Getting Started

So, I am back again. I had thought of starting the app development from this post, but I think an important matter still remains to discuss. The software that one needs to use for the purpose!

Well! A lot of stuff needs to be installed to be able to start the development. Let’s go through each of them one-by-one.

Java JDK

It is required to be able to write and compile Java applications. Follow these steps to install it.

• Go to www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html
• Download the latest version of Java JDK

Eclipse IDE

It is the Integrated Development Environment (a software used to edit, compile and run the apps) which we will use to write Android applications. Here are the steps:

• Go to www.eclipse.org/downloads/
• Download the latest version on Eclipse Classic

Android SDK

It is the software package which contains Android libraries, emulators and all the related stuff that one needs to make Android applications:

• Go to http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
• Download the latest version of Windows Installer (.exe file)
• Set your browser at no proxy (since the Android SDK  does not have the option for proxy authentication)
• Run the above downloaded .exe file and let it download the required components

ADT Plugin

It is required to link Android SDK with Eclipse IDE. Go to http://developer.android.com/sdk/eclipse-adt.html and follow the instructions to install ADT plugin.

After installing the above four software packages, you are ready to start!

Now, you can start familiarizing yourself with the Eclipse IDE and Android SDK.Just try out the various options and understand how to make new project, include libraries, etc.

I hope that this proves to be a helpful guide for all those who face a lot of difficulty in setting up this development environment. Please provide your feedback and suggestions if any.

I will start with the coding assignments soon. In the next post, we will familiarize ourselves with various features of Eclipse IDE and Android SDK and will go on to make our first “Hello World” Application in Android.

See you then!

Bye!

PS: For all those who have been able to set up the environment, please comment so that I can have an idea of the number of people who are going to follow my blog and make some really cool android applications.