Build a Simple Android App
This project covers the very basics of Android development. We will build a simple app that will serve up some fun facts when you tap on a button. We introduce the Java programming language, a tool for Android development called Android Studio, and some very basic concepts of the Android Software Development Kit, or SDK. By the end you will have a good idea of how a basic app works, and you will be armed with the knowledge to start building more.
Getting Started with Android
Making an Android app is easier than you think, and we’ll show you how! Learn how to set up and use a few free tools to make a simple Fun Facts app that you can test on your computer. You don’t even need an Android phone!
Introducing Android and Java – 1:28
Java Variables Explained – 2:01
A Brief Introduction to Android Tools – 3:26
Setting Up an Android Development Environment for Mac – 1:32
Setting Up an Android Development Environment for Windows – 7:01
Setting Up an Android Development Environment for Linux – 5:21
Creating the Fun Facts Project – 6:01
Running the Fun Facts Project – 7:48
Creating the Screen Layout
Before we start writing any code, let’s create the simple screen layout we will use to display our fun facts.
Getting to Know Our Tools – 7:32
Editing a Layout File – 4:40
Adding a TextView – 3:19
Adding a Button – 3:33
Setting Colors – 4:33
Setting Padding – 2:34
Using a Fullscreen Theme – 3:33
Basic Android Programming
Android apps are typically written in a programming language called Java. Let’s take a deeper look at the Java concepts we need to make our button do something.
Introduction to Methods and Classes – 5:59
Accessing Views in Code – 6:54
Making a Button Do Something – 4:47
Adding the onClick() Method – 3:24
Empty Strings – 2:38
Introduction to Java Objects – 2:27
Generating a Random Number – 5:28
Coding the Fun Facts
Everything is set for us to add the fun facts to our app. In this stage we’ll update the button to pick a new fact and change the color.
Using Conditionals (if Statements) – 4:36
Using Conditionals (else Statements) – 4:08
Introduction to Arrays – 3:53
Properties of Arrays – 3:14
Improving Our Code
In this stage we will take a moment to “refactor” our code, which means we’ll change a few things and organize it a little better without changing how it works. Then we’ll add a new class to help us change the background color for each fact.
Simple Refactoring: Creating a Class – 5:58
Simple Refactoring: Using a Class – 6:08
Dynamically Changing the Background Color – 3:13
Adding More Colors – 7:19
Adding an App Icon – 2:45
Testing and Debugging
We can’t always see what’s going on behind the scenes of our app, so in this stage we’ll learn how to use a few tools to monitor how the Fun Facts app is working and to troubleshoot problems. We’ll also see how to run it on a real phone.
Toast Notifications – 5:20
The Android Log – 7:25
Debugging with DDMS – 6:20
Running the App on a Device – 4:04