Android Java Classes and Objects

In Java, which is the language for Android, a class is a reference for the creation of an object, also called instantiation. When we create the class in the code, it then generates a file which can be used actively in our program for things such as methods, attributes and other activities within our program.

Classes are basically guides for building objects. A class starts with a statement that defines its accessibility, its return value and its parameters. So it would look something like this:

public String userName(String, name){
   name = mUserName;
}

This is an example of a class that would be used to assign the member variable, mUserName to the parameter name when the class is instantiated into an object.

So when we create a new object, the code might look something like:

new userName("Mark");

This code would define a new username object into the system with the string Mark as the parameter, saving it into the member variable mUserName so it can be securely accessed later.

This is confusing at first, but keep coding and it will make more and more sense. I also suggest you take the Java course before you do Android as adding Android into zero Java knowledge will make it harder.