Sam Key - Android Programming in a Day! The Power Guide for Beginners In Android App Programming

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, Introduction to Android Programming in a Day The Power Guide for Beginners in Android App Programming.

This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to get started with Android app development.

This book will focus on preparing you with the fun and tiring world of Android app development. Take note that this book will teach you basic Android app programming and designing. Android development is a huge subject to tackle. And learning everything about it in just one slim book is nigh impossible. Nevertheless, using this book as a foundation of your journey in Android app development is crucial.

On the other hand, this book will mostly revolve around the familiarization of the Java programming, XML writing, Android operating system, Android SDK, Eclipse IDE, and Android Studio.

Why not focus on programming immediately? Unfortunately, the biggest reason many aspiring Android developers stop on learning this craft is due to the lack of wisdom on the tools and skills they need to make Android app development easier.

Sure, you can also make apps using other languages like Python and other IDEs on the market. However, you can expect that using those is much more difficult than learning what Google has recommended. As of now, Google recommends using the newest Android Studio and Android SDK to develop Android apps. Back then, Google and most Android app developers recommend using Eclipse and ADTs (Android Development Tools.

On a different note, you can use some online tools to develop your Android app for you. But wheres the fun in that? You will not learn if you use such tools. Although it does not mean that you should completely stay away from that option.

Anyway, the book will be split into two parts. The first part will prepare you and tell you the things you need before you develop apps and familiarize you with the skills and tools you need to develop Android apps. The second part will teach you in-depth knowledge about the Android operating system and Android apps.

Also, this book will be sprinkled with tidbits about the basic concepts of Android app development, as well as various aspects from the program structure to navigation. As you read along, you will have a concrete idea on what to do next.

Thanks again for downloading this book. I hope you enjoy it!

Part I: Preparations for Android App Development

Chapter 1: Introduction to Android

As you might already know, Android is an operating system for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This operating system is based on Linux, which in turn is based on UNIX. It shares minor similarities to Apples iOS due to the fact that iOS is another UNIX-inspired operating system.

Mobile device application development has become easier with Android. Before, smartphone application development was difficult since most phones only used their respective firmware to operate. On the other hand, some ran on different types of operating systems.

With Android, developers can just create software for it and expect that their creations can run on all devices that use this operating system. By the way, the Open Handset Alliance created Android. The Open Handset Alliance is composed of Google and some other companies.

The first version of Android, which is Android 1.0, was launched in September 2008. Before that, the beta SDK (Software Development Kit) for Android was released in 2007. As of now, the latest version of Android is Android 5.0 Lollipop.

If you want to go in depth with Android, you can check its source code. Fiddling with Android's source code is okay, since it is free and open source. Android is under Apache License and GNU general Public License.

Android Features

Of course, for you to have a powerful application, you should know the capability of Android. Take note that some older versions of Android may not have some of the features mentioned here. On the other hand, some of the features may not be available in certain mobile devices.

• Support Multiple Connectivity Types: WiMAX, GSM, EDGE, CDMA, IDEN, EV-DO, Bluetooth, LTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, UMTC
• Wi-Fi Direct
• Storage Type: SQLite (a relational database commonly used everywhere)
• Messaging: MMS and SMS
• Media File Type Support: H.264, H.263, AMR, MPEG0-4, AMR-WB, HE-AAC, AAC, MP3, AAC 5.1, MIDI, WAV, OGG Vorbis, BMP, PNG, GIF, JPEG
• Built in Web Browser: Supports CSS3. HTML5, and JavaScript
• Other Features: Multi Touch, Multi Language, Widgets, GCM, Wi-Fi Direct, Android Beam

Android application development requires basic knowledge of the Java language. In case that you are not familiar with Java, it is best that you step away from this book and learn that first. However, with basic knowledge of computer programming, you can get away without Java experience or expertise. Nevertheless, expect that you will face a very steep learning curve.

When you finish developing a program in Android, you can easily run it in your emulator or smartphone. In case that you have created a useful app, you can easily upload and share or sell it on Amazon's Appstore or Google Play.

Android application development is one of the most profitable ventures in the programming development industry. As of now, Android exists on millions of mobile devices and smart appliances in the world. Truth be told, it has already outnumbered the number of computers installed with Microsoft Windows. It is also not an exaggeration that, almost every day, a million of Android powered devices are activated.

In this book, you will learn how to create and package your own Android application. It will provide you with a step-by-step tutorial on preparing yourself and your computer for app development. And of course, the book will be sprinkled with some pro tips that can get you going in the programming industry fast.

Chapter 2: The Architecture of the Android Operating System

An Android operating system, regardless of version number, is composed of five software components. They are the Linux kernel, libraries, Android runtime, application framework, and applications. In case that you are familiar with operating systems, Android is based on Linux, which is also based on UNIX.

As an FYI, iOS is based on OS X, which is another operating system based on UNIX. Technically, you can consider iOS and Android as cousins.