Developing for Android is similar to developing for any other platform or operating system. It requires some programming or development experience, but it’s similar to learning a foreign language in that once you’ve mastered one, learning another is easier. To become an Android developer, you’ll need to enroll in one of the programs that allows you to create new apps regardless of your programming skills.
The days of a developer having to learn and master the machine code associated with the computer or device for which they wish to develop are long gone. A software development kit (SDK) or application programming interface (API) is now available for any device, operating system, or application that is open to outside development. These systems provide the developer with all of the necessary tools to write programs for that particular device.
These tools give developers access to the functions and interfaces that make up an application’s foundation. It still necessitates programming skills, but the developer does not need to be familiar with the finer points of the interface or functions. Many programs and devices support an open source philosophy making these tools available to developers.
In 2007, the Android Development Team published a software development kit. This SDK has been refined over time and is based on the Java Development Platform, so any Java programmer will have an advantage when learning to code for Android. The SDK is compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems. The SDK is available for download on the internet.
If you don’t have much programming experience but want to be an Android developer, GoogleTM, the creator of the Android mobile operating system, introduced the App Inventor for Android in July 2010. Because this system is web-based, it can be accessed from anywhere. The system was created with the novice developer in mind, and while it is still Java-based, it features a visual development interface that makes designing and developing Android apps much easier.
Creating an Android app for personal use adds a lot of value to a phone and can be a fun and rewarding experience. What sets Android apart is the ability to upload and sell your cool new app to the general public once you’ve become an Android developer. There are online markets that sell both free and paid Android apps, and developers can get a cut of the profits if their apps sell well.