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Introduction to Android App Development
Updated Dec 2024

If you have a cell phone or tablet you probably have downloaded and installed a free Android app. At Google Play Store and Amazon, the two largest distributors of free android apps, you can easily find and download apps on just about any topic or niche.

You can also make your own Android Application (app) for yourself, your business, or just to share on social networks. If you have a Blog or Website; you can provide a link for users to download it from your website. And, you can upload your newly made app to the App Stores; like GooglePlay and Amazon. There are many smaller app distribution markets as well, but Google and Amazon, are the most popular places where surfers go to find new android apps and where developers distribute both paid and free apps.

How To Develop Your App

There are 2 distinct but similar ways to create an App for Android: You can use your desktop computer for coding your Android apps, or use an android app installed (on your tablet or smartphone). Developing an App on either you can use the same coding language; either Java XML or Java C++.

For the novice, Java and XML would be the easiest language to learn as opposed to learning to code with the Java C+ language. At our tutorials, we use Java XML programming language to develop Android Apps with a mobile IDE, like AIDE. And, if you use a Desktop IDE, you still use the same coding language, Java/XML. The most popular desktop IDE for Android is Android Studio.

Choose A Development Environment (IDE)

The desktop environment uses SDK(software development kit), a suite of libraries and tools to develop apps for Android with Android Studio (latest- previous was Eclipse) to create Android Apps. To create on your desktop, you need to download and install Android Studio. It is free to use, and they have tutorials for learning to code with Android Studio. Android Studio also includes an emulator which lets you test an app designed and targeted for mobile, like Android, including the various Android platform versions. This lets you know how your app will function across a variety of phones and versions before you publish it to the app stores or make it available on websites or social media.

You can also develop mobile game apps using Android Studio. To do so, you must install the Libgdx framework interface that works with Android Studio. By using them both together, you can learn to develop and create Android game apps. More on this at our game app intro article go here

Rather than coding on your desktop with Android Studio,(or in addition to) you can also use a mobile compiler(IDE), like AIDE, as mentioned, that includes a coding editor. Since AIDE is an app, and it's already on your Android cell phone or tablet, testing the app is as simple as building and running/installing the app code. You cannot however, test it across several android platforms, unless of course, you happen to have several new and not as new cell phones or tablets on hand. I usually test my new apps on a cell phone and a tablet, having screen sizes of 5.8 to 8 inch. Android Studio could provide a plus on this and again, would depend on what platform or api you want to target or perhaps just to test against a new platform feature. The thing with Android is: you can code for a latest platform feature if you are on a android device that supports the platform version of that feature.

To code with a mobile IDE, you must use a coding editor and compiler, usually they are combined together, known as an IDE; which means integrated development environment. The IDE most often includes the coding editor(add and edit your code), the compiler(runs your code), and an Error checking feature, Code recommendation feature, along with other features, depending on the specific IDE, and or the type of programming you are using. Java is one such well known developer programming language used to make Android apps, and this is the code we use to make our Android Tutorials.

I began my mobile coding for Android apps many years ago, and at the time, the only mobile IDE, I could find was AIDE, which was at the Google Play store.

AIDE was mostly free with in-app purchases, and over the years, I used the free version mostly, but eventually upgraded to the paid version to rid the nag screen from the free version. However, AIDE(premium key version) has been removed from the Google Play store 2024, and it seems all programmers are optimistic the developers of AIDE are planning to continue its RUN. (no pun intended)
I figured they are updating AIDE, with a newly updated version of the paid app,(hoping there is one). Unfortunate, because it is a really nice APP for mobile coding, with lots of useful features, not to mention I have been coding with it for years. Most of these tutorials were developed on my smartphones(android platforms 4- to 11) with AIDE. You can still find AIDE online, the free version, and download and install it. Learn more about using the free version of AIDE at this link Download - Install AIDE, free version, for Android Apps and Android Game Apps Dev: What To Know

So, for those of you that have installed AIDE, you can use it with our code examples, and our tutorials are also quite compatible with Android Studio, which is the desktop SDK for Android App development. You can take the code from AIDE and plunk it into the Android Studio (java/xml), and take your code from Android Studio and plunk it into AIDE. The code will work in either, just select java/xml as your coding language in Android Studio. AIDE is already pre set to use java/xml. Also, AIDE and Android Studio, have easy to use templates, for Android App creation, including a mobile game app. You can learn more about this as you complete our tutorials, either for game dev tutorials, or non game dev tutorials. The only difference when creating your template app in AIDE, is that you will select mobile game when you want to create a template for a mobile game app.
Learning from our Android Java/XML tutorials; you can easily learn the most basic aspects of developing Android mobile apps and Android mobile game apps.

Coding Knowledge

Having any previous coding knowledge is definitely helpful; but not necessary for learning to develop Android Apps in Java XML, or Android Game Apps with Libgdx. I had no previous knowledge of Java/XML or any coding language other than basic HTML, prior to learning to build android apps with Java/XML. Knowing how to get around the AIDE coding editor and the file hierachy is something you need to know, and you will learn about them in each tutorial we complete as well as the intro tutorial, either for game dev or non game dev.

Free App vs Paid App

There are basically three types of apps you can create: a free app, a free app with in app paid purchases, or a paid app. If you want to sell your app on the Android App Market places, you do need to specify what type of app you have.
On some Markets like Google Play, you cannot change the app once it goes live(is published); example, a paid app cannot become a free one - you would need to submit a brand new app and make it a free app. And, you would loose all your ratings as well, so best to make sure what type of app you want to develop from the get-go, especially at Google Playstore.
Most common is Free apps with in app purchasing and advertising. This way, more people will download your app and you can make some money from including in-app purchases and in-app advertising.

Modulizing Your App

Many developers modulize their apps - making several apps covering the same theme or topic. This not only keeps their app sizes to the recommended MB, but also provides a way to effectively market their apps as well.

Testing Your App

Before you can distribute your Android App to any Market Place, you need to test it to make sure it works. You need only run your app on your tablet or smartphone, if it builds and installs, then it works.
Once you know it's installed (it works), you can then submit it the Market Places.

There are an estimated 100+ markets(websites), where you can submit your mobile apps. Some are more popular than others, and they all have their own submission guidelines.

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In summary.... Our Android Tutorials are for developers who want to learn Android Mobile Programming Language; click here, the basics of coding an Android app, with Android Java XML.
And, for those who want to learn mobile game development with Android - Libgdx - go here. Learning either of these: mobile android, or mobile android for game dev; uses a mobile IDE like AIDE. AIDE's free version has basic functionality, but you can still code with it. Learn more about AIDE at this link coding with AIDE for game apps android dev; what to know, and for learning to code non game Android mobile apps go here

Our tutorials are compatible with AIDE(mobile coding) and Android Studio(desktop coding), and any IDE(SDK) that supports Java/xml coding language.
Each tutorial has detailed code examples you can copy and paste into AIDE or Android Studio, as you develop your app. All required images for the tutorials are included.
Continue to the Next Page 'Coding Mobile Android Apps'
About Our Tutorials - Learning Curve

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Launching Your App, How To Be Successful

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