Android Studio Essentials

A fast-paced guide to get you up and running with Android application development using Android Studio

About This Book

• Learn to install and configure Android Studio on your machine to create your own projects
• Test your apps using the Android emulator and learn how to manage virtual devices
• Familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of Android development through an exemplary coverage of practical examples, functional code, and relevant screenshots

Who This Book Is For

This book is intended for developers who are interested in getting acquainted with the concepts of Android Studio in a very short span of time. It is assumed that you are familiar with the OOPS paradigm and Java. It is also recommendable to have prior knowledge of the main characteristics of the Android mobile system.

What You Will Learn

• Install Android Studio on your system and configure the Android Software Development Kit
• Create your first project and explore its structure
• Improve your productivity while programming by getting the best of the code editor
• Design the user interface using layouts and learn how to handle the various user events
• Integrate Google Play services into your project efficiently
• Monitor your app while it's running and constantly improve its performance

In Detail

Android Studio is an IDE that is based on the JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA. It gives developers a unique platform to develop and debug Android apps using various developer tools. It has a wide array of features such as live layout facility, Gradle build support, and template-based wizards, which makes it a preferred choice for developers.

Starting off with the basic installation and configuration of Android Studio, this book aids you in building a new project by helping you to create a custom launcher icon and guiding you to choose your activity. You then gain an insight on the additional tools provided in Android Studio, namely the Software Development Kit (SDK) Manager, Android Virtual Device (AVD) Manager, and Javadoc.

Finally, it helps you to familiarize yourself with the Help section in Android Studio that enables you to search for the help you might require in different scenarios.