Android: Programming for Beginners

XXI Century. The era of digital technology and the Internet. The reality is becoming more and more confident virtual. Today almost every first resident of any developed country does not part with the smartphone. And if the part gives preference to the fashionable Iphone and the operating system of iOS, then most of them use devices on Android. After all, they are cheaper and the choice of applications is much richer. And to create such applications, you need specially trained people called programmers. What you need to know and be able to immerse yourself in Android programming?

Tools for development

Development requires special knowledge, as well as the availability of tools.

The first thing you need is a working laptop or desktop computer. Only it should not be very ancient. The choice in favor of the laptop is justified by the fact that you can study and practice in any convenient place.

In order to test the creation, you need a smartphone with the Android operating system. The version of the system should be at least the penultimate one. This is important because the speed of development of new gadgets and software is simply crazy, every day there are various updates, the application being developed should work equally well both on old and new devices. Programming Android applications requires constant monitoring of the latest news from the field of technology.

Installing the required software

Before you start development on your computer, you need to install drivers for your smartphone. This is if Windows is installed on your computer. Other systems do without special drivers. Search for them better on the official website of the device manufacturer. If in the programming process there are questions (and they will appear all the time), then you need access to the Internet. Development for Android is in the program "Android Studio". It is downloaded from the official site. Developed by Google.

Which sources to choose?

At training it is absolutely not necessary to read absolutely all sources of the information, to pass all courses and lessons from the World Wide Web and to look through all video. You need to be able to find the right and relevant information. Android programming is this: what was new a year ago, today is outdated. If the training is conducted under the guidance of a person, then this teacher should be a master of his craft. A bad programmer does not teach anything, after the time spent will have to be retrained again.

Which book should I choose? Well-proven book from the series Head First "Programming for Android". In it, in the form accessible to the beginner, the whole process is described. The authors chose not a boring and monotonous, but a humorous manner of presenting the material with a mass of interesting assignments.

Programming language

The main language in which applications are developed is Java. Therefore, you need to know it at least at the initial level, so that Android programming is easy. Without the knowledge of Java, nothing will come of it. This is one of the most popular programming languages around the world. It is much easier to learn than the C and C ++ languages. Java is strongly typed, and it will embody good manners of writing code. To learn this language, there is also a book from Head First. Programming for Android will master anyone. The main thing is that there should be motivation.

Motivation and ways of learning

You can start with 15 minutes a day. If it will be delayed, then gradually add 5 minutes. At first, there is no need for hours sitting at the computer. This can only be done by professionals. Yes, and the desire can be lost.

Programming is more interesting to do not alone. You can find people among friends. If there are none, then there is always the Internet. Social networks and forums will help you find like-minded people. And such a group of programming fans can later become a major international corporation.

At first you can look at someone else's code and try to understand it, make some changes. Source codes can always be found in free access. Then you can come up with an application for a friend or someone from your family and try to implement it. Even a fully functioning simple calculator, written by yourself, will please the beginner. Then you can complicate the task. The most important thing is to practice daily. The theory is good, but without practice, programmers do not become.

There is one good technique when studying: when passing a new topic, you should try to explain it to another person. If he understands, then the goal is achieved and the topic is mastered.

There may come a time when you want to quit Android programming. Difficulties are always, but do not be depressed. No need to chase the professionals, the main thing is that the classes are regular, and over time the level will necessarily improve, and the complexity will seem ridiculous. In the end, programming is very interesting and, as an addition, it is profitable and promising. In fact now even for functioning of a teapot it is necessary to write the program.