Learning how to make an Android app isn’t easy.
If you want to build one from scratch you have to develop an understanding of code, which can make the app development process time-consuming.
The good news is there are plenty of resources available online that can help. These materials make it possible to learn how to create an Android app on your own.
If you’re dedicated, you can gain the essential skills in just a few months.
In this article, we guide you through the app creation process. We’ve included links to the most helpful resources available for learning to code and learning Android development.
Table of Contents
- 1 Do You Need to Learn to Code?
- 2 Getting Started with Your Next Android App
- 3 What Is Java?
- 4 What about Kotlin?
- 5 Learning Android Development
- 5.1 The Essential Android Development Tool: Android Studio
- 5.2 Where to Find Help and Support on Your Android App Building Journey
- 5.3 Resilience Is the Key to Creating Apps
- 6 Want to Create an Android App Without Learning to Code? AppInstitute Can Help
Image: Denny Muller/Unsplash
Do You Need to Learn to Code?
First, you need to learn to code if you want to create an app from scratch. If you don’t want to learn to code, you can use an app builder to create one based on a template.
In the first section of this article, we’ll focus on how you can learn the basics required to code your first app.
At the end, we’ll show you how you can create an Android app using AppInstitute’s drag and drop platform.
With our app builder, you can create an app in just a few hours. It’s the perfect choice for people who don’t have the time to learn a programming language needed to code.
Getting Started with Your Next Android App
There are two steps to learning how to create an Android app from scratch.
- You need to learn the language used to code mobile apps.
- Then you need to learn how to use this information to build an app.
Android apps are built using Java or Kotlin. While Kotlin is the official Android studio language, we’re going to focus on learning Java as it is more widely used.
We go into further detail about why we made this choice later in the article.
What Is Java?
Java is a general-purpose programming language used to create software on a variety of platforms.
It’s one of the most popular programming languages, so by learning it you’ll gain valuable app development skill.
You can use Java to build:
- Android apps for the Google Play Store
- Web applications
- Windows desktop apps
- Linux desktop apps
- Mac desktop apps
There are plenty of online courses that teach you the basics of Java.
We like those provided by Coursera and Treehouse as they both start with a basic Java course before teaching you more about building an Android app.
This adds structure to the learning process and keeps pushing you towards your goal of building a mobile app.
- Treehouse’s Beginning Android program starts with a Java Basics course that teaches you how to code in Java. It then goes on to teach the basics of Android app development. By the end of the course, you’ll know how to create simple mobile apps.
- Coursera has a highly rated Android App Development Specialization Course provided by Vanderbilt University. It’s designed for people with no prior knowledge and goes through the various stages of learning how to create an Android app—starting with learning Java.
Image: Christopher Gower/Unsplash
The downside is that you have to pay for both these courses. However, there are some free resources you can use to learn Java. Here are a few of them:
- Udemy has a free Java tutorial course with over 16 hours of video. It has a 4.3 star rating, and over 1 million people have signed up to the course to learn how to code.
- CodeAcademy has a beginner’s introduction to Java which you can try for free.
- Stanford University’s Programming Methodology Course teaches Java, although it looks a little dated.
What about Kotlin?
In 2017, Google changed the official language for building Android apps to Kotlin. This is a new programming language that is described as a more streamlined version of Java.
This raises the question of whether someone who wants to create an Android app should forget about learning Java and study Kotlin instead.
Most current advice suggests that if you are a complete beginner you should stick to Java because it is a more established language.
Image: Louis Tsia/Unsplash
This means there are a lot more resources and help available. For example, the learning courses we have linked to above start with a section on learning Java, not Kotlin.
If you want more information about why learning Java is the best choice for most new Android developers, check out this Medium post by Javin Paul.
In the article, he also explains why learning Kotlin can be advantageous if you are already a proficient programmer.
Learning Android Development
Once you know the basics of Java you can move on to learning how to use this knowledge to create an Android app.
The Treehouse and Coursera courses listed above both teach the basics of Android app development following their sections on Java.
However, they aren’t the only available resources.
- Google has produced a guide that shows you how to build a simple mobile app that displays “Hello World” using Android Studio. It also teaches you how to test your mobile app and build a user interface. It’s pretty basic stuff but crucial to know if you are new to app development.
- Udacity has a free course that is recommended by Google called Developing Android Apps. It combines theory and practical tips to help you create your first Android app.
The Essential Android Development Tool: Android Studio
When building Android apps, you’ll need to download Android Studio. This is the official Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Android, and it was developed specifically for creating apps on the mobile OS.
The development environment has a ton of features that simplify creating Android apps. It has an easy-to-read user interface with a code editor, a preview section that reflects your changes as you make them, and plenty of templates and sample apps. It also integrates with GitHub.
You can download Android Studio for free from the Android developer’s website.
Google has also created a vast resource for learning how to use Android Studio; you can check it out here.
This contains best practices and a list of core topics that cover everything you need to build an app.
While Android Studio is the primary IDE for Android apps, in the past there have been alternatives.
Eclipse was the primary IDE for a while and many tutorials that haven’t been updated mention this program.
However, it is no longer supported and Android developers should use Android Studio instead.
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Where to Find Help and Support on Your Android App Building Journey
Android is the most widely used operating system worldwide, and there are plenty of places to get help and support.
Here are some of the best places to look while on your app building journey.
Stack Overflow: This is a forum for developers where you can get answers to your app development questions.
There is also a comprehensive database of Android-related problems that have already been solved. Check out the Android-related questions here.
Official Android Documentation: Google provides a ton of material about how to create Android apps using Android Studio.
Once you know the basics of creating an Android app, this is a great tool to help you learn new features and troubleshoot issues. Check it out here.
Image: Austin Distel/Unsplash
Reddit Learn Java: This is an active community of people learning Java. It’s an excellent place to browse and ask questions about the programming language. Join in the conversation here.
Reddit Android Dev: This is a large community of Android App Developers. It has plenty of advice about how to get started with building apps. Join the community here.
GitHub Android: GitHub has plenty of Android code samples that show best practices in different aspects of Android.
Your Local Area Developer Group: If you’re looking for in-person help, many cities around the world have active Android developer groups.
Consider joining one to meet up with other developers and share your project. You can find Android developer groups on meetup.com or by searching on Google or Facebook.
Resilience Is the Key to Creating Apps
As you may have realized from the information in this article, creating an Android app is not easy if you don’t already know how to do so.
Understanding Java will be a big help, but even then you’ll still have a lot to get to grips with. If you have never coded before, your journey to create an app will be even longer.
Depending on how long you can dedicate to study, you can learn the basics of Android app creation in a few weeks and create your own app within a few months.
Even if you have a full-time job or other commitments, by sticking at it you can learn all you need to know to get started with the app creation process in a relatively short period of time.
The key is that you need to keep going. Coursera estimates that you can complete its Android App Development Specialization course in around five months by putting in just four hours per week. This is a manageable amount of time for many people.
Want to Create an Android App Without Learning to Code? AppInstitute Can Help
AppInstitute can help you create an Android app without the need to learn how to code.
Our app builder lets you add prebuilt features to your app and then customize them to your liking. Once you are finished you’ll have a bespoke Android app.
Rather than spending months learning how to code, you can start building your mobile app straight away and it can be ready to publish within days.
This makes it an excellent choice for business owners who want to quickly release an Android app.
Image: The Average Tech Guy/Unsplash
This is how our drag and drop app maker works:
- First, choose a layout template. We have plenty of options for different types of businesses, and each template contains all the features you’ll need to create an app.
- Next, it’s time to personalize the Android app. You can adjust the color scheme and add information and images. If you already have a Facebook page or website, our API will grab all the essential information and add it to your app automatically.
- The next stage is to add details to your app. If you want to add any features that aren’t included in the template, now is your opportunity.
- Now you’re ready to publish your app. Our app maker will show you how to do this on Google Play. You can also publish on the App Store for customers who use Apple devices.
If you want to try out the app builder, you can do so for free by clicking the link below. You only need to pay when you’re ready to publish.
Click here to begin building your app with AppInstitute.
How to Create Your First Android App in 2021
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FAQs
How to Make an Android App in 2020 - the Ultimate Guide? ›
Overview of Mobile App Development Cost in 2023
The price for more superficial apps can be lower, starting from around $5,000. On the other hand, for more complex apps with advanced features, the cost can exceed $500,000. Moreover, the app development cost depends on the development platform.
- How to make an Android app. Employ the familiar Java™ language or simplify development with Kotlin. ...
- Get started. ...
- Consider Kotlin over Java. ...
- Avoid issues with a few simple tips. ...
- Tap into the cloud. ...
- Distribute your app.
Overview of Mobile App Development Cost in 2023
The price for more superficial apps can be lower, starting from around $5,000. On the other hand, for more complex apps with advanced features, the cost can exceed $500,000. Moreover, the app development cost depends on the development platform.
- In the Project window, click the module you want to add a layout to.
- In the main menu, select File > New > XML > Layout XML File.
- In the dialog that appears, provide the filename, the root layout tag, and the source set where the layout belongs.
- Click Finish to create the layout.
- Appy Pie. While there's no shortage of no-code and low-code software building tools, only a few offer the simplicity and ease of use that AppyPie brings to the table. ...
- Thunkable. ...
- Adalo. ...
- BuildFire. ...
- AppMySite.
- Step #1 — Define Your Goals.
- Step #2 — Conduct Market Research.
- Step #3 — Decide Your App Features.
- Step #4 — Create a Wireframe.
- Step #5 — Choose Your Development Method.
- Step #6 — Research Existing Solutions.
- Step #7 — Technical Specification.
- Conduct user and market research. ...
- Write your product requirements document (PRD) ...
- Create a UX wireframe. ...
- Create a clickable prototype. ...
- Create UI design. ...
- Add interaction for your UI design.
The cost of developing an app can range from $40,000 to $300,000 and up. Many factors influence the price, depending on the complexity of the app development, at 40$ per hour, the average cost will be: Simple App Development Cost – $40,000 to $60,000. Average App Development Cost – $60,000 to $150,000.
How much money can I make developing Android apps? ›How much money do apps make per download? The average revenue per app download varies significantly but the average is $0.60 to $1.20.
How much does it cost to launch and maintain an app? ›A ballpark average that an app owner will need to spend could be around $250 and $500 a month initially to keep the app functioning perfectly. You can budget 20% of the cost of initial development when calculating the cost of maintaining software.
Can I create Android app by myself? ›
If you have no coding knowledge, it's best to engage a specialized app developer to build the app for you. If you intend to publish the app on both iOS and Android, you need to hire an app developer to deploy native apps on both platforms (iOS App Store and Google Play Store).
What language are Android apps written in? ›Google states that "Android apps can be written using Kotlin, Java, and C++ languages" using the Android software development kit (SDK), while using other languages is also possible.
Can I make Android app on my own? ›Use Android Studio and Java to write Android apps
You write Android apps in the Java programming language using an IDE called Android Studio. Based on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA software, Android Studio is an IDE designed specifically for Android development.
Develop Android apps with Kotlin
Write better Android apps faster with Kotlin. Kotlin is a modern statically typed programming language used by over 60% of professional Android developers that helps boost productivity, developer satisfaction, and code safety.
Java is one of the easiest languages that is necessarily important for developing native android application development. For easy and quick learning python is good enough to support your concerns.
Which is the easiest Android programming? ›Java is the easiest language for Android development as the Android OS was developed in it. As a result, you can easily develop your Android apps without worrying about compatibility and other issues.
What are the 7 steps to creating a app? ›- Strategy Development.
- Analysis and Planning.
- UI/UX Design.
- App Development.
- Application Testing.
- Deployment.
- Support and Performance Monitoring.
Learning to code isn't necessary for app development. Anyone can build an app without coding. All you need to do is find the right app builder to accommodate your needs. Then it's just a matter of learning to use that platform, adding your features, and customizing the look and feel of the app with your own branding.
How do I create a UI for my mobile app? ›- Ensure that there's a clear vision of the mobile app. ...
- Improve your product design in iterations. ...
- Uniformity is key. ...
- Make sure your splash screen is flawless. ...
- Present stats in the clearest way possible. ...
- Design for fast page loading. ...
- Remember about mobile accessibility.
According to Salary.com app development hourly rates, which currently hovers around $50 / hour, the US app development price cost for a app with a basic user interface and a set of basic features ranges from $16,000 to $32,000, Medium complexity app development project costs between $32,000 and $48,000 and, finally, a ...
What makes a good app layout? ›
An attractive app should have brand consistency, an intuitive UI, and clear, organized content. This means applying consistent colors and design standards across your platform, eliminating features that don't add value to the app, and presenting content with information hierarchy in mind.
Do Android apps make money? ›The majority of top-grossing apps combine ads with in-app purchases for revenue generation. Purchases of in-app resources, subscriptions, and freemium upsell are among the highest-earning monetization methods. Transaction fees, online sales, or sponsorships may complement these.
Is it profitable to make Android apps? ›Mobile apps can generate billions of dollars in revenue each year. However, there are only a few apps that manage to do this. The vast majority of apps literally make no money at all.
Can I create an app by myself free? ›App creation is no longer just for professional developers. Now everyone can build mobile apps without programming using a free version of an award-winning low-code app development platform. Alpha Anywhere Community Edition is a free app development software that creates Android apps and iPhone apps with ease.
How much money will my app make if it has 100000 downloads? ›Let's say you have a total download user: 100,000
It means 1% of users will click on the ads so We consider 4000 clicks per day. Monthly Revenue: – If each CPC ad pays $ 0.01, then 4000 * 0.01 becomes $ 40per day. So it is 1200 per month. Contact us for creating your own app on the play store or app store.
For 1000 daily usages, this is $2 per day. Generally 1 app download is at least 2 usages. So 1000 downloads is $4. The average revenue per app download is $0,004.
How much is an app with 1 million users worth? ›I've recently learned that apps with 1 million active users can get $10k+ a day. There are thousands of apps on the app store with 10 million + downloads/ millions of active users.
What is the cheapest way to launch an app? ›Freelance developers are typically the cheapest option you can find for developing an app, and really, their affordability is the ONLY reason you would hire a freelancer as opposed to an agency. When you are hiring a freelancer, you are ultimately just hiring a person and all the risks that come with that.
How many people are needed to maintain an app? ›And if you never managed a mobile development process yourself before, you will need to hire a product manager to avoid making a fatal error that will result in total project failure. So at a minimum, any project to create a successful mobile app really needs from 4 to 10 people on the team.
How much should an app sell for? ›To cut right to the chase: apps typically sell for 12X – 36X the app's monthly profit. To calculate your app's profit, take the gross revenue and subtract all expenses that directly contribute to generating that revenue.
Can I develop Android app without Android Studio? ›
We recommend that you use Android Studio for your development needs, but you can also deploy your app to a virtual or physical device from the command line. For more information, see Build your app from the command line.
Can a single person create an app? ›If you are looking for how to make an app for free, then developing an app by yourself is definitely the way to go. This first option requires significant time and skills.
Which is the easiest language for app development? ›If we speak about Android, today, Kotlin is the best choice for Android development. But if you are a beginner programmer, then at the start, it is better to choose Java: this language is older, and you can easily find information on how to solve a particular problem and so much more.
Is it easy to learn Android studio? ›Android Development is not only an easy skill to learn, but also highly in demand. By learning Android Development, you give yourself the best possible chance to reach any career goals you set.
What is the best programming language to build mobile apps? ›- Python. Python has gained wide popularity as a server-side language that caters to a wide range of applications. ...
- JavaScript. ...
- Golang (Go) ...
- Java. ...
- C# ...
- R. ...
- C++ ...
- Swift.
- Generate an app idea.
- Do competitive market research.
- Write out the features for your app.
- Make design mockups of your app.
- Create your app's graphic design.
- Put together an app marketing plan.
- Build the app with one of these options.
- Submit your app to the App Store.
Secret Codes is an Open Source application that allows you to browse through hidden codes of your Android phone. This application will scan through all available secret codes on your device. Then you will be able to executes these secret codes a discover hidden functionalities.
Is there Python for Android? ›python-for-android is a packaging tool for Python apps on Android. You can create your own Python distribution including the modules and dependencies you want, and bundle it in an APK or AAB along with your own code.
What code are most apps written in? ›- JavaScript. One of the most popular programming languages you can easily learn is JavaScript. ...
- Scala. If JavaScript is one of the most known, Scala is one of the newest programming languages available today. ...
- Java. ...
- Kotlin. ...
- Python. ...
- PHP. ...
- C# ...
- C++
What is the Dark Programming Language? Dark is an all-around programming language that not only has a structured editor and architecture, but also helps make it easier to build backend web services. It is for programmers who work on web frontends, web backends, and mobile apps.
Which is the most preferred language for Android app development? ›
Java is the most popular Android app development language because of its simplicity and availability of the best resources to learn javascript.
Is Android built on Java? ›Android Build System. We already know that Android apps are written in Java, but what happens after that? The following diagram documents the entire build process at a high level. The source code is compiled and packaged in an Android Application Package (APK) along with resources, assets, and dependencies.
What is the best free software to make Android apps without coding? ›- Softr for complete beginners.
- Bubble for a balance between power and ease of use.
- Google AppSheet for leveraging AI and automation.
- Glide for creating simple mobile apps.
- Backendless for advanced control over your data and infrastructure.
- Appy Pie.
- Thunkable.
- Adalo.
- BuildFire.
- AppMySite.
Android does not use the Java language. It has an offline compilation process that translates JVM bytecode to the Dalvik bytecode that Android understands, but there's nothing that comes with Android that directly understands or works with Java.
How to create Drawer navigation in Android? ›The drawer icon is displayed on all top-level destinations that use a DrawerLayout . To add a navigation drawer, first declare a DrawerLayout as the root view. Inside the DrawerLayout , add a layout for the main UI content and another view that contains the contents of the navigation drawer.
Does Android have a To Do List app? ›Todoist: To-do list & planner. Todoist is one of the market's most well-known task management apps and a favorite among Android Police staff. Don't let its simple interface fool you into thinking it lacks the core features you expect to have. Todoist offers everything you need to keep on top of your goals.
How to create a multiple layout in Android? ›- Click on the text tab. Change Relative layout to Linear layout. 6.Add android: orientation = 'vertical'
- Go to the Design tab. Go to Layout > relative layout. Drag relative layout under the component tree. ...
- 10.Go to res > values > styles.xml. Replace Light.
Android GridView shows items in two-dimensional scrolling grid (rows & columns) and the grid items are not necessarily predetermined but they automatically inserted to the layout using a ListAdapter.
What is absolute layout in android? ›An Absolute Layout lets you specify exact locations (x/y coordinates) of its children. Absolute layouts are less flexible and harder to maintain than other types of layouts without absolute positioning.
What is the difference between table layout and grid layout in android? ›
With the TableLayout , rows and columns are added dynamically as you build the table. With the GridLayout , row and column sizes are defined in the layout definition. Neither layout is better, it's just a matter of using the best layout for your needs.
What is android app drawer? ›An app drawer is a feature in a smartphone operating system that shows all of the applications installed on the device. Applications are typically represented by icons in a menu that may resemble the home screen of the device, or they may be listed in a “details” lined format.
What is the difference between drawer layout and frame layout? ›Drawer Layout is the root layout in which we define a FrameLayout and a Navigation View. In Navigation View we set the items from menu file and FrameLayout is used to replace the Fragments on the click of menu items.
Does android have an app drawer? ›You can access the app drawer by swiping from the bottom to the top, starting from your home screen. That way, you'll open the drawer and immediately have an overview of all apps on the device. You can also access the drawer by tapping the app drawer icon.
How do I add a list to my Android app? ›- Step 1 − Create a new project in Android Studio, go to File ⇒ New Project and fill all required details to create a new project.
- Step 2 − Add the following code to res/layout/activity_main. xml.
- Step 3 − Add the following code to src/MainActivity. java.
- Trello. ...
- GTasks. ...
- Wunderlist. ...
- Any.Do. ...
- Todoist. ...
- Tick Tick. ...
- Evernote. ...
- Awesome Note.
Start managing your to-do list on the go with the Tasks planner app from Google.
What are the different types of layouts in Android? ›Android Layout Types
TableLayout is a view that groups views into rows and columns. AbsoluteLayout enables you to specify the exact location of its children. The FrameLayout is a placeholder on screen that you can use to display a single view. ListView is a view group that displays a list of scrollable items.
To efficiently reuse complete layouts, use the <include> and <merge> tags to embed one layout inside another. This lets you create complex layouts—such as a yes or no button panel or a custom progress bar with description text.
What is GUI in Android? ›Graphical User Interface (GUI): This helps users interact with visual representations on digital devices or smartphones such as a Samsung phone. Voice-controlled interfaces: These allow users to interact through voice commands, such as Siri and Alexa.