In previous android tutorial, we learned common terms used in android development and some concepts which will keep you helping when you will be developing any android app. In my future tutorials, I will be discussing concepts for which you will need a development setup for android applications. So, before jumping onto actual development/android concepts, let’s first prepare the the development machine. I am listing out the required steps in sequence. Following all steps as given, you should also be able to prepare the environment and get started with actual android app development.
Table of Contents 1) Download ADT Bundle 2) Add SDK Packages 3) Configure Virtual Devices 4) Test your development environment
1) Download ADT Bundle
I am following the shortest root for configuring the android development environment for your machine. You just need to download the ADT (Android Developer Toolkit) and start using it. No need to configure the IDE, or environment variables or anything. Just download and start developing.
Only thing to check before downloading is that verify your machine is 32 bit or 64 bit. For bother versions of machine, there is separate ADT downloads.
After downloading the zip file from any of above location, extract it any folder in your computer. Please make sure you do not move any file in distributed ADT from it’s original location. It may destroy the dev environment. Just copy, extract and develop apps.
This ADT bundle comes with Android SDK, eclipse IDE and a shortcut for SDK Manager which you will use for updating/importing new features into development environment.
2) Add SDK Packages
After you have extracted the ADT to some location in your computer, click of “SDK Manager.exe“. Now choose the desired set of packages you would like to install in your machine. Accept all the terms and conditions; and click OK. It will download all required packages in your machine and configure it automatically. You can start using them once, set up is complete.
In my machine, imported packages are as below (as of date):
Apart from above packages, you should also download ‘Android Support Repository’ and ‘Android Support Library’ from ‘Extra’ options which is hidden under scroll in above image.
3) Configure Virtual Devices
Whether you develop a test app or production class app. you need a device to test it first, right? AVD manager will help you in doing this and creating some virtual devices you testing the apps.
- Click On AVD Manager
- Create New Virtual Device
- Fill AVD Details
- Click Finish
4) Test your development environment
What could be a better way to test the environment than actually create and run an app in it. Follow the below listed screen shots for creating the app and deploying in AVD we created in 3rd step.
- Create New Android Project
- Wizard Option 1 : Fill Project Details
- Select Project Configuration
- Select Icons
- Choose Activity
- Fill Extra Details and Finish
- Run the app as Android Application
- See the app running in Emulator
That’s it. Your android development environment is ready and you are also ready to make dirty your hands with some app development stuff. Start exploring, I will be posting the new stuffs soon.
Happy Learning !!
This tutorial may need updating, as most Android developers are now using Android studio . . .
https://developer.android.com/sdk/installing/index.html?pkg=studio
Yes. You are right. I will be updating it soon.
Emulator is very slow. Instead use bluestacks. Its very fast as compared to emulator
Do i need to install any specific package to resolve this error while creating AVD Device?
Error: “No CPU/ABI system image available for this target”
Have you downloaded any system image (name start with Intel x86) for any API? If NO, then you need to download them first. I will suggest to download everything, including image, under API 19.