Android Programming for Beginners

Learn the Java and Android skills you need to start developing powerful mobile applications with the help of actionable steps

Key Features

• •  Kick-start your Android programming career or just have fun publishing apps to the Google Play marketplace
• •  Get a first principles introduction to using Java and Android and prepare to start building your own apps from scratch
• •  Learn by example by building four real-world apps and dozens of mini apps

Book Description

Do you want to make a career in programming but don’t know where to start? Do you have a great idea for an app but don’t know how to make it a reality? Or are you worried that you’ll have to learn Java programming to become an Android developer? Look no further! This new and expanded third edition of Android Programming for Beginners will be your guide to creating Android applications from scratch.

The book starts by introducing you to all the fundamental concepts of programming in an Android context, from the basics of Java to working with the Android API. You’ll learn with the help of examples that use up-to-date API classes and are created within Android Studio, the official Android development environment that helps supercharge your mobile application development process. After a crash course on the key programming concepts, you’ll explore Android programming and get to grips with creating applications with a professional-standard UI using fragments and storing user data with SQLite. This Android Java book also shows you how you can make your apps multilingual, draw on the screen with a finger, and work with graphics, sound, and animations.
 

By the end of this Android programming book, you’ll be ready to start building your own custom applications in Android and Java.

What you will learn

• •  Understand the fundamentals of coding in Java for Android
• •  Install and set up your Android development environment
• •  Build functional user interfaces with the Android Studio visual designer
• •  Add user interaction, data captures, sound, and animation to your apps
• •  Manage your apps’ data using the built-in Android SQLite database
• •  Explore the design patterns used by professionals to build top-grade applications
• •  Build real-world Android applications that you can deploy to the Google Play marketplace

Who this book is for

This Android book is for you if you are completely new to Java, Android, or programming and want to get started with Android app development. If you have experience of using Java on Android, this book will serve as a refresher to help you advance your knowledge and make progress through the early projects covered in the book.

Table of Contents

1. 1. Beginning Android and Java
2. 2. First Contact: Java, XML, and the UI Designer
3. 3. Exploring Android Studio and the Project Structure
4. 4. Getting Started with Layouts and Material Design
5. 5. Beautiful Layouts with CardView and ScrollView
6. 6. The Android Lifecycle
7. 7. Java Variables, Operators and Expressions
8. 8. Java Decisions and Loops
9. 9. Learning Java Methods
10. 10. Object-Oriented Programming
11. 11. More Object-Oriented Programming
12. 12. The Stack, the Heap, and the Garbage Collector
13. 13. Anonymous Classes – Bringing Android Widgets to Life
14. 14. Android Dialog Windows
15. 15. Arrays, Maps, and Random Numbers
16. 16. Adapters and Recyclers
17. 17. Data Persistence and Sharing
18. 18. Localization
19. 19. Animations and Interpolations
20. 20. Drawing Graphics
21. 21. Threads and Starting the Live Drawing App
22. 22. Particle Systems and Handling Screen Touches
     

(N.B. Please use the Look Inside option to see further chapters)