What is Android? 

The Android ecosystem is an open-source, Linux-based mobile operating system for smartphones and tablet computers. It was created by the Open Handset Alliance, led by Google and other companies. As a result, the Android OS has the most installed base of any mobile platform. It powers hundreds of millions of devices in over 190 countries worldwide. It captured approximately 71.8% of the global market share at the end of 2022, and this trend is growing by the day.

Android History 

Android started in 2003 when Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White co-founded Android Inc. However, the company was later faced with a lack of funds, which prompted Google to enter the picture. Google announced that it recognized the product's potential and agreed to pay $50 million to acquire Android in 2005. Each co-founder quickly relocated to the Googleplex to continue developing the Android OS under their new owners. On November 5, 2007, the first public Beta Version 1.0 of this operating system was released.

The HTC Dream, running Android 1.0, was the first to bring Android to the market. Since then, Google has released numerous Android versions with additional functionalities and new features. Some previous releases Apple Pie, Banana Bread, Cupcake, Donut, Éclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Jellybeans, Kitkat, Lollipop, marshmallow, Nougat, Oreo, and so on. Android 13 is the latest Android version that was released in 2022. This Android version features design modifications for bigger screens and small system stability enhancements.

Why Android?

The widespread use of smartphones encourages software developers to create customer-focused mobile applications to provide better services and attractive User Interfaces (UI). Android applications provide users with information, recreational activities, and other personal interests. As a result of advancements in software technology, software development firms are now offering a variety of mobile application services to their clients.

Because Android is an open-source operating system, it has a large support community. Furthermore, Google announced design guidelines for the Android application, making it easier for Android developers to create more intuitive user applications. In addition, compared to other platforms, releasing an Android application in the Google Play store is simpler.

With so many Android phones and tablets on the market, there are numerous opportunities to become an Android developer. Furthermore, because app development can be done on any computer, it can work from anywhere in the world. As an Android developer, you will also help shape society's future as it transitions to a more digital, technological world.

What Does an Android Developer Do? 

An Android developer creates software and applications for Android devices and the Google Play Store. In addition, they frequently work for large organizations or directly for an app development company.

An Android developer is responsible for many tasks, including creating and debugging the app after deployment. Android developers must keep various factors in mind while developing the app to make it more user-friendly and easier to use. They employ a variety of methods to accomplish this. Here are some of an Android developer's responsibilities:

• Create applications with an interactive UI.
• Create reusable, high-performance Android code.
• Fix bugs and other issues.
• Keep up to date on new development tools.
• Work with various APIs
• Consider the user's requirements when building applications.
• Ensure the application's best performance and quality.
• Managing Databases.

How to Become an Android Developer? 

Understand the Main Programming Languages

Becoming a software developer necessitates learning a programming language, and in the case of Android developers, two major programming languages are used: Java and Kotlin. Learning Kotlin is a good place to start because Google created it as a replacement for Java. It has a slew of features that make coding easier. Kotlin allows you to code with minimal coding errors and crashes. One of the reasons why Java programmers learn Kotlin is that, in addition to its extensive features, it is Java language compatible. You can use Kotlin code on Java and vice versa with Kotlin.

Learn the Android Application Lifecycle

Even if you've previously written desktop or web applications, it's critical to recognize that developing apps for mobile devices is a completely different experience. The operating system manages other applications and their priorities through a desktop application. It is up to you to code your Android project to handle external events.

For example, what happens if the phone rings in the middle of a resource-intensive animation? How does your application respond when it receives a text message? Understanding the Android application lifecycle will allow you to create applications that "play nice with others," giving users the best experience possible.

Learn the Android API

Though Android applications are written in Java, the Android API (application programming interface) expands the command set with entirely new packages. For example, Android packages (class groups) enable you to write code that controls everything from the onboard camera and audio recording feature to Bluetooth functionality and Wi-Fi access, among other things. Once you've mastered these packages, you'll be able to incorporate the hardware and features of Android devices into your mobile applications.

Master Android Development Tools

Every new Android developer should be aware of the most important tools for Android development and be familiar with how to use them. The first tool you should learn about is Android Studio, the official IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for creating Android apps. It includes an Android emulator using the Android Virtual Device feature. An Android emulator simulates Android devices on your computer, allowing you to test your application on various devices and Android API levels.

Another tool you'll need when developing Android apps is a Version Control System tool, preferably Git, which is used for developer collaboration, keeping track of changes in the codebase, and reverting to older versions when necessary.

Finally, you should be familiar with Gradle, a build automation tool included with Android Studio. Gradle is a tool for compiling, building, and publishing your Android project.

Start With Simple Projects

Contributing to open source is a good way to test your knowledge and practice when you have a basic understanding of the Android platform and common tools useful for developing an application. However, as a beginner, you should start small and gradually progress to larger projects.

On GitHub, you'll find a variety of projects that are generally open to the public. These projects can range from bug fixing to project review and everything in between. You can start by opening an issue and working on the project to hone your coding and app development skills.

Gain Experience

It is also critical to gain more experience to advance as an app developer. Find training and workshops in your area, or take online classes. If you are new to programming, another option for gaining experience is to look for an entry-level position or an internship.

Advantages of Android

Easy Integration

One advantage of Android applications is their ease of integration. Within the allocated budget, a wide range of networks can be covered.

There are numerous verticals, each with its own set of requirements. However, Android app development can easily meet all of your requirements.

Experts assist in all aspects of the business with simple integration services. It's all because Android apps are extremely simple to create if you have experts on your side. Experts continue their development process after receiving all necessary commands.

Experts assist in all aspects of the business with easy integration services. It's all because Android apps are extremely simple to create if you have experts. Moreover, with all the right commands, experts move ahead with their application development process making it much easier to integrate than other platforms.

Adaptable

Consumption is no longer limited to a single mobile device or browser. Instead, we all use a variety of browsers and mobile devices.

As a result, you may need to run an app on multiple browsers. Therefore, you should create an app that can perform across multiple platforms. In this case, you can get a lot of options with the help of android development.

Secure

Android is a secure platform that is based on Linux. The smooth platform aids in meeting all of the needs of businesses all over the world.

It enables experts to provide the best mobile app services while maximizing resource utilization. The majority of the time, an app contains an error or crashes. In this case, Android apps are regarded as the most secure platform. It has additional features built in that provides a secure platform. Moreover, Android aids in the protection of apps against malware and malicious functions.

Swift Deployment

An app has become a must-have for any business, whether a startup or a large corporation. At the moment, every business is using an app. They have become a valuable resource that can assist users in obtaining desired services.

As a result, an app is a good way for you to gain market control. The importance of android apps has grown as competition has increased. As a result, you should look for Best Android App Development Services to get the best services to build an app that allows you to scale your business needs.

Open Source

The biggest benefit of the Android app is that it is open-source. The open-source benefit reigns supreme in app development.

Moreover, if you want to expand your presence, nothing beats Android. Users and business owners can easily access the Android-powered app. As a result, it has become a popular choice among experts and business people.

Scalability

Android Studio has improved the adaptability and versatility of the operating system. Thus, Android apps are now compatible with upcoming innovations such as IoT, AR, VR, and the entire Android biological system. Mobile phones, tablets, wearables, and Android TVs are all examples. This is also a benefit of Android apps. Furthermore, the adaptability of the Android application platform enables Android developers to create dynamic portable applications that meet a variety of needs after they have been launched.

Installation of Android

Download Android Studio

To create Android 13 APIs and test your app with Android 13 behavior changes, you must first install the Android 13 SDK. The best way is to download and then install android studio from their official webpage.

Install the SDK 

Next, you can install the Android 13 SDK within Android Studio as follows:

• Click Tools > SDK Manager.
• In the SDK Platforms tab, select Android Tiramisu Preview.
• In the SDK Tools tab, select Android SDK Build-Tools 33.
• Click OK to install the SDK.

Components of Android

App components are the foundational elements of an Android app. Each component serves as an entry point for the system or a user to enter your app. Some components are dependent on others.

Android has four different types of app components:

1. Activities
2. Services
3. Broadcast receivers
4. Content providers

Each type serves a specific purpose and has its lifecycle, which governs how the component is created and destroyed. The four types of app components are described in the sections that follow.

Activities

The presentation layer of our applications is referred to as activities. Our application's UI is based on one or more Activity class extensions. Activities use Fragments and Views to set the layout, display the output, and respond to user actions. A subclass of the class Activity is used to implement an activity.

public class MainActivity extends Activity {
}

Services

Services are similar to our app's invisible employees. These components are responsible for updating your data sources and Activities, triggering Notifications, and broadcasting Intents. They also carry out some tasks when no applications are running. A service is a subclass of the class Service:

public class ServiceName extends Service {
}

Broadcast Receivers

Broadcast Receivers are called Intent listeners because they allow your application to listen for intents that match your specific matching criteria. They allow your applications to respond to any Intent that is received, making them ideal for developing event-driven applications.

Content Providers

Content Providers are used to manage and store application data and interact with databases. They are also responsible for data sharing outside of the application boundaries. The Content Providers exposed by one application can be configured to allow access from other applications.

A content provider must be a subclass of the ContentProvider class.

public class contentProviderName extends ContentProvider {
  public void onCreate(){}
}

Development Best Practices

Choose your App Architecture Wisely

The architecture specifies where the application's core functionality is performed and how that functionality interacts with other components, such as the database and the UI.

Numerous architectures are available, including MVC, MVP, MVVM, MVI, and Clean Architecture. If any of these architectures meet your project requirements and you, follow standard coding guidelines and keep your code clean, no architecture is bad.

Separate Your Reusable XML File (Hint Hint)

We have different layouts like ConstraintLayout, LinearLayout, RelativeLayout, FrameLayout, and CoordinatorLayout.

Although Android includes a number of widgets that provide small and reusable interactive elements, you may also need to reuse larger components that require a unique layout. You can embed another layout inside the current layout using the <include> and <merge> tags to reuse complete layouts efficiently.

Use Lint

The lint tool aids in detecting poorly structured code, which can impact the dependability and efficiency of your Android apps.

The command for MAC:

./gradlew lint

For Windows:

gradlew lint

Work Agile

Regarding mobile app development, Agile offers several advantages over the traditional waterfall. First, it promotes better collaboration between the development and customer teams, allowing for continuous and fruitful collaboration among all stakeholders.

Prioritize Security

Security is quickly becoming a differentiating factor among mobile app development service providers. The ability of modern apps to protect user privacy and data, particularly on a relatively open platform like Android, is being closely scrutinized. App security is a continuous process that begins during the development phase and evolves in tandem with, if not ahead of, cyber threats.

Using TLS traffic to ensure security during Android development is a good practice. If your app communicates with a web server that has a certificate issued by a well-known and trusted certificate authority (CA), make the following HTTPS request in Java:

URL url = new URL("https://www.google.com");
HttpsURLConnection urlConn = (HttpsURLConnection) url.openConnection();
urlConn.connect();
InputStream input = urlConn.getInputStream();