Preliminary information
Before getting to the heart of the tutorial, going to explain how create Android app, there are some preliminary information in this regard it is my duty to provide you.
To begin with, as I had already anticipated at the beginning of the guide, you must know that to succeed in your intent you must have at least a minimum of familiarity with the programming languages usually used to develop applications (and games) for the Google mobile platform.
Based on the above, you should therefore be able to create android apps with java and create android apps with C ++, As well as in XML, these being the most popular programming languages. For more details, you can make your interest in my guides dedicated to how to start programming, how to create a program, how to learn Java and how to program in Java and you can do some research on Google, in order to be able to find more tutorials.
The programming languages, once learned, can be used through special programs useful for the development of apps, which are divided into two different categories: the SDK (acronym for "Software Development Kit") ei independent commercial software.
The SDKs are tools that are made available directly by the companies that manage the operating systems and allow you to optimally exploit the platform to which they are addressed. They also allow you to manage each stage of development in an extremely detailed way, running various tests, and to take advantage of every single function of the operating system of your interest. In the specific case of Android, the SDK is called Android SDK and is made available by Google.
As regards, however, independent commercial software, these are solutions that, as the definition itself implies, have been made available by third-party companies and allow apps to be developed within an integrated environment. They are usually easier to use than SDKs and allow you to create a single project that can be exported in different formats and which, if necessary, is also compatible with different platforms.
Create a free android app
Having made the necessary clarifications above, let's get to the real heart of the matter and let's find out how create a free android app taking advantage of the main free tools useful for the purpose.
Create Android apps with Android Studio
The first solution that I invite you to use to develop applications for Android is Android Studio, the tool made officially available by Google. It's completely free and available for both Windows and macOS.
To download Android Studio to your computer, visit the program's website and click the button Download Android Studio located in the center of the page, then put a check mark on the box next to the item I have read and agree with the above terms and conditions, in the box that appears, and click on the button Download Android Studio for Windows (if you are using Windows) or on that Download Android Studio for Mac (If you are using MacOS).
When the download is complete, if you are using Windows, open the .exe file obtained and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the buttons Yes, Next (three consecutive times) e Finish.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg ottenuto, trascina l 'android studio icon in the folder Applications on your Mac, right-click on it and select the item apri from the menu that appears, in such a way as to start the program going to circumvent the limitations desired by Apple towards applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only at the first start).
Now that, regardless of the operating system you are using, you see the Android Studio window on the screen, click on the button OK, by your complaint Next (three times in a row) and wait for the download of the components necessary to make the program work to be started and completed, then click on the button Finish.
Once the main software window appears, to get started create android apps with android studio, select the option Start a new Android Studio project, choose the module you want to start from, name the app you are going to develop and select the version of the SDK to use. Next, click the button Next, indicate which of the preset bases you want to use, configure the values (or leave the default ones) and click on the button Finish.
After completing all the steps above, you will find yourself in the presence of the program editor, through which you can develop your app from scratch or make various changes and customizations to the previously selected module. The editor consists of several parts: on the left there is the structure, on the right the area in which to enter the code and at the top there are the buttons for inserting objects, pasting portions of code, etc. and the menu bar.
When finished, save your project by clicking on the menu Fillet located at the top left and choosing the appropriate item from the latter. For further information, you can refer to the Android Studio user guide provided directly by Google.
Create Android apps with Visual Studio
Visual Studio is another very popular program for what concerns the development of apps for Android and other platforms, both mobile and desktop. It is distributed by Microsoft, is free of charge, and works on both Windows and macOS. It supports various programming languages and has a rather practical user interface.
To be able to download it on your PC, go to the program's website and click on the button Free download che trovi in corrispondenza della dicitura Community (if you are using Windows) or on the one placed in correspondence with the section Visual Studio for Mac (If you are using MacOS).
When the download is complete, if you are using Windows, open the .exe file obtained and, in the window that is shown on the screen, click on the button Yes. Successively, click on the button Continue and wait for the program installation procedure to be completed. At this point, locate the section Mobile devices and games, check the box corresponding to the programming language you want to use (eg. Mobile application development with C ++) and click on the button Install.
Stai using MacOSInstead, open the package .dmg obtained and, in the window that appears on the desktop, double-click on theVisual Studio installer icon. Then click on the button Continue in the additional window displayed. Then proceed to install the add-on necessary for the development of applications for Android, by checking the box next to the item Android and clicking on the button Install.
Regardless of the operating system used, select the item to skip the step related to creating a Visual Studio account (if you already have one you can also log in), follow the initial configuration procedure proposed and click on the button Start Visual Studio.
At this point, for create android apps with Visual Studio, select the item Create a new project, choose one of the available models, click on the button NEXT and use the fields on the screen to assign a name to the project of your application, specify the path where you want to save everything and the name you want to give to the container, then click on the button Crea.
Once the program editor is displayed, you can finally begin to devote yourself concretely to the development of the application, using the various tools and commands available on the screen. More precisely, on the right you will find the sections to view the structure of the project and the properties of the added elements, in the center there is the screen with the code parts, while at the top there are the toolbar and the menu bar with buttons and useful functions for programming.
When you see fit, you can save your app project by clicking on the menu Fillet at the top left and selecting the option from it Save [project name]. For more details, you can refer to the official documentation made available by Microsoft itself.
Create Android apps with Eclipse
Eclipse is a famous program for Windows, macOS and Linux through which it is possible to develop and compile Java-based applications. It is very famous and appreciated, but as regards the possibility of developing apps for the Google mobile platform, it must be taken into account that you must also use the free add-on Android Development Tools (ADT). Furthermore, in order to function, Java must be present on the computer.
To download Eclipse on your PC, visit the program's website, click on the button Download 64 bit located on the right and, in the new page that is shown to you, click on the button Download placed at the top.
Completed the download, if you are using Windows, extract theZIP archive obtained in a folder of your choice and launch the Eclipse software which is located inside. In the window you later see appear on your desktop, click the buttons Yes e OK and it's done.
Stai using MacOSInstead, open the package .dmg ottenuto e trascina l 'program icon in the folder Applications of the Mac, then right-click on it and select the item apri from the menu that is shown to you, so as to start Eclipse, bypassing the limitations imposed by Apple against applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only at the first start).
At this point, regardless of the operating system used, wait for the software to be downloaded and run and, in the window that appears on the screen, click on the "X" that you find next to the item Welcome.
Provide, therefore, to run the installation of Android Development Tools, by clicking on the item Help which is located at the top left and selecting the wording from the menu that opens Install New Software. In the next window, type the address in the empty field http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/click on your button Add, check the box for installing the Developer Tools component, click on the button Next and accepts the relative license of use.
After completing the above steps, you will finally be able to create android apps with Calipse using the program editor: on the left you will find the list of all the projects, at the bottom there is the tab bar through which you can get information on what you are programming, while on the right you can view all the members of the selected class.
To start creating a new project, click on the menu Fillet, at the top left, select the items New e Java Project from the latter, fill in the field Project name typing the name you want to assign and click on the button Finish.
When you want, you can save your work by clicking on the menu Fillet located at the top left, selecting the item from the latter Save Ad, indicating the location and the name you want to assign to the output file and clicking on the button OK. For more details, I invite you to consult the official Eclipse user guide.
Create Android apps online
You do not yet have enough technical knowledge to create Android apps and, before undertaking this undertaking in a serious way, would you like to understand if there is any more, so to speak, "easy" solution? The answer is yes! You can in fact contact MIT App Inventor e create android apps online.
It is, in fact, a Web platform that allows you to develop apps for Android for free, directly from the browser window and, more importantly, in an incredibly simple way, using a visual editor and without having to install anything on the PC. The only thing to take into consideration is that, to use it, it is essential to have a Google account.
That said, in order to take advantage of MIT App Inventor, first start the browser that you generally use to surf the net from your PC (eg. Chrome), go to the home page of the service and click on the button Start new project placed at the top. Type, therefore, the name you want to give to the app you are about to create and click on the button OK. Then translate the interface of the service in the city, selecting the language from the drop-down menu located at the top.
Once the editor is displayed, use the drop-down menu at the top right to translate the interface into the city. Next, use the tools available to proceed with the development of your app: on the left you will find the list of elements and objects that you can add to the interface, in the center is the preview of the application, while on the right the list of the elements that compose it, the menu with the properties of the selected objects and the button to upload multimedia files.
To add the elements that will make up the application interface, select them from the list on the left and drag them to the section where the preview is visible, dropping them where you want to position them. To change the properties of a given element, instead, select it and use the items and options you find in the dedicated section on the right.
If you want, you can also add new screens to the app by clicking on the button I add Screen which is located at the top. In case of second thoughts, you can always and in any case remove them, first selecting them and then clicking on the button Remove Screen located at the top of the page.
When you see fit, you can save the application by clicking on the menu Projects, top left, and then on the item Save project attached to it. You can also download the application to your computer by always clicking on the menu Projects and selecting the option Export the selected project (.aia) to my computer. For more information, you can consult the official guide of the service.
How to publish Android apps
You have developed your first application for Android and now you would like to understand how to publish it on the Play Store and, perhaps, be able to exploit it also to monetize? All you have to do is open a account as a developer, by visiting the web page to register on the Google Play Console, and associate it with yours Google profile, paying the required sum, equal to 25 $.
Next, you have to worry about sending the application you developed to Google, uploading the related ones APK file, managing the metadata (i.e. version and system requirements) and thinking about the commercial part (title, description, etc.).
If, in addition to publishing your app, you are interested in understanding how earn with it, I inform you that you can take two different ways to do it: you can decide to make your application available paid (therefore revenues will derive directly from the purchase of the same by other users) or to make it available for free, but inserting some advertising banners internally (for which you can monetize through advertising) or by proposing to users of in-app purchases (which provide for the payment of a certain amount of money to use additional content and functions). For more details, I invite you to read the official Play Console guide.
Create Android apps
