Considering Android app development? Discover the advantages of Android and learn about key resources that can help you improve results.

• Tap into extensive APIs to overcome mobile device limitations
• Incorporate services that enhance the user experience and increase runtime efficiency
• Access free resources to accelerate android development and improve results

Thinking of developing a new Android app? You are in good company. Since its launch in 2003 as an open source project based on the Android kernel, Android has become the most popular mobile operating system in the world. Android currently runs on more than two billion devices worldwide, and developers have released nearly four million apps. Many major manufacturers use Android in their phones, including HTC, Huawei, Lenovo, LG, Samsung and Sony.

Android Fundamentals

• Android Programming Languages:- Android programming is basically done in two languages, JAVA or C and XML (Extension Markup Language). Currently, KOTLIN is also preferred. An XML file manages the design, presentation, layout, layout, etc. (front-end), while JAVA or KOTLIN manages the usage of buttons, variables, storage, etc. (back-end).
• Android Components Application components are the building blocks of Android. Each component has its own role and life cycle, ie. from the release of the application to its completion. Some of these components are also dependent on others. Each component has a specific purpose. The four main components of the application are:
• Activities
• Services
• Broadcast Receivers
• Content Provider

Features of Android

Android is a powerful open-source operating system that open-source provides immense features and some of these are listed below.

• Android Open Source Project so we can customize the OS based on our requirements.
• Android supports different types of connectivity for GSM, CDMA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. for telephonic conversation or data transfer.
• Using wifi technology we can pair with other devices while playing games or using other applications.
• It contains multiple APIs to support location-tracking services such as GPS.
• We can manage all data storage-related activities by using the file manager.
• It contains a wide range of media supports like AVI, MKV, FLV, MPEG4, etc. to play or record a variety of audio/video.
• It also supports different image formats like JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, MP3, etc.
• It supports multimedia hardware control to perform playback or recording using a camera and microphone.
• Android has an integrated open-source WebKit layout-based web browser to support User Interfaces like HTML5, and CSS3.
• Android supports multi-tasking means we can run multiple applications at a time and can switch between them.
• It provides support for virtual reality or 2D/3D Graphics.

Programming Languages used in Developing Android Applications

• Java
• Kotlin

Google prefers Android app development using Kotlin because Kotlin has become the official language in Android development, developed and maintained by JetBrains. Java used to be considered the official language for Android development. Kotlin is officially in Android development at Google I/O 2017.

Advantages of Android Development

• The Android is an open-source Operating system and hence possesses a vast community for support. The design of the Android Application has guidelines from Google, which becomes easier for developers to produce more intuitive user applications.
• Fragmentation gives more power to Android Applications. This means the application can run two activities on a single screen.
• Releasing the Android application in the Google play store is easier when it is compared to other platforms.

Disadvantages of Android Development

• Fragmentation offers a very intuitive approach to the user experience, but it has some disadvantages, due to which the development team needs time to adapt to the different screen sizes of mobile phones in the market and to take advantage of certain functions of the application.
• The Android devices might vary broadly. So the testing of the application becomes more difficult.
• As the development and testing consume more time, the cost of the application may increase, depending on the application’s complexity and features.

Learning Android app development may seem like a daunting task, but it can open up opportunities. You can create the next "breakthrough app" that changes the way we work or interact with each other. Maybe you're developing a tool that you can use yourself to improve your workflow. Or maybe you just pick up a new skill that will land you a great job!