A Brief Introduction to Android Tools

All right, we're ready to dive into Android. 0:00 The name Android refers to different things. 0:03 Besides a type of phone, it's specifically a collection of software components 0:06 that run on phones, tablets, watches, TVs and other hardware. 0:10 This software provides the operating environment to do 0:15 everything from displaying text on a screen, to sending and 0:18 receiving phone calls, to running apps like the one you are about to write. 0:21 Making apps for Android requires a few free tools. 0:25 They used to be a pain to set up, but it's much easier now. 0:28 However, let me say one thing before we get started. 0:32 Android is a rapidly evolving technology, and 0:36 that means that our tools are constantly evolving too. 0:39 So don't worry if your tools look a little different than mine. 0:42 The stuff we learn in this project is important foundation stuff that won't ever 0:45 change much, if at all. 0:49 What's important is that you get comfortable working in a tool like we'll 0:51 use here and with the basic concepts of creating an Android app. 0:54 One more thing before we begin. 0:58 If any minor changes or bugs pop up in these videos, 1:00 then we'll add a visual callout like this. 1:03 And then, I'll add some notes or 1:06 screenshots to the teacher's notes below the video. 1:08 So if you spot a difference, check the teacher's notes first and 1:11 then let us know in the community. 1:14 It's possible that bigger changes might occur too. 1:16 And in that case, we'll still add a callout and notes, but 1:19 we'll also record an updated video as soon as possible. 1:22 So what exactly are we going to use? 1:26 Let's take a brief tour and then we'll walk through the setup. 1:28 First, we need a place to write code. 1:32 We're going to use a tool called Android Studio, 1:34 which is known as an Integrated Development Environment or IDE for short. 1:37 Android Studio lets you write, build, and test your Android apps. 1:43 We don't have to use Android Studio to write our code. 1:47 But it is the recommended tool for development. 1:50 So that's what we'll be using in these videos. 1:53 When it comes time to test our apps, 1:55 we're going to run them on something called an emulator. 1:57 This is a version of Android that runs on our computers. 2:00 However, the emulator doesn't specify anything about the device we would 2:03 like to emulate. 2:07 So for specifying things like screen size, 2:08 we'll use an Android Virtual Device or AVD. 2:11 Luckily, Android Studio includes a default virtual device and the emulator. 2:14 So we should be ready to test right from the start. 2:19 But if you want to learn more about the Android Emulator and virtual devices, 2:22 check out the workshop linked in the teacher's notes below. 2:26 Being able to use an emulator means that you don't even need an Android device 2:29 to write and test Android apps. 2:33 It helps, but you can get through this entire course and 2:36 beyond using just the emulator. 2:39 That's about it for now. 2:42 In a moment, we'll walk through setting up our tools and 2:43 creating our very first project. 2:46 If you need help installing the tools, check out the teacher's notes below for 2:48 some installation instructions to help get you started. 2:52 I highly, highly recommend you follow along with these videos 2:54 by installing the tools and writing your own code as I walk you through it. 2:58 You will learn so much more by actually doing it, than just watching the videos. 3:02