In this article, I am going to teach you the right way to learn Android programming with Java language. This method is one of the best methods of teaching Android programming step by step and has many fans around the world.
One of the advantages of this method is that it does not require any special prerequisites and anyone with any level of computer knowledge can use it.
If we want to go back to a few years ago, without a doubt, one of the biggest problems of programmers was the lack of access to learning resources to improve programming knowledge and also to solve their problems and questions in this field. In addition to these two not-so-small problems, the lack of software development environments was one of the factors that kept many people away from entering the world of programming.
So, what does this matter have to do with the development and design of Android applications?
Now we will see together:
In the past, to develop Android applications, it was necessary to be familiar with the Java language and to use a tool called Maven to design the desired app.
But now…
In addition to mastering the Java programming language, we should be familiar with the Android environment, UI/UX concepts, design patterns, writing software tests, various libraries, and several other concepts and tools.
These things have made the time of learning Android Java programming longer, especially if students are taught without basic order or the student enters this path without knowing the main steps of learning Java Android.
What should I do if I decide to learn Android Java?
In this article, I’m going to guide you exactly the way you should go. So, without wasting time, let’s go through the steps:
Table of Contents
The first step: is learning and getting to know the programming language (Java)
If you decide to specialize in the development and design of Android applications, I recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the Java language because the cornerstone of going through the next steps in learning and mastering Java as the best programming language for Android. Why Java?
One of the prerequisites for learning Android programming is familiarity with the concepts of object orientation (which we will discuss further). Java is an object-oriented language by nature, and instead of dealing with functions and variables that are not so easy, you will directly interact with OBJECTS.
What is the advantage of object-oriented coding?
In this way, it is much easier for you to manage and maintain the codes, and the coding time is significantly reduced. You can also use your codes in other projects and reduce your workload significantly.
In this section, you should also familiarize yourself with common concepts in all programming languages, which include the following:
- Arrays
- Variables
- Functions
- Objects and classes
- rings
- Methods and…
Note: If you do not have programming knowledge, these concepts may confuse you a little at first, but this is not a big problem at all, because, in the next steps, you will know how to work and implement these concepts in software. You will learn real.
Second step: familiarity with objectism and deep understanding of it
If I want to define object-oriented programming briefly and simply, I must tell you that in these languages, our program becomes object-oriented.
what does it mean?
This means that the data and the functions that are written for this data are placed next to each other in a format called object and are classified about the space outside the program, this case not only reduces your coding. It gives but makes the external functions have no effect on your classes and the data inside your object.
At this stage, you should also study classes, properties and behavior, packages, file management in a Java program, behavior of the program at runtime and master all these concepts.
Third step: Completing Java knowledge by focusing on the rules of object orientation
In this section, you should familiarize yourself with the most important features of object orientation, which include the following:
- Inheritance
- Polymorphism
- Abstraction
- Encapsulation
- Java Statics
- Java Interface
- InnerClass and NestedClass
- Java Generics
These concepts will be fully explained to you in the following articles due to their widespread. In Android Java classes at Amanj Academy, we teach this part to students in a project-oriented way.
Fourth step: User interface design and material design component
In the past, the topic of UI was not much discussed in Android programming, but with the advancement of technology and the expansion of programs in all fields and as a result of the increase in competition in the field of Android applications, this topic found its place in the field of application programming.
You may be wondering what UI is.
UI stands for User Interface. UI improves the interaction of the system with the user, UI exists in all aspects of digital and non-digital life, from websites to software, applications, etc.
It can be said that every tool we work with has a UI dimension hidden in it. Nowadays, improving the user interface is one of the most basic topics in the digital world, and large companies usually seek to hire specialists in this field.
In this section, you should read the following items carefully and understand the use of each one well:
- Work with Contained, Outline, Text Button
- Working with Floating Action Button
- Working with Toolbar
- Adding a menu to the toolbar (Popup menu items)
- Toolbar customization
- Icons on the toolbar
- Add Click and Action Listener to the toolbar
- Getting input from the user TextInputLayout
- Using all the features of views
- Build a character counter
- Introduction to Navigation Drawer
- Create and add items
- Completion and display
- Navigation Drawer customization
The fifth step: working with lists and displaying a list of information
The fifth step of learning the Android programming language should be devoted to familiarizing and working with lists. Lists are a collection and can contain any type of data or string.
In this section, you should fully familiarize yourself with the following:
- Using ListView
- Introduction to recycler view
- Construct recycler view
- Familiarity with the concept of Adapters for lists
- Build CardView
- Customizing CardView
- How to use CardView
- Remove and add items
- Animation in RecyclerView
- RecyclerView Speed-Up Techniques
Step 6: Familiarity with storage
Android can store application data in systems such as files. Android applications create a data/application package folder for each application.
Android normally follows the following methods for storing data in the system:
Files: This is one of the old ways of storing information and with it, you can save and update data in a file.
Preferences: Android allows you to store information about selected settings as a key-value.
SQLite database: In this method, you can save the sample or existing versions of the SQLite database that carry application information in the file system.
These are general cases of the storage process in Java, but you should master the following topics with practice in this section:
- Use Shared Preferences
- Introduction to SQLiteOpenHelper
- SQLite database implementation
- Create different tables and lists
- Familiarity with Sqlite management software
- Add information to the database
- Edit information in the database
- Delete information from the database
- Display information from the database
- Learning how to work with Room Architecture Component
- Perform all operations with data in Room
Seventh step: Connect to the server in Android programming
In this section, you should familiarize yourself with the concept of API, server, client, how protocols work, communication with servers, and then learn the following details:
- Getting to know concepts in RestApi
- Getting to know JSON Data Format
- Get Request
- Post Request
- MultiPart and Json Body
- Convert JS to Java models
- Using the JSON library
- Using the Retrofit library and doing all the requests
Step 8: Getting to know the services in Android
In the programming and development of Android applications, we use a component called a service for long processes or operations that are still running in the background of another activity.
The services have nothing to do with the user interface and continue to operate away from the user’s eyes.
In this section, you should familiarize yourself with the following concepts:
- Thread concept
- Process processing concept
- The concept of Worker, Main Thread
- Getting to know BoundService
- Introduction to IntentServices
- Using the WorkerManager Architecture Component
- Add worker manager to the application
- WorkerManager input and output control
- Chain your work control
- Background task status control
- Doing work under special conditions (Work Constraints)
Step 9: Work with functional libraries
In this section, you should familiarize yourself with the following libraries:
- Glide
- Gson
- Calligraphy
- ImageSlider
- realm
- After that, the following topics should also be taken into your attention:
- Working with charts at a glance MpChart
- Working with maps at a glance MapBox
- Zarinpal online payment
- Chrome Custom Tab
- DataBinding