How to Become a Successful Android Developer

Have you ever wondered how an Android Application is designed and built? Did you know that it is a team of Android Developers who are responsible for this? OR, do you want to become a successful Android Developer but can’t figure out HOW? Then you are in the right place. It is known to everyone that, how popular is Android nowadays. So, this article on How to Become a Successful Android Developer will help you to be a successful developer whose sole purpose is to create an application that is globally recognized.

But, now the questions that arise are, Why Android Development? How to Start? Where to Start? What Topics One Should Cover? Etc. In this post, we are going to clear your all Android Development-related doubts and also discuss that do you need to learn all the concepts from a book or you should go with some online tutorials or you should learn Android by doing some projects on it? So, stay tuned with us, and Let’s Go.

What Is Android OS?

Android began its life as a Palo Alto-based start-up company called Android Inc., in 2003. Originally, the company set out to develop an operating system for Digital Cameras but in 2004 the project changed to become an operating system for smart phones, and was bought by the American search engine company Google Inc., in 2005 for $50 Million.

It is an open-source operating system, based on the Linux kernel and used in mobile devices like smart phones, tablets, etc. Further, it was developed for smart watches and Android TV. Each of them has a specialized interface.

Android has been one of the best-selling OS for smart phones. Smartphone’s running the Android operating system hold an 87 percent share of the global market in 2019 and this is expected to increase over the forthcoming years. The mobile operating system developed by Apple (iOS) has a 13 percent share of the market.

There are now over 2.5 billion active Android users worldwide, with more than 3 million devices across the globe using this mobile operating system.

Who Is An Android Developer?

An Android Developer is actually a Software Developer who specializes in designing applications for the Android marketplace. They are responsible for developing applications for devices powered by the Android operating system. So, an Android Developer is someone who makes our lives easy by developing corresponding mobile or desktop applications which help us in our day-to-day activities.

Various applications like games, music players, cameras, editing software, etc are built for these smart phones for running on Android. This means that the role of an Android Developer in an organization is to create applications with regard to what domain your company works on. He/she can create simple applications as well as complex ones like gaming applications (PUBG, Free Fire, COC, Candy Crush, etc).

The Job Roles and Responsibilities of an Android Developer:

• Build, test, design, and maintain Android applications.
• Ensure the best possible performance, quality, and responsiveness of the application.
• Monitoring the performance of live apps and working on optimizing them at the code level.
• Identifying and resolving bottlenecks, rectifying bugs, and enhancing application performance. Performing unit and instrumentation tests on code.
• Learn how to work with different API and data sources.
• Continuous evaluation, discovering new technologies, and exploiting them.

Due to the fragmentation of this ecosystem, an Android developer must pay special attention to the application’s compatibility with multiple versions of Android and device types. Today, Android OS remains dominant on a global scale. As of the first quarter of 2021, Android users were able to choose between 3.48 million apps, making Google Play the app store with the biggest number of available apps.  It is an operating system that has a huge market for apps.

Why You Should Learn Android Development?

So before jumping into the complete Roadmap of Android you should have a clear goal in your mind that, Why do You Want To Learn Android? Now, the next question is why to choose the role of an Android Developer when you have so many other development job roles. Let’s see what are the major reasons to become an Android Developer?

It is definitely worth learning android development nowadays, because the entire world needs android apps for all purposes. A highly skilled android developer can solve the problems of millions of people by making a useful app. We use apps every day because they make our lives easier.

There are so many reasons why you should go for Android Development. Some notable ones among them are listed below:

• As a free and open source operating system, Android allows app developers to generate new ideas and work with a wide range of smart phones to open up hardware options, as companies supply a great variety of devices to choose from and high-end devices become more affordable.

• Android app development can assist a business in reaching out to more customers, improving its sales, improving its brand image, and creating a loyal customer base. It can lay the base for the success of any business.

• With the Android market growing rapidly, the job opportunities for Android Developers are also increasing. So if you want to take Android Development as a career option, then you can easily get a good salary package in this industry.

• Android development mainly requires knowledge of JAVA or KOTLIN Programming Language. Many other languages can be used for Android App Development, such as C++, Python, and C#. Since no language can be called the correct language for Android App Development, the choice of language remains with the Android Developers, based on their objectives and preferences for each project. 

• To build an Android app, all you need to do is register yourself as a developer, create your APK (Android Package Kit), and submit it to the Android mobile application development platform. This process is much simpler than getting yourself registered on the iOS platform.

• If you are a beginner and do not know where to start, online courses will help you to acquire all the knowledge to become a full fledged Android developer. Even if you are an experienced professional, you can upgrade your skills at home with lots of online courses.

If you want to build your long term career then you should learn the professional or advanced things in Android Development also. So it’s in your hand and it’s your decision why you want to learn Android.

A Complete Roadmap for Android Development

There are multiple ways to develop applications for the android. To become a successful Android Developer, you have to be well-versed in different topics under Android Development including the skill set. Below are some notable skills that you need to master to become an Android developer.

1. Learn Programming Language

One may consider this step as a prerequisite. The first step in becoming an Android developer is a thorough knowledge of at least one of the two official Android development languages. You have to be comfortable with JAVA or KOTLIN or both programming languages.

• JAVA or KOTLIN?

Both Java and Kotlin can be used to build performance and useful applications, but Google’s libraries, tooling, documentation, and learning resources continue to embrace a Kotlin-first approach; making it the better language for Android today.

Java is the official language for Android App Development and consequently, it is the most used language as well. Most Android applications are written in Java. A strong command of Java is essential for Android application development. Many of the apps in the Play Store are built with Java and it is also the most supported language by Google.

2. Understanding of XML

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language and is mostly used in the development of web solutions. It was created as a standard way to encode data for internet-based mobile applications.

The XML file deals with the design, presentation, layouts, blueprint, etc (as a front-end) while the JAVA or KOTLIN deals with the working of buttons, variables, storing, etc (as a back-end). Without XML, you would require some sort of middleware to access your data and deliver it to your application.

3. Learn Android Studio

Android Studio is the one and only official IDE for Android. It is purpose-built for Android to accelerate your development and help you build the highest-quality apps for every Android device. So if you are a beginner, it’s better for you to start using it, so that later, you don’t need to migrate your apps and projects from other IDE’s. Also, Eclipse is no longer supported, so you should use Android Studio anyway.

4. Understand the Android SDK

The Android SDK (software development kit) is a set of development tools used to develop applications for the Android platform. SDK provides a selection of tools required to build Android apps or to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. Whether you end up creating an app with Java, Kotlin, Python, or C#, you need the SDK to get it to run on an Android device and access unique features of the OS. The Android SDKs are modules of Java code that give developers access to mobile device functions like the camera and accelerometer.

5. Understand Android API

API Level is an integer value that uniquely identifies the framework API revision offered by a version of the Android platform. The Android platform provides a framework API that applications can use to interact with the underlying Android system.

As an Android app developer, you’ll likely want to interact with many other services. For example, you may want to allow your users to access a weather chart from a third party service, or check the stock market or live score, etc.

An Android app development company usually offers APIs, and will tell you exactly how to query them for data in a consistent, secure way. For example, you can easily use Google APIs of Google Map to monitor the location of your users, let them search for local places or restaurants, and reference a map from within your application, and so on.

6. Learn Android Jetpack

Android Jetpack is a set of software components, libraries, tools, and guidance to help in developing robust Android applications. Jetpack is a suite of libraries to help developers follow best practices, reduce boilerplate code, and write code that works consistently across Android versions and devices so that developers can focus on the code they care about.

It was launched by Google in 2018, and provides common infrastructure code so you can focus on what makes your app unique.

7. Build Your First Android Application

After learning all these essentials, now you need to create some Android projects to better understand. Write your application in multiple iterations, starting with the basic features and expanding its capabilities with each pass.

Debug and test carefully along the way to ensure that your application works in all situations. Testing should be conducted on an actual Android device as well as in the emulator. Keep in mind that the career of a programmer involves a lifetime of learning, and that learning Android application development is just part of that lifelong journey.

Salary of an Android Developer

The average salary for an Android developer in India is around ₹4, 00,000 per year, while it mostly depends on how much experience you have. An entry-level developer may expect to earn at most ₹2, 00,000 per year. According to GLASSDOOR, the estimated total pay for an Android Developer is ₹5, 92,500 per year in the India area, with an average salary of ₹5, 42,500 per year.

The average salary for an Android Developer in US is $107,421. The average additional cash compensation for an Android Developer in US is $17,791. The average total compensation for an Android Developer in US is $125,212.

Have Fun and All the Best!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is Android Developer A Good Career?

It is definitely worth learning android development nowadays, because the entire world needs android apps for all purposes. There is an extremely high demand for android developers, both entry-level and experienced. Android apps continue to grow in popularity, creating a wide variety of job opportunities.

 According to a study, over 135 thousand new job opportunities in Android app development will be available by 2024. Since Android is on the rise and almost every industry in India uses Android apps, it is a great career choice for you.

2. Is It Hard To Become An Android Developer?

Becoming an Android developer is a challenging process but not impossible. You will need to learn a combination of technical skills, coding and design skill, and also soft skills. And you should upgrade yourself with new technologies from time to time.

3. Can I Learn Android Without Knowing Java?

To develop an android app you have to write code in Java or Kotlin. It makes things better because it has a large number of open-source resources, as well as valuable libraries and software. You have to learn any of these languages to communicate with android studio and make an app. Without Java or Kotlin, it’s not possible to easily build an android app.

4. Can You Be An Android Developer Without A Degree?

You can make a mobile app for your own enterprise or you can start a career in mobile app development. You don’t have to go back to college and study for a computer science degree. Of course, you can do that, but it will take a great effort, and continuous self-learning to build your application.

5. Is Creating An App Easy?

Building an app takes some technical training. However, you can create a mobile app prototype at home with a little practice.  There are actually lots of ways to learn how to make an app with no experience, and not all of them involve as much time, money, or work as you may expect.

6. Who Earns More Web Developer Or Android Developer?

The average salary of an Android Developer in the United States is $120,639. On the other hand, the average salary of a Web Developer in the United States is $73,345.

In India, the entry-level Web Developer earns around Rs. 232,074 per annum. And the average salary for an Android developer in India is around ₹4, 00,000 per year, while it mostly depends on how much experience you have.

Hopefully, this article will provide enough information on ‘How to Become a Successful Android Developer’ and help you to choose the right career option for you. THANK YOU & don’t forget to share with your friends who need it.

Want to learn more?

• How to Become a Software Engineer
• How to Become a Game Developer
• How to Become a Cybersecurity Specialist
• Top Careers for Computer Science and IT Students
• Blockchain Technology – The New Era for Crypto
• How to Earn Money Online Without Investment