Tag: Android Tutorial

Android Developer Studio Setup – Google Android SDK

To create an Android application, we have to set up the development environment which will be using Android Developer Studio. It is compatible with following Operating Systems.

  • Windows XP or later version
  • Mac OS X 10.5.8 or later version
  • Linux

Here, in the following post, we will learn how to setup the environment on Windows 10 (64 bit) operating system.

There are many tools for Android development like IntelliJIDEA, Titanium, Android NDK, Eclipse, Android Studio.

So, as a beginner, we can choose Eclipse but we have to prefer Android Studio because nowadays to see the requirement of application it provides everything for development of apps.

Android Studio includes Android SDK tools and Android Studio IDE.

Requirements for Android Development Environment Setup

  • Java Runtime Environment (JRE 6 or greater).
  • Java Development Kit (JDK 6 or greater).
  • Android Studio

Android SDK requires JDK. We can get the latest version of JDK very easily from Oracle official website.

Download JDK from the following location: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html

After downloading and installing the JDK, we have to set the Environment path.

To setup, environment path goto:

 My Computer

->Properties
->Advanced System Settings
->Environment Variables
->Path of JDK
->OK

By doing this you set the path of your JDK, then you can download the latest version of Android Developer Studio and install it.

To build applications for Android, you need the Android SDK.

The SDK comes with the base tools. After that, you download the package parts that you need and you want to use, it includes emulator so you don’t need a mobile device with the Android OS to develop applications.

Download Android Developer Studio from the following location: https://developer.android.com/sdk/installing/studio.html

You need to download Android Developer Studio i.e 32 bit or 64 bit according to your system configuration.

Some steps for installation of Android Developer Studio

  1. Launch the downloaded EXE file, android-studio-bundle-<version>.exe and click Next
  2. Keep the default selection and click on Next button
  3. Keep default destination folder path and click Next button
  4. Then, Click Install button
  5. Once the installation is completed, it will show the message. Click Next button
  6. Click Finish button to complete the installation.

After successful installation, it will start Android Studio.

Now, we are ready to do development of Android applications. It includes the developer tools.

We have to download the necessary packages in Android SDK Manager to complete our SDK for programming.

Android Architecture – Android Software Stack | Framework

In Android, the software stack or Android architecture is the combination of Linux Kernel, Native Libraries, Android runtime i.e. Dalvik VM, Application Frameworks and Applications.

Let us understand the android architecture using the figure below.
Android Architecture

Linux kernel

Linux kernel is responsible for Memory management, File management, Scheduling, Security and other OS duties.

This is the kernel on which Android is based. This layer contains all the low-level device drivers for the various hardware components of an Android device.

Native Libraries

Native libraries are written in C/C++  and includes Media, SQLite, OpenGL, Graphics etc. These contain all the code that provides the main features of an Android OS

Some of these libraries are:

android.app

It provides application class, activity.

android.animation

It provides classes for animation.

android.content

It provides binder related classes for example Intent, Binder.

android.database

It provides database functionality (SQLite).

android.graphics

To handle graphics.

Android Runtime

Android runtime includes Dalvik VM. The key figure in Google implementation of the JVM is Dan Bornstein, who wrote the Dalvik VM.

Dalvik is the name of a town in Iceland. Dalvik VM takes the generated java class files and combines them into one or more Dalvik Executable (.dex) files.

The goal of Dalvik VM is to find every possible way to optimize the JVM for space, performance and battery life.

Application frameworks

Application framework provides all manager for development like Activity Manager, Location Manager, and Notification Manager etc.

It exposes the various capabilities of the Android OS to application developers so that they can make use of them in their applications.

ActivityManager

It manages the Application Lifecycle and Activity stack.

LocationManager

All locations are generated by LocationManager. (Latitude, Longitude, Timestamp etc).

NotificationManager

It allows applications to show alerts and notifications to the user.

And at last, at the top Applications layer, any applications that you write are located. Like the calculator, calendar, camera etc.