Learning to Develop on Android

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benmyers2941

Senior Member
Oct 26, 2007
365
8
Phoenix, AZ
So I've been palying around with the Android SDK. I've done a bit of developing before, but never in Java. The Android APIs are pretty well documented, but I'm missing the basics of Java programming (data types, declaring variables and constants, file operations, etc.).

Does anyone have any suggested references? I've been digging some myself but it's slow going.
 

benmyers2941

Senior Member
Oct 26, 2007
365
8
Phoenix, AZ
Both of those are really focused on Android specifically. Anddev.org is really for developers while HelloAndroid.com is more of a blog and not much technical info.

Here's the best site I was able to find about the Java basics.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Java_Programming/Overview

After that it just learning the APIs, and I think Anddev is really going to be the site to watch on that.

I thought I'd share in case there are other aspirng developers watching.
 

Shindokie

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2009
59
0
Developing Thread

I didn't know where to add this, but if you need to move it to the right thread please do.

I want to start developing, but I don't know any Java. I'm sure that you guys probably know some books that I can pick up to start learning. Actually any advice or resources would be great since.

Ever since i got the G1 and seeing everybody speaking code it realy started to interest me. So any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you :)
 

Shindokie

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2009
59
0
I heard the dummy books aren't that good to start off with, but thanks I'll still look at it. :)
 

Shindokie

Senior Member
Jan 26, 2009
59
0
Bump,

Come on people i know you have some ideas, so i can learn java or anything to develop for Android. :)
 

jashsu

Senior Member
Nov 15, 2008
1,849
20
The thing with programming textbooks is no one can ever agree on what book is "best". Some people like books that are basically just giant lists of functions and their syntaxes, some people like books with a lot of examples, some people like books that primarily explain the most basic functions in plain English. Some folks don't like to use books at all and learn programming purely from studying others' source code.

A lot of the Java-specific books written in the past decade are written without requiring pre-existing knowledge of C++, which would be good if you have never programmed in any language before. I think the "Headfirst Java" volume is supposed to be well-regarded, but I can't say that from personal experience.

Of course, you could always just find your local community college/adult school/vocational center and sign up for Java classes. Some community colleges might place Java far down in the CS track and make you take prerequisite courses. Depending on how the course is set up, what text it uses, and how much ground it intends to cover, it may or may not have prerequisites.

Good luck :eek:
 
Feb 11, 2009
17
0
Learning to Develope on Android

I want to learn how to develop apks, use the SDK to its fall extent. I put Debian on my phone and windows x , made a couple of my own themes. However, i want to do more i just don't how the knowledge to do so. i tried to read on how to use java, c++, c.net, etc but I'm just not picking it up all to well. I just installed Ubuntu on my computer but my knowledge of Linux is very little. I'm welling to put the time and effort into learning how do these thing but I'm getting no where. Watching people like JK come out with roms just makes me want to do the same. i also just updated to the new SDK but for some reason it won't work (haven't gone around to find out why thou). Can anyone help me out, maybe point to toward some good sources, books, or whatever. i love messing with me G1 i just want to take it to the next level. i finish school on the 20th of this month and i have till July 15th of free time ( i leave for Basic Training). so i would like to get started between these times.

If a similar thread was already made i'm very sorry i searched like crazy to find one but had no luck, so please don't get made if there is one just point me to it.

THANK YOU :)
 
Feb 11, 2009
17
0
www.android.com

find source code to play with and read, read, read!

I have read so much my head could explode, but i think I'm reading from the wrong sources or just not getting it at all. I'm reading some books i got from friends with Master Degrees in this stuff and they are just confusing me.

The major problem is I'm a fantastic hands on learner but i have no one with the spare time to help on any of these. I've been taking the Cisco Academy Online and didn't get any of it until i had someone help with a hands on learning and it all just flowed right into me easily now i'm close to getting my CCNA.

But i'll keep reading till i get it, some day
 

tubaking182

Senior Member
Mar 28, 2008
1,081
10
fankly i would say if you wanna make apps then read a buch of tutorials, stare ata lot a source code. and create a few simple things first. i have not bothered with any of the sample's with the SDK because i just don't like them. i do however read lots of code daily and am currently trying to find the best way to get my app running. i am one of those people that if handeed source code i could tell you what it does and when, but if told to write a program that does something it will take ages for me to figure out. even with a year of both java and VB .net under the belt i still don't know much since those classes where a long time ago. read lots of code and you could probably benefit from having a java book around too
 

ZilverZurfarn

Senior Member
Feb 11, 2009
970
23
Göteborg
I found the sample code and tutorials shipped with the SDK very educational, and would recommend the soon-to-be Android developer to plow thru them. They give you (at least they gave me!) a basic understanding of how Android apps are supposed to work.
If you're not used to general Java development at all, I recommend starting out with a beginners book on Java development first.

/Mats
 

andrews240

Senior Member
Dec 3, 2008
172
2
@hellsonlyangel - I have the same desire to learn how application development as you, particularly Android development. I've done the same as you over the years, reading tons of books and online tutorials on programming, but learning very little. I am taking a very general, but comprehensive, scripting course right now as a part of my Network Admin degree program, and I fell that I understand more after 2 weeks in this course than I did from all of my self study attempts. Sometimes, there's just no substitute to structured learning programs. The ISBN for the book that my course is using is 1418836338. It can be had on the cheap, used for around $8, just in case you want to check it out. Good luck.
 

d474rpr

Senior Member
Feb 25, 2008
160
0
Alaska
I want to learn how to develop apks, use the SDK to its fall extent. I put Debian on my phone and windows x , made a couple of my own themes. However, i want to do more i just don't how the knowledge to do so. i tried to read on how to use java, c++, c.net, etc but I'm just not picking it up all to well. I just installed Ubuntu on my computer but my knowledge of Linux is very little. I'm welling to put the time and effort into learning how do these thing but I'm getting no where. Watching people like JK come out with roms just makes me want to do the same. i also just updated to the new SDK but for some reason it won't work (haven't gone around to find out why thou). Can anyone help me out, maybe point to toward some good sources, books, or whatever. i love messing with me G1 i just want to take it to the next level. i finish school on the 20th of this month and i have till July 15th of free time ( i leave for Basic Training). so i would like to get started between these times.

If a similar thread was already made i'm very sorry i searched like crazy to find one but had no luck, so please don't get made if there is one just point me to it.

THANK YOU :)

So the best way I found to learn this is through trial and error. I will write code for a simple program, for instance a clock app. I will work on it until it does what I want it to then I will trash the code and build it again using what I just learned. It's just a lot of practice and don't get too deep until you have a full grasp of the concepts behind programming. You'll just get stuck and frustrated.