How To Begin Developing Applications for Android | The Communication Blog

Thursday, January 24, 2013

How To Begin Developing Applications for Android

By Erika Smith-Jones


Google created the Android OS so anybody together with the proper skills can create software programs to run on an Android smartphone or tablet. Google's method of building smartphones is basically opposite to Apple Inc, who prefer control over the software that folks can put on their iPhones. The open nature of Android means that you can literally build anything you want and people may download and install the software. Numerous developers have jumped ship from iPhone apps to creating software for the Android because of the flexibility it offers them.

When you develop an app for the iPhone then it's passed to a reviewer who ascertains if your application meets certain criteria to be sold on iTunes or if it is appropriate for the app store. Many apps don't get published due to Apple's censorship procedures. In addition, research firm, NDP Group said 50 % of all smartphone purchases are for Android smartphones. By the end of 2010 some Thirty two million handsets were running the Android OS. Not suprisingly everyone is looking at how to build Android applications.

Android applications are developed in Java. An individual will want to know this language or use a developer who does. The next task is to download and install the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) from Google. The SDK contains classes, libraries, examples and an interface to test your brand-new Android program. You should also download the Google APIs Add-On extension, which includes libraries specific to Google's many different web services.

You'll normally model the interface in Adobe Illustrator and save in vector format. Then again, it's advisable to use a good designer to make the UI. The libraries in the SDK also have some standard vector artwork which you can use when creating an Android app. Should your application generates info which should be saved and referenced later like a weight loss tracker where you input your weight and track trends with a chart over time you will need to hold the data in a SQLite database. You will additionally need to create the necessary code to create, insert, delete and retrieve data from the database.

Taking your completed application from your computer to your Android phone is a touch tad complex because it must be converted, compiled and then deployed. Android works with a system known as Dalvik Virtual Machine. Your Java Class files must be converted to .dex files by using a tool known as DX. Once this is successfully done it must be packaged in to an .apk (Android Package) file using something referred to as the Android Asset Packing Tool. Only if this is successfully done can the application be installed on an Android smartphone.

Luckily you will find vast libraries of openly available code on the Android developers website and on third party websites which provide lessons on how to get cracking developing your first Android application.




About the Author:



The Communication Blog
Bookmark and Share

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

The Communication Blog Copyright © 2009