Have a great app idea, but don’t know where to start? Writing an Android app can be a daunting task, even if you know how to code. To help you on your way, we’ve created this simple overview guide to show the best way to start coding your first android app. If you stick to it, this guide should help you finish your first mobile app within little over a month. It won’t cover any specifics about coding but it will give you direction on where to find the necessary programs and knowledge to finish an android app.
The Basics of Android App Development
The first step to learning how to write your first android app is to learn Java. Java is an object-oriented language and it is the language that all android apps are written in. In terms of programming languages, it is one of the easier ones. Don’t know how to write Java? Don’t worry. Go to this website to start exercises that will train you to code Java from nothing. Practice and perform these as quickly as possible. If you’re dedicated, you should be able to finish all of them within a week. Since the Android Development Studio (where you’ll be eventually coding your apps) manages the user interface/UX coding for you, you can skip the Java tutorials on this website that deal with creating a GUI. It is important to note, that a lot of your future knowledge of Java will come from specific problems that you’ll get developing your app and you won’t necessarily learn them by studying this set of exercises. Instead, you’ll have to learn the value of a good Google search. Searching through Google will be your main source of problem solvers when it comes to actually writing your app. It is even a good idea to go through code repositories like Github to get snippets of code that solve similar problems as yours. These snippets of code can give you the boost that is necessary to start a project from nothing.
Using the Android Development Studio
With a solid base knowledge of Java, you should be ready to start using the Android development studio to start your very own first android app. Download the Android Studio and start the series of courses offered by Google to start learning how to use it. You can find the series of courses here. You might find it hard at first to get things running smoothly, but stick to it. The best way we’ve found start is to use the “Hello World” app the starts up by default in Android Studio and then simply add different components to it. Add a text box, a couple buttons, a list or two and then get them to do things. After a little bit, your simple “Hello World” app will start to get some form and function. Doing this enough will teach you the necessary know-how that is needed to create a custom app with its own problems. Then, using Google’s Android Studio training program, you can go on to learn how to create an Activity in an app. Doing a couple of hours of this a day, you should be fairly comfortable with the Android Studio within a week or a little more.
If you’re having trouble setting up Android Studio, here is a good video guide to get you started!
Starting Your First App
To start your first app, it is best to have a real problem that you want to solve, otherwise you’ll find it hard to get it finished. Your best motivation will be yourself. Of course, for your first app, the problem should be simple enough. It could even be as simple as a note-taking app (or a calculator if you’re feeling adventurous!). But, again, it is important to make the app into something that you would use.
Programming Your First Real App
Now you’re at the point that you can write the app that brought you here in the first place. However, unlike the simple app, you have just created, such as those used by spy cameras, you’ll probably run into a lot of problems that you won’t expect. It is here where knowing how and when to Google a solution to your problem will be important. Being able to do this will help you overcome your problems and issues much quicker. Again, however, it is important to write the kind of app that you like to use in the first place. Try to look on Github for easy solutions to the larger problems you might have that will require larger snippets of code.
And there you have it. The main thing throughout writing your first android app will be to be consistent and to work on it every day. You should start with a firm foundation of Java and make sure that you are comfortable with it before moving on to the Android Studio.
SAY CHEESE! My name is Mike and I love technology, software, and crypto. I grew up around my ‘nerdy’ engineering parents who’ve worked for high tech start-ups and aerospace companies. They’ve taught me everything I know, from destructing the latest phones to playing around with drones, writing lines of code and investing in cryptocurrencies. I take things apart, put them back together and add some (code). I breathe and live tech and can’t wait to teach you more!
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