"Build a Simple Android App (2014)" was retired on August 31, 2016. You are now viewing the recommended replacement.
- Android
- Beginner
About this Course
This course covers the very basics of Android development. We will build a simple app that will serve up some fun facts when you tap on a button. We introduce you to programming in Android, a tool for Android development called Android Studio, and some very basic concepts of the Android Software Development Kit, or SDK. By the end you will have a good idea of how a basic app works, and you will be armed with the knowledge to start building more.
What you'll learn
- Android Studio
- Using an emulator or device
- Screen layouts
- Android Views and Activities
Getting Started with Android
Making an Android app is easier than you think! Learn how to set up and use a few free tools to make a simple Fun Facts app that you can test on your computer. You don't even need an Android phone!
6 stepsCreating the Screen Layout
Before we start writing any code, let's create the screen layout we will use to display our fun facts.
13 steps-
Getting to Know Our Tools
4:52
-
Android Tools Overview
5 questions
-
Editing a Layout File
4:52
-
Changing Text in a Layout
1 objective
-
Adding a TextView
4:15
-
Changing Text Size
1 objective
-
Adding a Button
4:31
-
Adding a Button
1 objective
-
Setting Colors
5:26
-
Setting Colors
2 objectives
-
Setting Padding
1:13
-
Setting a Fullscreen Theme
3:30
-
Setting Padding
1 objective
Basic Android Programming
Android apps are typically written in a programming language called Java. Let's take a deeper look at the concepts we need to make our button do something.
9 steps-
Accessing Views in Code: Declaring Variables
5:20
-
Accessing Views in Code: Assigning Variables
6:24
-
Initializing a Button
1 objective
-
Making a Button Do Something
4:35
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Adding the OnClick Method
2:36
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Android Programming Basics
5 questions
-
Generating a Random Number
4:08
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Choosing a Random Fact
4:52
-
Using the Random Class
4 objectives
Improving Our Code
In this stage we'll take a moment to "refactor" our code. Then we'll add a new class to help us change the background color for each fact!
11 steps-
Simple Refactoring: Creating a New Class
5:54
-
Creating a New Class
2 objectives
-
Simple Refactoring: Using a New Class
6:28
-
Simple Refactoring
5 questions
-
Dynamically Changing the Background Color
3:51
-
Dynamically Changing the Background Color
1 objective
-
Adding More Colors
3:43
-
Using the New Colors
3:42
-
Adding Colors
1 objective
-
Adding an App Icon
4:50
-
Adding an App Icon
3 questions
Testing and Debugging
We can't always see what's going on behind the scenes of our app. In this stage we'll learn how to use a few tools to monitor how the Fun Facts app is working and to troubleshoot problems. We'll also see how to run it on a real phone.
9 stepsTeacher
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Ben Deitch
Ben is an Android teacher with a long history of creating and tinkering with Android apps. He's an avid learner, loves playing sports, and is a fairly average chef.