Introduction to Android Build your first app

Introduction to Android Build your first app

Mobile Application Development: Introduction to Android

Introduction to Android:

1. What is Android?
2. Why develop apps for Android?
3. Android versions
4. The challenges of Android app development

1. What is Android?

Android is an operating device and programming platform developed by Google for mobile phones and other mobile gadgets, such as tablets. It can run on many distinct devices from many different manufacturers. Android includes a software development kit (SDK) that facilitates us write authentic code and bring together software program modules to create apps for Android users. Android also provides a marketplace to distribute apps. All together, Android represents an ecosystem for mobile application.

2. Why develop apps for Android?

Developers create apps for a variety of reasons. They may need to address business requirements or build new services or businesses, or they may want to offer games and other types of content for users. Developers pick out to develop for Android in order to reach the majority of mobile device users.

The key reason to develop apps for Android

1. A most popular platform for mobile apps
2. Best experience for app users
3. It's easy to develop apps
4. Many distribution options

1.  A most popular platform for mobile apps

Android is the world largest and most popular platform every day million user start using android for the first time, it is used by more than 190 countries around the world.

2. Best experience for app users

Android presents a touchscreen user interface (UI) for interacting with apps. Android's UI is mainly based on direct manipulation. People use contact gestures including swiping, tapping and pinching to govern on-screen objects. In addition to the keyboard, there's a customizable on-screen keyboard for text input. Android can also support game controllers and full-size keyboards connected by Bluetooth or USB.

3. It's easy to develop apps

It's easy to develop an android app because Google offers an integrated development environment (IDE) called Android Studio.

To develop the app we use Java or C++ program and to develop UI we use Extensible Markup Language (XML).

Android provides a rich development architecture.

4. Many distribution options

We can distribute our Android app in many different ways: email, website, or an app marketplace such as Google Play. Android users download billions of apps and games from the Google Play store.

3. Android versions

Code name	Version number	Initial release date	API level
N/A	1.0	23 September 2008	1
N/A	1.1	9 February 2009	2
Cupcake	1.5	27 April 2009	3
Donut	1.6	15 September 2009	4
Eclair	2.0 – 2.1	26 October 2009	5–7
Froyo	2.2 – 2.2.3	20 May 2010	8
Gingerbread	2.3 – 2.3.7	6 December 2010	9–10
Honeycomb	3.0 – 3.2.6	22 February 2011	11–13
Ice Cream Sandwich	4.0 – 4.0.4	18 October 2011	14–15
Jelly Bean	4.1 – 4.3.1	9 July 2012	16–18
KitKat	4.4 – 4.4.4	31 October 2013	19–20
Lollipop	5.0 – 5.1.1	12 November 2014	21–22
Marshmallow	6.0 – 6.0.1	5 October 2015	23
Nougat	7.0	22 August 2016	24
Oreo	8.0	August 21, 2017	26

4. The challenges of Android app development

following are the challenges of android development

1. Building for a multiscreen world
2. Getting performance right
3. Keeping your code and your users more secure
4. Making sure your app is compatible with older platform versions
5. Understanding the market and the user