How to develop Android Apps in 2022

Are you a business that seeks to adapt itself to the existing scenario, a novice aspiring to be an android app developer, or an android app developer aiming to develop the next groundbreaking app?

Whichever category you fall into, one thing is for sure you are at the right place! All you need is $25, a stellar app, and you are good to go. Given you take care of a few things. Not to fret, we will dive into them shortly.

There are many good reasons to develop android apps. Social media apps are an antidote to boredom! Educational apps are an elixir against ignorance. Beauty apps step in when you want to pamper yourself. Late workers find solace in food delivery apps. It only shows how humans need apps for every aspect of their lives.

What is an Android App?

Applications or apps are computer programs to carry out tasks other than those related to the operation of the computer itself. Apps can be categorized into Android and iOS depending on the platform they were built in. iOS apps usually run on Objective-C/swift, whereas Android apps run on Java or Kotlin. Besides the coding language, there are many other distinctions between these two app categories. These distinctions play a vital role in selecting the medium of app development. Today, the app market is full of Android apps since they allow developers to experiment a lot and keep rolling out upgrades. The Android app market hosts many apps, ranging from educational to beauty-related ones. 

Why build Android Apps?

1. No one likes to invest time, money, and other resources in building an app only to get little to no exposure. It is not present in the case of Android development since Android apps have a larger pool of customers than their counterpart, the iOS. More than 70% of mobile devices run on Android, which means more reach for your app.
2. Cheap, easy, and free things attract bevy customers like honey attracts a swarm of bees. Stardust Testing found in its research that the average Android app costs less than half of an average iOS app.
3. Third-party apps can easily be downloaded to an Android device, and paid android apps are usually cheaper than their counterparts, the iOS (The Google Play store hosts 3,076,761 free apps). Angry Birds and Tetris are two popular apps that users need to pay for on iOS but are freely available on Android devices.
4. It takes a day or two to publish a bug-free and smoothly running update on the Apple App Store. If the app runs into rejection, it takes one week or even longer. Whereas the Google Play Store reviews apps quicker, it generally happens within a day or even a few hours. It allows you to add functions and features to your apps, which increases user satisfaction and experience.
5. It takes just a day to approve and publish android apps. Since it is easier to publish android apps, many app developers opt for android app development.
6. Social media apps developed using Android can be integrated well into business apps in addition to a good level of security. It means many business apps can have access to social media apps; this whole thing enhances user experience.
7. Android apps have more room for innovation. More innovation means more customers leading to higher sales. 
8. Android apps have a higher return on investment.
9. Downloads are possible even from third-party marketplaces.
10. Android apps are not only versatile but also scalable. 

There are many reasons to go for android app development, few of them are presented to you here.

What do you require for Android App Development?

1. Either Java or Kotlin- These are two popular languages to write android apps. Java beats a plethora of languages that are available for the same. One can find most of the resources in Java. Kotlin is a modern language, thus easy to use. Google recommends you use Kotlin.
2. XML- It helps create interactive as well as customizable pages. XML makes information portable.
3. Android SDK- This makes sure that android app development goes hassle-free and provides tools required to make android apps.
4. Android Studio-It is designed for Android development and is the official IDE for the Android operating system.
5. APIs- It helps two applications communicate with each other. An instance of APIs is when you are at some websites and then see the option to log in using XYZ.
6. Databases- If your app deals with data or you choose to handle data in your android app, you need to have a database. It is paramount to sync data between local storage and a remote database. You can’t store all the data on your end user’s device.
7. Appealing UI/UX design: To be easy on the eyes, you should carefully design the looks of your android apps. It has the potential to make or break your app.
8. Android Debug Bridge- It is a debugging tool present in the Tools Package in the Android SDK Platform.
9. Join communities to forge long-lasting connections with people who already are in this field.
10. You need to spend $25 to register yourself as an android app developer. Besides this, you require an APK(Android Package Kit) and submit it to the Android mobile application development platform.
11. Last but not least, a compelling idea that stands out from the crowd.

What to remember before venturing into Android App Development?

 Idea! The idea needs to be new and innovative. Add the element of uniqueness to it if it is already in the market. The pandemic has opened the market to many users since consumer behavior has changed drastically. People now love to do things online that they did offline before the pandemic hit the world.

A few ideas for android apps:

1. Find yourself stranded somewhere with an empty tank? Zilch worries, an on-demand fuel-delivery app can come to the rescue of you. Just one tap is all it takes to get fuel delivered to you. WeFuel, Purple, Booster Fuel are a few popular on-demand fuel delivery apps.
2. In these trying times when life is uncertain, do you know what is more uncertain than that? Food. You can develop a food donation app for restaurants. They can use it to reach out to charities and donate the excess food left. Food Cowboy and Flashfood are two notable apps in this category.
3. Who hates a lousy Internet connection while carrying out something that holds immense importance? EVERYONE! Internet speed checker apps can help you know the speed and the amount of data used. Monitoring network connections has never been easier. You can make the likes of Meteor and Speedtest.
4. A simple game of LUDO made the world go gaga a few years ago. You can also develop one on your own that is creative enough to grab eyeballs. Did you know Ludo King had 600+ Million Downloads?

Some extra tips to make it BIG.

For businesses

• You can offer a paid version of your android app with more features.
• Book your namespace well in advance.
• So what, even if your app is free? You can make use of advertisements, rewarded videos, banner ads.
• You can go for in-app purchases.
• Research what people are complaining about and find a solution for that.
• You can go to a professional who can make an android app for you, thus saving you unnecessary wastage of resources.
• Never forget to market your product well.
• Know your target audience well before venturing into app-making.

For Android App Developers

• Employ Development Tools and Frameworks.
• Stick to Android Design Guidelines.
• Fast and Responsive UI.
• Embrace Cloud Technology.
• Focus on users’ security.
• Keep up with emerging trends.
• Test your app thoroughly.

There is more for the novice!

Even if you are a novice, we have something for you. Android app development is child’s play. Practice makes the man perfect. So practice until you attain the Midas touch.

Here, we have a few tips for you and a small tutorial to create an android app.

Take care of the following:

• Available Java courses. Snag them and attain knowledge.
• Learn Kotlin since it is simpler to use.
• Use Android studio. It is easier to convert code snippets from one language into another.
• Join communities to make connections.
• Work on projects to stand out from the crowd in interviews.
• Books are our best friends. Refer to them instead of the Internet.
• Make yourself familiar with the files on Android studio.
• Download all the essential tools for Android App Development.
• Always try to look for errors and bugs.

How to create your first android app (for beginners)

1. Install android studio.
2.  Click on “Create New Project” on the pop-up window.
3. If you already have a project in use, select File > New > New Project.
4. In the Select, a Project Template window, select Empty Activity and click Next.
5. In the Configure your project window, enter the name of your app in the Name field. Let the name be Grocery. Enter “com.example.grocery” in the Package name field. You can choose where you want to save your android apps.
6. Select either Java or Kotlin from the Language drop-down menu.  ( Select the lowest version of Android you want your app to support in the Minimum SDK field.  If your app will require legacy library support, mark the Use legacy android.support libraries checkbox. Leave the other options as they are.)
7. Click Finish. (After some processing time, the Android Studio main window appears.)
8. Take a quick scan of important files.
9.  Be sure the Project window is open, and the Android view is selected from the drop-down list at the top of that window. You can then see the following files:
10. app > java > com.example.grocery > MainActivityThis is the main activity and entry point for your android app. 
11. app > res > layout > activity_main.xml
12. This XML file defines the layout for the activity’s user interface (UI). It contains a TextView element with the text “Hello, World!”
13. app > manifests > AndroidManifest.xml
14. The manifest file describes the fundamental characteristics of the app and defines each of its components.
15. Gradle Scripts > build.gradle
16. There are two files with this name: one for the project, “Project: Grocery,” and one for the app module, “Module: Grocery.app.” Each module has its build. Gradle file, but this project currently has just one module. Use each module’s build. Gradle file to control how the Gradle plugin builds your app. 

Conclusion

Android apps allow app developers to experiment freely; offer room for innovation. Besides this, rolling out android app upgrades is simpler than iOS app upgrades. It just needs one day to get android apps published, where the same task is difficult in the case of iOS apps.

With Android apps on the rise, it is wise to buck up and churn apps that you can milk. If you are interested in getting an android app for your business, get in touch with AppsRhino today!