote it so that it is in demand.

Advantages and disadvantages

TheAppBuilder constructor will be the optimal solution for beginners in programming and creating applications that can be very useful for users. Its main advantages include the following points:

• The ability to create free versions of applications, in which additional functions will be provided for a fee.
• The presence of a simple and accessible tutorial, which is not difficult to find on the Internet.
• The ability to create new applications without programming skills.

The weaknesses of this service include the fact that the designer interface is not available in Russian. This problem is partially solvable, because you can use a translator.

In this video, you'll learn about building apps on Android using The AppBuilder.

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AppsGeyser

If you don’t know how to create an application for Android, then you can use this service. The AppsGeyser constructor uses a fairly simple and visual template wizard as a tool. In addition, it allows you to create your own application absolutely free.
With its help, you can simply convert any file from your website into a useful application, and then distribute the apk distribution through the Google play store. The applications you create can simply be sold to other users who will find it useful, or you can place advertisements in them to make a profit. You can use 3 main sources as content to create an unlimited number of mobile programs, including websites, regular html pages and videos from YouTube.

Advantages and disadvantages

The AppGeyser builder will be the best choice for creating Android applications for beginners. Despite this, it has a fairly large range of capabilities. Its main advantages can be presented in the form of a list:

• Creating an application does not take much time and is accessible to users without programming skills.
• Fast online editor.
• You can use the application absolutely free.

Disadvantages include limited content for creating applications. This designer is not suitable for developing new games for Android. If these disadvantages are not significant for you, then AppGeyser has every chance of becoming the most optimal solution for you.

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IbuildApp

Another constructor that allows you to develop applications for mobile platforms (Android and iOS) and publication materials without programming experience is IbuildApp. With its help, users can create their own galleries, catalogs, flyers, reports and other types of documents in a matter of minutes. The listed materials can be conveniently presented in the form of software as a service (SaaS). A nice bonus is that this development environment is available in two language versions: English and Russian.
Unfortunately, IbuildApp does not belong to the category of free builders. Developers provide users with a choice of several service packages:

• Business. This package will cost almost 2,500 rubles per month and has up to 3,000 installations. It also includes a complete absence of advertising, the ability to publish your application in the company store and an unlimited number of views of the mobile site.
• Corporate. This package can be purchased for almost 4 thousand rubles. It provides the user with an unlimited number of installations.

The remaining benefits are completely the same as the business package.

Advantages and disadvantages

Developing Android apps with IbuildApp is a good way to get acquainted with builders for mobile platforms. It is not demanding on system resources, optimizes the created applications well and has a clear interface. Let's highlight its main advantages:

• Completely Russian interface.
• A large number of different templates for creating business proposals.
• Connecting to an advertising network.

The disadvantages include the lack of a free version of the designer. As a result, in order to start programming for Android and make money from it, you will first need to buy one of the packages offered.

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AppsMakerstore

Like most previous resources, AppsMakerstore uses already prepared templates to work. Among them: legal services, restaurants, beauty salons and many others. Before starting work, it is better to find out how much the package you need for this resource costs. Depending on how you want to use the constructor, you may need different service options:

• Do it yourself. This package will cost almost $10 per month.
• We are making an application for you. This plan costs $249.
• Reseller. This package has a special price, which is best checked on the developers’ website.

By purchasing any of the plans described above, the user receives the right to send an unlimited number of push notifications, receive and use system updates, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages.

Developing mobile applications for Android using Appsmakerstore will be a good solution for both beginners and experienced users. Constantly updating the system, following the latest advertising trends and a large selection of ready-made templates provide a tool for creating high-quality mobile programs. The main advantages of AppsMakerstore include:

• The application is available in more than 15 countries and in 23 languages, including Russian.
• A large number of templates to work with.
• The created application is distributed automatically to all resources.
• Registering an account is free.

Appsmakerstore has one significant drawback. Development of Android applications on this online resource will cost a certain amount. Therefore, before starting work, it is advisable to brush up your skills using free constructors.

Summing up

You can create new applications for mobile platforms for various reasons. Some people use them to develop and popularize their business, others use them to improve their programming skills, and others use them purely for commercial purposes. Please note that if you like game programming, you will not be able to use such resources, since they have a different purpose.
Each of the resources provided is convenient for working and creating programs for mobile platforms and does not require programming skills from the user. To do this, it is not necessary to create an Android application from scratch, but you can use prepared templates, which in most cases are sufficient. Before using any of the resources provided, it is recommended to download the tutorial and spend time familiarizing yourself with all the capabilities of the designer.

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Video “How to create an application on Android”

In this video you will learn how to create your own mobile application using Appsmakerstore.

Please note that the studio is constantly being updated, so the appearance of windows and other details may differ from this example. Most of the lessons on the site now use version 2.3. On October 25, 2017, version 3.0 was released, in which a lot has changed. In this article I tried to replace all the pictures with the new version.

Java is used as the programming language for Android. XML is used to create the user interface.

Here we should make a small digression. Android Studio 3.0 adds full support for the new Kotlin language, developed by Kotans. Google has announced its plans to make the new "cat" language the main one. But you must understand that a huge number of examples have been written in Java over the previous years. If you are new to programming, then it is better to completely focus on Java during the first period of training; it will be easier for you to find answers to questions. Kotlin will not escape you, it will be easier to switch to it later, but the reverse process will be more difficult. When you get a little familiar with Java, you can simultaneously study examples in Kotlin. Google is now actively rewriting the documentation for Kotlin, but the complete transition is still far away, even less than 50%. A little later I will also do lessons using Kotlin, but this will not be soon.

According to a tradition established in the last century, every programmer had to write “Hello World!” (Hello World!) as the first program. Times are changing, and the Hello World! is already built into the Android development environment for compatibility purposes, and modern programmers must write a program Hello Kitty!(Hello, pussy!). Agree that greeting a kitten makes more common sense than saying hello to any other world.

Therefore, we will divide the problem into two parts. First, let's run the finished program without writing any code to make sure that all the tools are installed correctly and we can create and debug programs. And then we’ll write our first program.

Creating a new project

Launch Studio and select File | New | New Project.... A wizard dialog box will appear.

Field Application name- a friendly name for the application that will be displayed in the application title. By default you may already have My Application. Let's replace it with . Basically you could write here and Hello world!, but Android has a wonderful ability to output the desired strings on phones with different languages. Let’s say that an American’s phone will have an inscription in English, and a Russian’s will have an inscription in Russian. Therefore, the initial settings always use English variants, and prepare localized strings later. It is necessary to immediately develop the habit of correct code.

Field Company Domain serves to indicate your site. By default, your name as the computer user may appear there. If you have a website, you can enter its address, or come up with some name. The entered name is remembered and will be automatically substituted in the next new projects. Savings, however.

Third field Project location allows you to select a disk location for the created project. You can create a separate folder on your disk for your projects and store your programs in it. The studio remembers the last folder and will automatically suggest saving in it. If necessary, you can set a different location for an individual project using the three-dot button.

Field Package name generates a special Java package based on your name from the previous field. Java uses an inverted version for naming packages, so it goes first ru, and then the name of the site. The package serves to uniquely identify your application when you distribute it. If a hundred people write a hundred applications with the name "Cat", then it will be unclear where the application written by the developer Vasily Kotov is. And the application with the package name ru.vaskakotov.cat easier to find. Please note that Google uses the package in its documentation com.example for demonstration purposes. If you simply copy examples from the documentation and try to post them in this form on Google Play, then nothing will work - this name is reserved and prohibited for use in the application store. Button Edit allows you to edit the prepared version. For example, you are writing a custom application and you need to use the package name approved by the customer, and not your default.

Below are two options for writing programs in C++ and Kotlin. We are not considering these options yet. When you write in Kotlin, check the appropriate box. However, you can convert the project from Java to Kotlin and later using studio tools.

Click on the button Next and move on to the next window. Here we select the types of devices for which we will develop our application. In most cases, we will write for smartphones and tablets, so we leave the checkbox next to the first item. You can also write apps for Android TV, Android Wear, Android Auto and Android Things.

In addition to selecting the type of device, you must select the minimum version of the system under which the application will work. Choose your option. At the moment, Google supports versions starting with API 7, releasing special compatibility libraries for older devices. But you can choose a more modern option. I have a phone with a minimum version of Android 4.4, so I'm setting this option.

java

Folder java contains three subfolders - working and for tests. The working folder has the name of your package and contains the class files. Now there is one class MainActivity. You can leave the test folders alone. If you know how packages work in Java, you can create new folders and subfolders.

res

Folder res contains resource files divided into separate subfolders.

• drawable- graphic resources are stored in these folders - pictures and xml files describing colors and shapes.
• layout- this folder contains xml files that describe the appearance of forms and various form elements. After creating the project there is already a file there activity_main.xml, which is responsible for the appearance of the main application window.
• mipmap- application icons for different screen resolutions are stored here
• values- string resources, color resources, themes, styles and dimensions that we can use in our project are located here. Here you can see the files colors.xml, strings.xml, styles.xml. In old projects there was also a file dimensions.xml, it has now been abandoned

Over time, you will be able to navigate these folders freely, as long as you don’t bother yourself.

Working with the project - Hello, World!

As already mentioned, the program Hello, World! is already built into any new project, so you don't even need to write anything. You just need to launch the project and get a ready-made program!

To study you need to open two files - MainActivity(most likely it is already open) and activity_main.xml (res/layout) in the central part of the Studio. If the files are not open, then open them yourself by double-clicking to edit (or view). In this way you can open any file you need.

Let’s not study the code for now, but just click on the green triangle Run(Shift+F10) on the toolbar at the top of the studio to launch the application.

If you haven't configured the emulator, it means you haven't read the previous tutorial. Set up the emulator first and run the project again. Or connect a real device.

If everything was done correctly, your program will load in the emulator or on the device. Congratulations!

So, if the program has started, you will see an application window with the inscription. The title of the program will also be . All these lines can be found in the file res/values/strings.xml and edit if desired.

Now let's look at the code. Let's study first activity_main.xml.

You can watch it in two modes - Design And Text.

Open in mode Text.

This is a new template code that was released in Android Studio 2.3 in March 2017. Previously, a different code was used with RelativeLayout(and even earlier, another code with LinearLayout). If you come across old examples, the studio has a context menu that will help you convert the old code into new one.

A little about XML code. There is a special container ConstraintLayout, which contains the component TextView, intended for text output.

Now let's look at the Java code ( MainActivity.java)

Package ru.alexanderklimov.helloworld; import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity; import android.os.Bundle; public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity ( @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) ( super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); ) )

You have a class file open in front of you, where the class name is MainActivity matches the file name with the extension java(this is a rule set by the Java language). The first line contains the name of the package - we specified it when creating the project ( Package Name). Next are the lines for importing the necessary classes for the project. To save space, they are collapsed into one group. Unfold it. If one day you see that the class names are grayed out, then they are not used in the project (hint Unused import statement) and you can safely delete the extra lines. They can also be deleted automatically (configurable).

Next comes the declaration of the class itself, which is inherited ( extends) from an abstract class Activity. This is the base class for all application screens. It is possible that you will have AppCompatActivity, if when creating the project you left support for old devices (checkbox Backwards Compatibilty (App Compat)). Old versions did not have the goodies that appeared after Android 4, so a special compatibility library was created for them, which allows you to use new items from new versions of Android in old programs. Class AppCompatActivity This is exactly what the compatibility library is about. Consider her a poor relative of the base Activity. It has all the necessary methods and helper classes, but the names may vary slightly. And you can't mix names. If you are using a class from the compatibility library, then take the appropriate methods.

At different stages, different activity class names were used, which you may encounter in older projects. For example, it was first used FragmentActivity, then ActionBarActivity, and on April 22, 2015, a new version of the compatibility library was released and a new class is currently used AppCompatActivity.

In the class itself we see a method onCreate()– it is called when the application creates and displays activity markup. The method is marked as protected and is accompanied by annotation @Override(overridden from base class). The summary may be useful to you. If you make a typo in a method name, the compiler can warn you that the parent class does not have such a method Activity.

Let's look at the method code.

Line super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); is a constructor of the parent class that performs the necessary operations for the activity to work. You don't have to touch this line, leave it unchanged.

Second line setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); is of greater interest. Method setContentView(int) includes content from a markup file. As an argument we specify the file name without extension from the folder res/layout. By default, the project creates a file in it activity_main.xml. You can rename the file or create your own file with the name cat.xml and connect it to your activity. Then the code will look like this:

SetContentView(R.layout.cat);

To keep your code neat, try to adhere to standards. If you are creating markup for an activity, use the prefix activity_ for the file name. For example, the markup for the second activity could be named activity_second.xml.

Google's Android operating system is ideal for developers who want to create applications for mobile phones without having to go through Apple's complex approval processes each time.

This guide aims to educate you on the necessary software and tools that will help you get started developing your own app easily.

It doesn't matter how good you are at programming, because if you can master the Android software development kit (SDK), your apps will turn out great. So, check out the resources below to get started.

Java Development Kit

The first thing you will need to start developing java applications (the basis of Android applications) is the Java Development Kit (JDK) from Oracle, which can be downloaded from the following link.

You've probably already downloaded and installed the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in some form, which is needed to run applets on your computer. You need to uninstall the JRE version that is currently installed on your computer in case it conflicts with the JDK version that you are downloading. Luckily, the above version includes the latest and greatest version of the JRE, which is sure to be compatible with the JDK, eliminating the need to reinstall it.

Download and run the installer, make sure that 'Development Tools', 'Source Code' and 'Public JRE' are included in the installation in the manual installation window (can be seen below). Click 'Next', read the terms of the license agreement if you have enough free time, and proceed with the installation.

Although most integrated development environment (IDE) applications—we'll talk more about this in the next step—come with their own compiler, I recommend that you embed the newly installed Java compiler into the command line so that you can use it on demand.

If you are using Windows, go to System Settings from Control Panel and select Advanced System Settings. Here select ‘Environment Variables’ and find the ‘Path’ variable. Add a let to file as a 'bin' directory before your Java installation, as shown in the example below.

To check if everything was successful, use the commands 'java -version' and 'javac -version'. You should see something like the following:

Installing the IDE

Integrated development environments are often used by seasonal developers and newbies who want to develop applications. For those who don't know, an IDE is an application that helps programmers write code by providing a condensed set of tools like debuggers, compilers, and more.

Although there are many IDEs available on the internet, here we will use the free Eclipse software as Google provides a plugin to integrate it with the Android SDK. You can download the required version of Eclipse.

This may vary from case to case, but when I downloaded the resource, the software was provided as a zip archive that contained an ‘eclipse.exe’ file that you could get started with without any installation. If your version requires installation, then do it yourself, since there are no special requirements or settings. When you first launch it, the software will ask you to specify the ‘Workbench’ where your codes and related files are located. Please indicate a location that is convenient for you.

Once completed, you will be presented with the following:

If you want to get a little familiar with Eclipse before you start, open the Help window and look through the Workbench User Guide. You can also see the Development User Guide here, which will help you learn basic Java skills if you are not yet familiar with the language.

Download Android SDK

Follow this link and click ‘Get the SDK’. On the next page you will be given a link to install the Android SDK on your computer.

Once the download of the executable file is complete, start the installation. When you reach the window below, specify the path to the directory where you want to install, or remember the one that is already specified.

When the installation is complete, open Android SDK Manager, and then you will see the following window:

Click the button to install any required packages and resources that were not included in the original installation.

Install the Android Development Tools plugin

As noted above, Google offers a special Android SDK plugin for Eclipse that can be added directly from the IDE.

In Eclipse, go to 'Help' and select 'Install New Software'. Click the ‘Add’ button and you will then be taken to a window that will allow you to add an online software repository containing the ADT plugin. Give a descriptive title, and enter the following URL in the ‘Location’ block:

• http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse

Click 'OK'. Select the newly added repository and check the ‘Developer Tools’ checkbox.

Click ‘Next’ and go through the steps to install the plugin files. Once completed, the following 2 icons should appear in your Eclipse Control Panel:

Now go to 'Window' and 'Preferences', select the 'Android' section and make sure that the SDK Location matches the SDK directory you specified earlier. As a result, you should get the following:

You are now the owner of the Android Development Tools plugin.

Setting up an Android emulator

While this helps, you don't actually need to have every model of Android device on hand to create apps for them, as Google provides us with a great emulator of its own mobile OS along with an SDK. Before starting development, it is advisable for us to configure the Android Virtual Device (AVD) so that the testing platform is ready in advance.

Now we need to create a new virtual device. This example assumes the creation of a general device, but there are also resources for specific settings for Android devices. Select ‘New’ and you will be presented with an empty window like the one below:

• Name: If you want to test the application on multiple device settings, then you will need to enter something descriptive. On the other hand, a more general name can also be used.
• Target: This is the version of Android that the emulator will target. In most cases, your option will be the latest version of Android, which comes with the SDK you install. However, if you want to test on earlier versions (which would be quite wise, given there are so many different versions and models), then use the SDK manager to install additional versions.
• SD card: Indicator of additional storage space to be used in the device. By default, the virtual device has 194 megabytes of “internal” memory and an SD card, so you will need to manually specify the required amount of disk space.
• Skin: You can use this option to set the appearance and configurations of a specific device (HTC One X, for example). But in our case we use the standard value.
• Hardware: Since there are significant differences in hardware among physical Android devices, you can use this option to add any hardware that will be used by your application.

When finished, the AVD Manager window should include your newly created device. You can click ‘Start’ to start this device, just be aware that the first startup may take some time.

Your first Android project

Now that you have equipped your computer with all the necessary applications and plugins, you can start developing code. But first we need to prepare the project files.

To get started, go to 'File', 'New', 'Project' and open the Android tab. Select ‘Android Application Project’ there, and the following window will open in front of you:

You can use the drop-down menus next to each field to select the appropriate value. The main thing to consider is the ‘Application Name’, which is responsible for the name of our application during installation, as well as the ‘Minimum Required SDK’, with which you indicate the earliest version of Android that supports your application.

Click 'Next' to continue and set an executable icon to be the face of your application. The next menu will ask you to create an ‘Activity’ for your application.

This is the action or view that the user will interact with, so the most logical thing to do is to divide your application into activities in terms of which windows the user will see and what functionality will be available in each of them. So, if you are, for example, creating a simple "Hello World" program, then you will only need one active window that represents the text, and all the interface settings are pulled from the resource files that the SDK creates.

When you have decided on these windows, click ‘Finish’. Eclipse will gather all the files needed for the application together into which you will write code and/or change settings to specify the parameters of your program.

And that's all! Everything is ready to assemble the finished application. You can find comprehensive tutorials on Google on how to develop Android apps (for those with programming experience). Anyone looking to get into Java programming should also first read tutorials like the one provided by Oracle.