CHAPTER 2: Configuring Your Android App Development System 53We’ll be performing this same work process as needed in any chapters in this book that cover
non-standard Android devices that are not listed (included) in the Eclipse ADT at this time (on the
Device Definition tab) or that require us to add tablet or iTV set product definitions to our list
of emulators.
What Will Be Covered in this Book
Since we downloaded, installed, and configured your Eclipse ADT and its Java foundation, as well as
a plethora of professional-level, open source content production and business productivity software
in the first two chapters, let’s take a look at what will be covered in the rest of the book. I am doing
this so that you have a comprehensive overview of what Android encompasses, and what you’ll need
to learn, in order to go from an Absolute Beginner to an intermediate level Android app developer.
I will progress from (relatively) simple concepts to more complex topics as the book progresses.
However, don’t expect any of this subject matter to be easy to master or even comprehend during
the first go-round, because Android application software development is an extremely high-level
endeavor. As you probably are well aware, Android software developer is a complete profession, as
well as a high-paid career, and as such, will take you several years to completely master all of its
complexities.
Introduction to Android Application Development Platform
In Chapter 3, you will learn the unique “lingo” for Android application design; that is, what the
various components of an Android application are called, because Android uses its own terminology
(or lingo) to describe things like messages and databases and background processing and app
screen design. It is important to note that this “lingo,” which is based on Android class names, will
not change from version to version, which is why everything that you will learn about during this
book will apply equally well to both Android 4.x and 5.x versions.
As you’ll learn in Chapter 3, an Android application is “stratified.” This involves how an app’s
function is spelled out via Java code, while its design is controlled with XML markup, and its
privileges with an Android “Manifest,” in a way that that is truly unique, modular, and powerful.
You will get an overview of all the basic knowledge of Android application development in Chapter 3,
as well as learn how to create an application shell, which I call an application “bootstrap,” in that
chapter.
Android’s modularity adds a great deal of extensibility, or development flexibility, to Android
applications, but also makes it more difficult to learn initially. We will get a bird’s eye overview of how
all of these modules work together, to create your Android OS application development environment,
and how everything comes together to create your application.
It’s important to get this high-level view first, before we dive into each of the lower-level component
areas of Android application development, as you will need this perspective to understand
everything else in the book.