Knowing how to build Android applications can help you enter a competitive world while reaching more clients and users across various Google devices. There are currently 1.5 million+ Android apps on Google Play, with 1.4+ million Android apps being free versions using in-app purchases for monetisation.
Use our step-by-step guide to create an Android app with a minimal budget or use free development tools that require hardly any programming skills. Android app developers who deliver the best apps can program code in popular languages, but you can develop a simple app using our comprehensive guide.
What You Need to Build the First Android App
Here are a few tools developers use for Android app development, some of which you’ll use in our guide:
- Android Emulator: A program to test Android apps and emulate functions.
- Android Studio: The Android SDK is an AI-powered development environment.
- Java Development Kit: A development environment using Java.
- Jetpack Compose: An Android app development toolkit for the user interface.
- Kotlin / JavaScript: Only necessary for developers with programming experience.
How to Create an Android App From Scratch
Developing Android apps is an exciting opportunity to get your products and services to the relevant device users. Android development needn’t be a hassle when using the right tools like Android Studio. Here’s how to create Android apps using Android Studio, even apps for Hello World.
Step 1: Do Some Research
Do some Android market and user research before building the first Android application. Define the broader audience for the first app, watch some online tutorials for developing a new project, and discover the screen sizes for the most popular Android devices.
Create new apps that appeal to a specific market and meet user expectations using a requirements analysis for software development. Understand what users want, and meet market demands. Watch the YouTube tutorial designed by Android developers and endorsed by Android developer guidelines.
Step 2: Set up the Android App Development Environment
Download and install Android Studio, an integrated development environment (IDE) that provides the tools to create Hello World and other Google Play Android apps. Download the original Android Studio, and use the recommended installer to install the AI-powered coding assistant for Android apps.
Run the Android Studio setup wizard to download the standard components required for Android development. Alternatively, set up the SDK or IDE from the Java development kit if you have more experience with programming and using Java, Swift, JavaScript, and other languages.
Step 3: Create an Android Studio Project
Create a new Android Studio project on the dashboard under the quick start menu. Name the Android project using Hello World or other relevant names for the new project. Add the company domain after the Hello World name, which can include the business name for the new Android project.
Tick the phone and tablet box to ensure that the new project considers screen sizes for different devices. Check the SDK level set to ensure it’s below the device level you’ll use to test the Android app. Also, tick the Kotlin or Swift boxes to access coding support for the language.
Step 4: Add a Welcome Message and Basic Functionality
Use the “add activity menu” in the Android Studio Window to add basics like a new activity page, new features, widgets, a text box, or other basic functionalities. Start with an empty activity and add a welcome message before choosing to configure a text box, features, and other basics.
Click and drag the Hello World name and domain name from the upper left corner before opening the values folder from the project file system. Double-click the strings.xml file in the values folder, and find the “Hello World” line. Add a personal welcome message after the “Hello World” line of code.
Navigate to the design tab to add basics like user-friendly features. For example, use the properties menu while ensuring the button icon is still highlighted before selecting a text box that changes “new button” to “next page.” Drag the widgets to the board, and click finish when complete with activity one.
Step 5: Refine the Layout and Images
The reason many engineers install Android Studio is that it welcomes the fun additions of user-friendly buttons from the design toolbar. Browse the selections to optimise the first activity or page of an app. Import images that will make the device screen seem fun, intuitive, and brand-relevant.
Go back into a complete activity to review the layout and add pictures you can import from the device you’re working with, whether it’s a Mac or Windows device. Scroll to the design view to see how the activities or data connect on the Android Studio program or use Jetpack Compose to alter the design.
Step 6: Add Another Activity Page
Android development requires an engineer to build multiple activities, even for the first Android application. Scroll to add a new activity, change its name, and click finish. Proceed through steps 4-5 again to design the layout and features of each activity, and add as many activities as necessary.
Step 7: Run the App on an Android Emulator
Click the green play symbol at the top right of the Android Studio window to test Android apps and features through the Android view. Launch the emulator when the instruction appears, and the Android app will appear on a virtual smartphone to see how it looks and assess its functionality.
Click on buttons, change pages, and determine whether the layout, features, and fun elements work. Check whether any toolbar operates as expected on the design view in the phone emulator. Thoroughly consider how all elements blend and connect before you click finish.
Build Scalable and Custom Apps With Trusted Android Developers
Developing Android apps with a custom software development company ensures you don’t need to install Android Studio or understand any file type on the dropdown menu. Instead, you can access bespoke Android app development solutions tailored to your business needs.
Developing Android apps with our expert teams allows your product to be among those of our best clients. None of our case studies include the development of mediocre Android apps using low-code development environments. Transform a simple Android Studio project into bespoke excellence.
Become highly competitive among the millions of Android apps in the store, and stand out with unique features that respond well to every Android device. Let us build your first Android app using the latest technologies. Contact us today to ensure excellence, competitiveness, and bespoke features.
Android App Development Conclusion
Android development is simple if you’re not a programmer, but using Android Studio to develop an app for an Android device requires some basic knowledge about data and code. The AI-powered assistant will write the language for you, but the fun and intuitive activity elements can be challenging for non-programmers. Set yourself up for success by using professional Android app development services.
Android App Development FAQs
How can I build an Android app for tablets and phones?
You can develop an Android app that responds well on phones and other devices by understanding the different screen sizes for the most popular phones and tablets among users. Build a different design for each screen size for all devices running on Android using our wireframes for mobile app development guide. Alternatively, use responsive mobile app development to adapt to different screens.
How can I build a hybrid Android app for Android and iOS?
Building a hybrid or cross-platform app can be complicated without coding skills and technology expertise. However, hybrid app development services can ensure applications work on iOS, Mac, Windows, and Android platforms. Alternatively, the more affordable and faster option is cross-platform development for iOS and Android using React Native, Flutter, or Ionic for responsive designs.
How can I create a native app for Google?
Various services allow users without programming skills to install programs that guide the entire project with tutorials. A program like Android Studio will help you create a native app for Android devices, streamlining the development process when you don’t know how to write code or have the budget to pay for professional Android app development services.
How can I develop an Android app for free?
Some app builders allow people without coding skills to build new apps for free and provide tutorials for many common project types that suit different devices and screens. These programs have some limitations but work for someone on a tight budget. Here’s a list of Android app builders:
- App Institute offers analytics, design tools, and social media integration for cross-platforms
- Appy Pie is an app maker with simple templates for a 3-step app creation process
- App Machine transforms website content into an app using design tools
- Good Barber takes a few hours to build progressive apps or native apps for cross-platform
- Wix is famous for websites but engineering gadgets now allow the creation of apps
