Create your own application. Choosing a programming environment

The operating system, called Android, is relatively new. In this regard, we can say that its capabilities have not been fully studied, and not all users “respect” it. But it should still be noted that the speed of this operating system makes it possible to save time and resources. On a mobile device running such a shell, you can do almost everything that can be done on a regular computer.

How to create an application for Android. Main stages

Programming, which is available in the country, can provide a fairly large amount of useful knowledge. Mastering the basics of the system is quite easy. Let's look at the main stages of programming and learn how to create the necessary application for Android.

The first step is to install and configure the IDE for the operating system. This is the main thing to do for users who want to learn the basics of programming through the use of the Android platform. You need to take a few simple steps before creating an Android application.

A few simple steps

Find the platform that fully meets your requirements and download it. After the program is downloaded, install it. It should be noted that will not work if
You need to download the Eclipse Classic application by selecting a specific platform. For example, Windows 64-bit. For better performance of the program, the Android Development Tools plugin is installed in it. To do this, you need to run the utility, open the Help menu and click on Install New Software. After this, a window will open in which you will need to click on the Add button. Then another window will appear in which you will need to enter a name in the line with the name. In the Location item you will need to specify a link to the resource where the required plugin is located. When the window is closed, Developer Tools will appear on the screen. Check the box opposite and click the “Next” button. When the next window opens, feel free to click “Next” without making any changes. After installing the plugin, click on the Finish button. For activation to occur, restart the program.
Download the Android SDK program and, if necessary, update to the latest version.

The next step towards creating

The second step in finding the answer to the question of how to create an application for Android is to create an application that will help with programming. At this stage, several conditions will need to be met.

How can you test the performance of your application?

Have you figured out how to create an Android application and achieved this goal? Now let's check it. In order to test the created application, you should use a virtual smartphone called Android Virtual Device. It will help you display the operation of your application in a visual form on various models of mobile devices.

Using software tools to create an application

What other applications can you use to create an Android application from scratch? Today, there are a huge number of different utilities that will help you achieve your goal. Many of them have a simple, intuitive interface. We should take a closer look at the main programs that are most popular among users developing applications for their operating system.

You just need to have imagination

Are you interested in creating an Android application, but do you think that it requires a good knowledge of programming languages? Everything is not as scary as it might seem at first glance.

The main thing you will need is the ability to assemble virtual construction sets. By using specialized services, which will be described below, you can independently go through such a process as creating an application for Android. In this case, knowledge of programming languages is not required. You just need to assemble it, guided by your imagination, needs and talent.

Free program that allows you to design an application

The Ibuildapp program is rightfully considered an excellent tool that will help you create interesting applications for Android. In order to start working in this program, you do not need to study programming languages or read specialized literature in search of any knowledge. The service has a Russian-language version, which greatly simplifies working with such software. In addition, it is completely free to use. To do this, you only need to select the appropriate operating mode. Thanks to this utility, it is possible to create a variety of interesting applications for Android and publish them on the appropriate resource called Google Play. It is worth noting that there is also a paid mode, but first it is better to understand the free version, and only then switch to the paid one.

We implement our plans using a well-known utility

Another popular application is a utility called Appsgeyser. This is a free tool that will help you create an Android application yourself. The functional part of this software consists of only one task - to “hardwire” any resource into the application. This is a kind of converter of network portal content into a program, and if the user has his own network resources that need to be transferred to applications for Android phones, then this tool is the best choice.

Thanks to the applications created, it is possible to earn money. To do this, use two methods: sell your development or build advertising into it. Are you into cinema and have a mobile device running Android? An application for a film can be made without much difficulty using such a program. In addition, you can create a utility not only from any resource, but also from a video blog.

Intuitive interface - we work with pleasure

A tool called Thappbuilder can help you quickly create an application for the Android operating system without spending a lot of effort and time. As in the above programs, all functionality will be available in free mode, which is good news for many users. The interface of the utility does not contain anything complicated, it is intuitive, so working with the service will be convenient and enjoyable for users of mobile systems running Android.

An application for movie, pictures, music, etc. can be easily created using the templates provided by the program. They can be altered to suit your taste. It should be noted that the utility may please users with the ability to work in design mode.

The Russian version will simplify your work

The Appsmakerstore program also has a fairly simple and intuitive interface. It allows you to create your own application with a few clicks of the mouse. One of the main advantages of the application is that the program can be adapted for six versions of platforms. Agree, impressive? You can easily and simply create the desired application for Android. The Russian language, into which the names of all tools and tabs are translated, will only help you in designing. The Russian-language version can be provided to users completely free of charge. The utility can use all the tools that are built in here. One difference from the paid version is the lack of full-time technical support.

That's all the basic programs that will help you create an application for the Android operating system. We wish you good luck in using them!

Do you have an idea to create a mobile application, but you doubt whether you have enough knowledge and skills to create it? Even if you don't know anything about creating mobile apps, you can still create one and even make money from it.

Idea

Work on creating an application begins with an idea. First, think about who you want to make the application for. For example, if you live in a big city where there are a lot of tourists, then you can think about creating an application for them. There are a lot of options.

Also, think about your hobbies and interests. Let's say you travel frequently and want to visit the most famous clubs around the world. You've made a list of your favorite places. Why not turn this database into a travel app?

Many well-known apps are not centered around specific interests, but the ones that always rank in the top three are games. You've probably already downloaded Temple Run, Minecraft to your smartphone. Gaming apps tend to make more money because users are more willing to pay for them, especially if they are very popular among your friends.

Don't be discouraged if you find something similar to your idea when searching through the App Store. Learn to think outside the box. For example, there are several apps that provide information and maps about all the most popular tourist spots in Moscow. But there is an application that provides information about unusual places in the city that not everyone knows about.

Try to come up with an idea that has few competitors. But if you are determined to turn your idea into an app despite the competition, take a look at your competitors and try to figure out what you can do to make your app better than theirs.

Here are some important points to consider as you think about your application:

Monetization options

Before you start developing an application, you need to decide how you will make money from it. There are several main ways to monetize applications:

Free application. Typically used by large companies, the app helps sell their products or services.
Free application with advertising. Used in popular applications that actively interact with the user
Paid application. The most popular and profitable type of monetization. Apple takes a 30% commission on every sale of your app.
Lite and Pro. The Lite app is free, but with a limited set of features. By purchasing Pro you will unlock all functionality
In-app purchases - you can sell new functionality or new game levels directly from the app

Development

Now you have an idea. Great, that's already half the battle! But what now? We assume that you, like most people, have no programming experience. And that's great! There are tons of options.

If you want to take the easy but more expensive route, then check out mobile app developer sites. The AppBooker website allows you to enter your platform, country, and budget, and it will then return a list of developers that meet your needs. Once you select a developer, you can see a list of their clients and the types of applications they specialize in.

A good list of domestic developers can be found here – ratingruneta.

Another option to find a developer is to contact flinaser exchanges. It may even be cheaper, but more risky, since you may encounter an unscrupulous employee.

Here are some questions to ask your future developer:

What is the cost of their work?

Who have they worked for in the past?

Are their applications successful?

Will I have all rights to the application?

Do they have the experience and knowledge to bring your idea to life?

What platforms (IOS, Android, etc.) can they create applications for?

Development cost

As they say, to make money you must first spend it. This is not entirely true when it comes to mobile applications, but we will return to this below. For now, let's assume that you decide to order an application from the developer.

Depending on the type of application you want to make, the price can range from $500 to $100,000. This price may seem very high, but it is worth keeping in mind that the profit from a successful application covers the costs several times. In addition, gaming applications are the most expensive to develop and are also bestsellers.

If you already have some work in place (like layout and graphics), you can reduce the price significantly. Another way to reduce costs is to offer the developer a share of the profit from the application.

To find out approximately how much it will cost to develop an application, you can use the howmuchtomakeanapp calculator. It was created by the Canadian company ooomf.com. The resulting price can be safely divided by 2, and you will find out the price of development from us. You can also look at examples of applications they have already created with prices - crew.co.

Placing a ready-made application on the App store will cost you $99.9 per year. Placing an application on the Android Market costs $25.

How to create an application for free

If you do not want to create a game or some kind of application unique in its functions, then you can easily use special online mobile application designers. Using these sites you can make a simple application for free without any programming knowledge. But if you want something special, you will have to switch to a paid plan.

How much can you earn?

Obviously, the money you make from your app will largely depend on its popularity, and how much you'll make is hard to say.

A study conducted by GigaOM Pro found that more than half of their 352 developers surveyed earned less than $500 per month.

This certainly isn't enough to live off of the app's earnings alone, but it's great if you just want to make a little extra money.

Of course, you can make another hit like Angry Birds that will earn you $100,000 a month!

In order to make good money on your application, read a few tips:

your application should be interesting to a wide audience
Explore the most popular apps on the market

Votes: 1153 Average rating: 3.3

Greetings, dear fans of the Android operating system. In today’s article I will try to cover as fully as possible a very interesting topic - a selection of tools for creating your own application (online) for gadgets based on the popular Android operating system.

With the development of mobile technologies, the market for mobile applications is also developing, including the market for mobile applications for the Android OS. If previously only an advanced programmer with thick glasses who had completed five years of university study could make an application, now this opportunity is available to anyone, completely unfamiliar with programming languages, and also without disconnecting from the Internet, i.e. online.

In the collection you will find four tools that will allow you to create an application - quickly and easily. All the proposed tools are similar to construction kits, you have to assemble your first application from various ready-made components, you can create an application in the same way as you assemble a Lego constructor.

All instruments were selected according to the following criteria:

Ease of use. Since such a tool will be used mainly by people unfamiliar with programming and complex elements, the main emphasis in this small selection was placed on the convenience and ease of use of the proposed tools;
Intuitive interface. This point and condition logically follows from the previous one. In addition to the fact that the interface of the tool for creating applications for the Android OS (Android) should be simple, it should also be intuitive;
Possibilities. The more different things a tool “can” do, the better. Essentially, all the presented applications have the same set of tools, with minor differences and changes.

So, let’s write, let’s start making the application (the entire application can be created online), below you can familiarize yourself with the selection of software products and choose the most convenient and functional tool for yourself.

TheAppBuilder

A good tool for creating applications. Undoubtedly, the good news is that you can use this tool absolutely free. The downside is that this software product does not support the Russian language, but if you studied English at school, at least a little, then there should be no problems using TheAppBuilder. Of all the features of this software product, I would like to note the following::

Large selection of templates for creating your Android applications. If you want to make a simple program, then from the proposed template options you can easily select the one you need;
The ability to view detailed statistics on the application you created;
Simple and clear publication of the application you created on Google Play.

AppsGeyser

Another good, high-quality tool that deserves close attention. As I said above, to create )) you don’t need to be able to program for Android; everything in this program is so simple that you can create an application for your project in a few minutes, simply by assembling it from the parts of the “constructor”. Below you can familiarize yourself with the capabilities of the proposed tool.:

A large archive of templates on various topics: restaurants, pizzerias, photo studios, holidays, sports, radio, cargo transportation and many, many other templates. You just need to select the appropriate one and start editing it to suit your needs;
Built-in tools for promoting your new application. Sometimes, to promote and promote your new application you need to spend a lot of effort and time, built-in promotion tools in the builder can make your task easier;
The ability to connect your program to an advertising network, so you can earn money from the applications you create.

AppsMakerstore

A very simple tool for creating programs for your Android operating system. The main advantage of this application is that you can create an application for six different mobile operating systems in one go. Other advantages of this tool include the following::

Ability to work with the designer online;
It is possible to register a free account;
A large archive of templates for your Android application; you can write the necessary application in two clicks.

That's all for today. I hope that you have chosen the right tool for yourself and know how to make your first application. We also write our opinion in the comments to this material.

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 on Google Play in this form, you will fail - 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.

Great. But where to start? What language should I learn? From what sources? And where to apply the acquired basic skills? Our article will help you get answers to these questions.

Each language and framework has its own complexities and nuances, advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at the main languages for writing Android applications.

Java

The official programming language supported by the Android Studio development environment. According to the annual Stackoverflow survey, in 2018 Java was among the top five most popular programming languages.

The first step to mastering Java is to install Android Studio. This is a type of software called IDE - Integrated Development Environment, or built-in development environment. Android Studio comes with Android SDK - a set of tools for Android development and everything you need for a reliable start.

Most of Google's official documentation refers to Java, and it's not difficult to find paid and free libraries and tutorials - there are a great many of them.

The main reasons to use PhoneGap for application development at Live Typing were:

reducing the time and cost of developing an application for several platforms at once (an application for obtaining a subscription to city sports institutions);
the ability to use the client’s existing website and its fragments (application for payment for services and online purchases).

Conclusion

In general, applications for Android can be created in almost any popular language - there are frameworks and utilities for everything. However, if you want to become a professional Android developer, use all the capabilities of the operating system and have access to the latest Android features, then Java or Kotlin will be your faithful companions. Even if these languages are unfamiliar to you and seem complicated, they are worth learning to write rich, beautiful, and functional applications for the Android operating system.

And you need to start getting acquainted with the theoretical side of Android development from our article, in which we collected.