How to make your app popular. How to make a mobile application if you have no development experience

In fact, it is not as difficult and not as expensive to implement this idea as it might seem at first glance. You just need to have a fairly good idea of ​​what exactly you expect from a mobile application and determine in what ways to achieve your goals.

Hypothesis testing: is it worth using online services to create mobile applications?

It's no secret that creating your own mobile application requires serious investment, time and effort. But is it worth it? In our work, we use a set of methods to test the hypotheses of our clients in order to make sure that the developed application will meet the expectations of the business and users.

In some cases, you can conduct analytics of the program before starting Android or iOS development on your own, without serious financial investments.

One of the ways to check the value of the planned tasks of a future project is a short TTM (time to market), the goal of which is to release the minimum working version of a mobile application in a short time and get an accelerated feedback from users.

There are many ways to achieve a short TTM and quickly collect feedback. One of the least expensive and allowing you to quickly check the need to create an Android program for an existing business is online mobile application designers.

For what tasks such a solution is suitable:

• Creating a mobile version of your website
• Increasing the sales channels of the existing on-line store
• Improving communication channels between employees and customers
• Increase news channels for your blog, website, newsletter

When to use such services?

• You are on a tight budget
• Your idea has no technologically complex solutions and is “typical” for the market
• Success or failure after launching the application will not have a significant impact on the business
• You are looking for a new channel for attracting customers and you are considering the project as a prospect

Benefits of using:

• Fast development speed
• Minimum starting investment
• Get quick feedback from customers

Flaws:

• Limited functionality of calculators
• Limited design, animation
• Poor quality of work at high loads
• Code errors, long error correction process
• In most services, the final product is published and belongs to the services through which it was created
• There is no way to test a specific function
• No UX testing
• Uncontrolled advertising

If you need high-quality and multifunctional project analytics, application development for Android or iOS, contact the professionals at InfoShell. Our experts will develop for you a unique mobile application that will impress your customers.

If you still decide to make the application yourself, we have selected several free / shareware services for you.

TOP-10 SOFTWARE FOR CREATING APPLICATIONS FOR ANDROID AND IOS

Appsgeyser service allows you to transform your website, blog, video or page on social networks into a mobile application for android with subsequent publication on Google Play.

- completely free and does not limit you in the number of applications created by the user.

Platform advantages: easy viewing of applications, programs, fast conversion of any content (video from YouTube, html document, website) into a mobile application.

First of all, the service is suitable for bloggers and news sites. With the help of the created application, you will be able to estimate how much the views will increase after the first publication, and by the number of installations - how relevant is the need for the mobile version of the site from your customers.

1. www.theappbuilder.com

   

   TheAppBuilder offers tools for utility applications and programs. With the help of this service, you can create and configure the application required for the internal work of your team. Send everyone a notification about a change in the restaurant's work schedule, remind an employee about a change in his work schedule, display the latest company news.

   If you are planning an internal product, try making a test version of the application using this service, thereby making sure if employees will use such an application and in what case.

   Price: individually on request.



- a service offering ready-made solutions for business - applications for restaurants, hotels, nightclubs, public organizations. The constructor is designed to create mobile programs for Android (Android), Apple iOS, Mobile Web, Webpage. The application can be made multilingual.

The service allows making an unlimited number of changes to an already published application, secure hosting.

The cost of developing one mobile application: $ 49.



Is a Russian-language application site-builder that allows you to create functional applications using ready-made templates for all popular electronic devices (iPhone, Android, iPad, Android Tablet) without programming knowledge. The service also offers an easy way to place an application in the Google Play and Apple Store stores.

Prices: Development of a mobile application for Android and iOS - FREE. Business package- 2,400 rubles / month (1 application, 3 thousand installations, publication in stores, no advertising). Unlimited package- 3,700 rubles / month (1 application, unlimited installations, publication in stores, no advertising). Corporate package- 27,100 rubles / month (10 applications, unlimited installations, additional content protection, technical and advisory support).

2. www.mobileroadie.com

   

   - a service for creating event and news applications. With the help of this service, you can combine information about your company in one place or download event data by entering contacts, photos, videos, articles and news into one application.

   Usage price differs from service package: Core package- $ 149 per month or $ 1,499 per year, will allow you to create a simple application without complex technical solutions and external services. Pro package- $ 799 per month or $ 7,999 per year, will allow you to connect external services and customize the application content from the admin panel.



- service for private entrepreneurs and small businesses. The creators assure that it will take you 20 minutes to create the application. The created applications will allow you to establish a new channel of communication with customers and collect reviews, make a mobile version of your website or a ready-made mobile application.

An important advantage of the service is the complete absence of advertising and the ability to develop applications for electronic devices on iOS, Android (Android) and Windows Phone.

Pricing: Free and paid packages are available on the website: App Basics- $ 1 per month App Pro- $ 9 per month Unlimited Reseller- $ 39 per month.



Аppery- a platform for developing business applications for iOS, Android (Android) and Windows Phone. The designer is deployed in the cloud, which eliminates the need to install programs on a hard drive and is designed to create functional business applications.

Advantages: convenient visual editor, the ability to add your own plugins, a wide range of tools for Android and iOS developers, connecting third-party databases and services.

Package cost: Basic version: 30 $ Standard version:$ 30 (payment for 12 months), $ 45 (monthly payment). Pro version:$ 57 (payment for 12 months); $ 85 (monthly payment).



- a platform for self-construction of mobile applications for iPad, iPhone, Android, HTML5. To many of its advantages, the service allows you to create e-commerce applications with a monetization connection.

Prices: Basic- $ 22.90 per month or $ 19.90 per month (billed annually) Advanced- $ 58.90 per month or $ 49 per month (billed annually) Unlimited- $ 139.90 per month or $ 119.90 per month (billed annually).



- the platform enables the user to easily create a functional application for Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad) for small and medium-sized businesses. At BiznessApps, you build a mobile app using hundreds of ready-made templates.

Package cost: Mobile site- $ 29 per month Mobile app- $ 59 per month.

3. www.viziapps.com

   

   - the service allows you to create mobile applications for business using a functional visual editor. It is easy to implement new interfaces for SalesForce, QuickBooks, QuickBase, Google Spreadsheets and SQL Databases through the platform. Apps built with Viziaapps run on all popular types of mobile OS.

   Package cost: Developer- $ 33 per month Pro- $ 79 per month Premium- $ 129 per month.

   * Annual payment is required.

   Just like with websites, when creating your product with the help of on-line constructors, many restrictions are imposed on you. Examples of restrictions:

   • The application is difficult to integrate with external services not provided by the designer.
   • When using free on-line constructors, serious restrictions are imposed on you, such as advertising within your product, collection of product and customer data, and functional limitations.
   • The created product is difficult to scale. If the number of users grows, your solution will freeze or may become inaccessible to users. Also, you will not be able to transfer the application to alternative sites of use (for example, yandex.store, which is popular in the CIS, or Amazon in the USA).

   Applications created using on-line designers are used to test the hypotheses of your project. However, if you received negative feedback and did not appreciate your project, before putting it into a distant box, determine what exactly became the key to failure. Otherwise, you risk losing a profitable project due to poor implementation.
   

Disclaimer:
This article is a free artistic retelling-translation of the introduction of the book "App Savvy
Turning ideas into ipad and iphone apps customers really want "

It can interest people who are just entering the world of mobile development and are wondering where to start. If you are an experienced businessman who already has a stable income from your own mobile applications, most likely, it will seem useless and obvious to you.

It is true that the leading developers are doing very well - the most popular applications, usually games like Angry Birds or Doodle Jump, receive millions of downloads. Having estimated that you can get $ 1 on each download, and looking at the colossal download volumes of these applications, it is very easy to look at the App Store and see only bundles of money that float past you.

Business Insider: Angry Birds Maker Rovio Reports $ 200 Million Revenue in 2012, image via techcrunch.com

At this moment it is very easy to think “Why not me?”, To create your own application - and face the harsh reality that is usually very different from the cloudless existence of such leading developers. As statistics show, more than half of the paid apps in the App Store do not receive even 1000 downloads a year, which means that after deducting the Apple commission for all your work, you will receive only about $ 700 - therefore, if I were you, I would not indulge optimism, looking at the staggering performance of popular games.

Does this mean that if you are new to mobile app development, you'd better give up this idea right away? Not necessarily, but, in any case, first I suggest that you face the truth and study everything that is already in the App Store - then you will realize that you have very few chances to come into it and immediately launch a very popular application. I don’t want to say that this is impossible, but many successful iPhone developers have created many applications before reaching their goal. The main thing that you will get from launching your first application is the knowledge and experience of self-development of applications.

When you study the market, you may feel that you are failing. My advice to you in this situation is to think wider. Do not develop an application, but something that has value for you and for people, not only as a program on the phone. Solve real user problems, do it easily and naturally for them - and then you can create an application that will become really popular.

But before you start developing your mobile application, do not forget to think everything through. Successful mobile app developers are different in that they treat development like a business. They calculate the cost of development, the cost of entering the market, think over a way of return on investment - and this allows them to make a stable income from the development, and not attempts to draw out a lucky lottery ticket.

The more time you spend studying the market, the clearer you will be at distinguishing real from ghostly earning opportunities. Consider application development as an investment, and you will learn to interact with clients, media partners, you will be able to create your own library of design elements and program code that you will use in all your applications.

When you learn to understand the economics of the App Store, make the right connections, and start building your library, you will have a significant advantage over the people who just wander the App Store trying to find a place in the sun.

Unlike the rest, you will not come to the App Store filled with emotions and megalomania of your idea. On the contrary, you will be able to objectively assess your capabilities and understand how much money and time you will need to invest in your application, and how you will return your investment.

Introduction
Strategy
Chapter 1: Assessing Your Mobile App Idea
Chapter 2: What Should Your Application Have?
Chapter 3: From Idea to Concept

Development of
Chapter 4: Finding a Team: You Need Help
Chapter 5: Getting a Working Application
Chapter 6: Improving the Application Before Adding It to the App Store

Running
Chapter 7: Getting Ready to Upload Your App to the App Store
Chapter 8: Building Our Marketing Strategy
Chapter 9: Measuring Success and Considering Future Development

Mobile applications can be created not only by specialized firms with highly qualified programmers, but also by ordinary users. What tools can they use for these purposes? What should you pay attention to when developing your own software for mobile devices?

Purpose of mobile applications

Before considering what tools are used to develop mobile applications, how to create them, let us study, in fact, what the purpose of their release may be based on what the purpose of the corresponding solutions is. Mobile applications can be classified into the following main varieties:

Informational;

Transactional;

Communication;

Mobile versions of computer software - editors, viewers, browsers;

Analytical applications and planners;

Educational solutions.

Actually, games are also mobile applications, but more often than not they stand out as a separate category of software. Let's explore in more detail what the tagged mobile applications are, how to create them, taking into account the possible costs.

Information applications

The essence of information applications is to provide their users with access to certain useful information and news. An example of a suitable solution is an application from a clothing or footwear manufacturer that informs users about discounts and special offers from this company. It can be a mobile catalog or a brochure in the appropriate format.

It's probably the easiest to create an iOS or Android mobile app in the appropriate flavors. The fact is that the basis for this type of software can be, for example, an already working company website or its mobile version. It is enough to adapt its interface, as well as the communication mechanisms implemented in it, for the software algorithms of mobile operating systems - we will consider what tools this can be done later, and the mobile application will be ready.

Transactional applications

Transactional applications are designed to pay for various goods and services purchased over the Internet. These types of software can be produced by banks, payment systems. It should be noted that the most complex in structure and code are transactional mobile applications in many cases. Only the most highly qualified specialist knows how to create them and, most importantly, adapt to the requirements of the legislation.

Therefore, if the user does not have such skills - both in terms of solving technical problems and in ensuring the compliance of applications with legal requirements - then it is worthwhile to independently develop such solutions, then, first of all, for informational purposes, in the course of self-training. The implementation of such developments in practice will require additional time and, in many cases, additional costs.

Communication applications

Communication applications are those programs that are designed to provide communication between users using the resources of a developer or third party brands. It is quite difficult to create such solutions yourself, as in the case of transactional applications. Again, it makes sense to do this mainly when there is a desire, in principle, to learn how to develop an appropriate type of product. But putting them into practice will require significant resources, which are at the disposal of a few private users.

In most cases, only highly qualified specialists know how these mobile applications are implemented, how to create conditions for their stable operation. But, of course, a skilled programmer who is ready to spend a significant amount of time and investments, in principle, can develop a messenger or a small social network that is simple in structure, but in demand due to its simplicity and convenience.

However, they probably will not be able to compete with Skype, Vkontakte or Viber. Therefore, at the planning stage for the development of traditional applications, the developer should realistically assess the prospects for bringing his product to the market.

Mobile versions of computer software

Editors, viewers, browsers - applications that are similar or close in their functions to the corresponding solutions used by users of traditional computers. But, of course, not only they can have analogues adapted to run on a PC. Actually, any types of applications in our classification can be computer-based. However, the solutions under consideration are among those that nevertheless became familiar to users before smartphones and tablets began to appear en masse on the computer technology market. Therefore, programs of the corresponding type in the original, as a rule, are presented precisely in versions adapted to run on a PC, and only after the appearance of smartphones and tablets on the market are they designed as mobile versions.

How to create a mobile application for Android or iOS of the corresponding type on your own depends first of all on whether the original computer version of the software is licensed or it is distributed as free software with open source code. In the first case, the creation of a mobile version of the program in most cases will require coordination with the copyright holders. And if they refuse to authorize the development of the corresponding version of the program, then its mobile version, even if the user creates it on his own initiative, will most likely be recognized as illegal. If the original software is open source, then developing its version for a mobile device is a matter of technology.

Analytical software and schedulers

Analytical applications and planners allow you to carry out various statistical observations, form a budget, schedule meetings, etc. It can be noted that this segment of mobile applications is among those in which private developers, as a rule, are given the greatest freedom of action. There aren't many brands out there who know how to create a corresponding type of mobile app for Android or iOS much better than a private developer. The most important thing in such decisions is the concept. Its development depends mainly on the skills of a particular programmer, designer, finance specialist, and it is possible that the approaches proposed by him will be more effective than those that will be developed by a large company.

Educational programs

The same can be said, in principle, for tutorials designed for mobile devices. They are designed to make it easier for users to master certain languages, norms, skills. A private developer may well offer users a solution of the appropriate type, more convenient and efficient in comparison with what a large company can create.

Self-development of mobile applications: software structure

How to create a mobile application yourself? To successfully solve this problem, the developer should first of all decide on the optimal structure of the created program for a mobile device. Regardless of the purpose of the software, it will consist of 2 main components: a front-end module and a back-end module. The first is the interfaces through which the user will use the application's capabilities. The second module is responsible for receiving and transmitting data as part of the interaction between the corresponding software and the user (in some cases, also the developer, if, for example, it requires the provision of certain updates or feedback).

What can be the interface of the application?

More detailed characteristics of the structure of mobile applications depend on their purpose. So, for example, if the information software of an online store is being created, then its interface may contain:

Navigation options with which the user will be able to access certain data;

Feedback block with a seller or supplier;

Personal account, which will reflect data on the user's requests, his purchases;

News block, which will contain information about discounts and special offers of the online store, as well as other significant information.

It is possible that the store owner would be better off creating a mobile application of the site, repeating just its structure, so that users who are already familiar with the resource can easily navigate the structure of the corresponding software for mobile devices.

applications: tools

Let us now study a number of practical nuances of developing the solutions under consideration. The question of how to create a mobile application yourself can be solved with the help of convenient constructors, which are presented in a fairly large number on the corresponding software market. In particular, you can pay attention to solutions such as: MobiCart, BusinessApps, My-Apps, Net2Share. All of them are presented in the cloud software format and can be accessed from any device via the Internet. Let's consider how to create a mobile application using the capabilities of these programs in more detail.

App Development Tools: MobiCart

This service can be useful to the owner of an online store just in the event that he initially does not have his own website. With the help of MobiCart, a developer can create a functional application through which users will be able to build the widest range of communications with the seller: place orders, pay for them, receive information about discounts, contact the supplier.

The main functions of the service in question are provided on a commercial basis, but the developer can get acquainted with its capabilities for free.

Mobile App Tools: BusinessApps

This application builder is optimal mainly for small online stores. It allows you to implement:

Interfaces for messaging, adding items to the cart;

Organization of negotiations between the supplier and the buyer of the goods;

News block.

It is noteworthy that this application builder allows you to use templates adapted to create applications for enterprises that represent specific areas of business, for example, catering, fitness. The service in question is not free, the monthly fee for it is $ 59 per month. However, you can use the trial version. In addition, if the user does not like this constructor, then he may demand to return the money paid back.

Application Development Tools: My-Apps

This constructor, in turn, is free. The problem "how to create a mobile application for iPhone or Android using it" can be solved by using 10 templates that are adapted to ensure communications with consumers of enterprises in a wide range of business areas. Among the most notable features of the service in question is the prompt publication of the application in the largest catalogs - App Store and Google Play.

Application Development Tools: Net2Share

The constructor in question is one of the most convenient solutions that allow you to quickly understand how to create a mobile application for Android yourself. This resource is adapted just for the development of products on the appropriate platform. It is characterized by a fairly large set of functions, as well as the ability to make money on the created application using internal advertising services. That is, a user can, having developed a particular product, upload it to a corporate account. In addition, the most active developers receive a free profile on Google Play.

In addition, Net2Share provides free training courses for users, through which a developer can improve their skills in creating and promoting applications on the market.

Of course, there are a large number of other specialized services that allow you to create a mobile application or game. In many cases, a developer may prefer not a cloud service, but a distribution kit that allows one or another program code to be implemented. But the resources we have discussed above are designed mainly for users with minimal experience and therefore can be used even without special training. They are versatile and allow developers to create apps that are optimized for a wide variety of industries.

How to develop a profitable Mobile application or how to hit the target!

If you have an idea to create it, you can be sure that it will work and even generate income, provided that your mobile application will be incredibly useful to the user. This can be optimization of everyday tasks or solving user problems (paying traffic fines or pre-registering at a car wash, etc.) or solving the problem of the user's time in his smartphone.

It all starts with an idea

It's pointless to create an application if you have no idea. Therefore, at the very beginning, it is recommended to think over everything well. An important point is to know who the utility will be intended for and what functions it will perform.

A large number of well-known mobile applications were not part of the interests of the creators. These are games that are always at high positions in the rating. Perhaps everyone already knows about Minecraft, Templ Run and others.

With the help of gaming applications, it is possible to get more profit, because people are more willing to lay out their money just for them. Especially if these are popular projects. You should not be discouraged if the idea you want to implement already exists and is even posted on the App Store. Still, those who think outside the box win. You need to look at similar proposals and understand what is missing in them and make them better.

For example, if there are already several utilities that provide information about popular places in Moscow, they can compete with a program that shows places in the city that are not known to everyone.

There are a few key points to keep in mind when coming up with an idea:

• Assessing the possibilities when creating an application yourself. In simple mobile app development, you can make a simple mobile app yourself.
• If you have a mobile application with specific business processes or a technically complex mobile application, then you will need to develop from scratch. If your mobile application will function as an online store, then we recommend using a ready-made solution for 1c Bitrix Mobile application. Expand it and, over time, refine the necessary functionality. To do this, you need to find a mobile application developer company.
• If the mobile application from the B2C segment, for example, as a cafe, pizzeria, taxi service, mobile bank applications, mobile Internet client of a bank, mobile application of a travel agency, then you can use already developed ready-made mobile applications from development companies or find website-constructors on which you can develop the application yourself (in this case, you can make it with simple straightforward functionality).
• It is important to highlight and evaluate the usefulness of the future application.
• Decide if the utility needs daily monitoring.
• Select the platforms for which the future mobile phone is intended (IOS, Android, Windows Background).

What are the applications

There are many types and categories. Below is a list of the most popular ones.

• Toys (the simple colorful "shooter" Angry Birds has won recognition among many users);
• Traveler Resources (As a good example of TripAdvisor);
• Social networks (Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki);
• News feeds (known option - RIA Novosti);
• Projects for music lovers (Spotify is a prime example);
• Resources with video content (Vine);
• Supporting utilities (for example, translator);
• Photo networks (Instagram), etc.

How to make an application earn

Before starting development, it is necessary to determine the monetization of a mobile application. There are several options for monetizing projects:

• Free distribution. Such programs are used by large corporations and allow them to promote a range of products and services.
• Free with ads. This type is often found in popular projects that actively interact with users.
• Paid system. The most profitable of all. Similar applications are used by Apple, which earns commissions (up to 30%) from sales.
• Lightweight (Lite) and Professional (Pro) versions. The first one is free, but contains limited functionality, which is available in full with the purchase of the Pro version.
• Domestic purchases. The functionality of the application and new game features of the character are gradually acquired by users for real money.

Development stage

When you already have an idea, that's half the battle.

For those who do not want to bother themselves too much, but are ready to shell out a certain amount, there are proposals from mobile application developers. We are in the process of developing custom-made mobile applications.

The easiest and cheapest way to find a specialist is to contact freelance exchanges. But, if an unscrupulous employee comes across, there is a risk that the project will be delivered to you not on time and, perhaps, the contractor will ask for an additional amount for the development (since initially, due to inexperience, he did not correctly determine the amount of work).

Below are the questions to ask developers:

• What is the cost of developer work for 1 hour?
• Portfolio of completed projects?
• Will the customer own the rights to the application?
• Are there opportunities and experience that will allow you to realize the idea?
• What platforms does it work with?

How much does it cost to develop an application

Before you can make a large amount of money, you must first spend it. This statement is not always true. But if we assume that the application is ordered from specialists, there are several nuances of the final cost.

The price can fluctuate between 50,000-5,000,000 rubles, depending on the type of application and its capabilities. It may seem very expensive (especially the last figure), but as the popularity of a high-quality application develops, the profit will pay off all the costs several times.

Most expensive games. They are often top sellers.

When a project has already been developed at some stage, or there is at least a layout, the price can be significantly reduced. Another option to reduce upfront costs is to offer the developer a percentage of the program's profits. When the app is ready, it should be published on the App Store. This is also not a free step. The amount that will have to be paid is approximately $ 100 per year. Placing on the Android Market will cost $ 25.

If you create an application for free

When there is no desire and opportunity to invest money, you can go the other way and use the builders of mobile applications. These extensions work in the online system and allow you to make the simplest utility or "toy" for free without programming skills. But, if you need something individual and more complex, there is a paid tariff for this.

Here are some constructors:

• My-apps.com. Provided 10 ready-made templates for the development of business systems (taxi, pizza delivery, online store, etc.).
• Net2Share.com. The constructor is completely free and created for Android applications. An internal promotion system is in place. As part of the program, training seminars on the specifics of creating mobile applications are regularly held.
• ibuildapp.com. Constructor for developing applications running on iOS and Android platforms. According to the Russian version of the site, the tariff will be about 500 rubles.
• MobiumApps.com. Designed for Android, Apple iOS and Windows Phone. The system is paid. One application can cost 10,000 rubles per month (with an unlimited tariff), or 7 rubles for each installation.
• AppsGeyser.com. Cheap constructor. The system is free, but full of ads. Designed for bloggers and online publications that deliver content to subscribers.
• BuildAnApp.com. Builder created for BlackBerry, Windows, iOS and Android. The subscription fee will be around $ 20. Generation is carried out in just 6 stages.
• ViziApps.com. System for development on Android, Apple iOS and HTML5. The monthly rate is around $ 100 per month. Publishing costs around $ 400. The service does a good job with ideas for business processes.

How much can you earn on the app?

All money received through the application directly depends on its popularity. Therefore, it is difficult to immediately say a specific figure. GigaOM PRO conducted research that showed that about half of developers earn about $ 500 every month, and only 4% of mobile applications bring in millions of rubles in profit. This amount is very small to live on just the income from the app. Earning money is perfect for those who just want to earn some money.

Geniuses who are able to recreate a project that rivals Angry Birds in terms of profit have the opportunity to earn up to $ 100,000 every month. To make good money on the application, you need to consider the following:

• The idea and the application as a whole should be of interest to a large audience;
• Before starting creation, it is recommended to research all existing hits;
• The easiest way to make money is on applications for IOS;
RuTaxi

Development of a mobile version of the website, landing page and mobile application for a taxi service

rutaxi.ru

Do you want the same project or even cooler?

Write to us about it!

Please note that the studio is constantly being updated, so the appearance of the windows and other details may differ from this example. Most of the tutorials on the site now use version 2.3. On October 25, 2017, version 3.0 was released, in which a lot has changed. In this article, I tried to replace all the pictures with the new version.

Java is used as the programming language for Android. XML is used to create the user interface.

A small digression should be made here. Android Studio 3.0 adds full support for the new Kotlin language, developed by the Kotans. Google has announced plans to make the new feline language mainstream. But you must understand that over the past years, a huge number of examples have been written in Java. If you are a beginner in programming, it is better to concentrate completely on Java during the first period of study, it will be easier for you to find answers to questions. Kotlin will not go anywhere from you, it will be easier to switch to it later, but the reverse process will be more difficult. When you get a little familiar with Java, you can study the examples in Kotlin in parallel. Google is now actively rewriting the documentation for Kotlin, but it is still far from the complete transition, even less than 50%. A little later, I will also do lessons for Kotlin, but this will not be soon.

According to the tradition established in the last century, every programmer had to write "Hello World!" (Hello World!) As the first program. Times are changing and the Hello World! is already built into the Android development environment for compatibility purposes, and modern programmers must write a program Hello Kitty!(Hi kitty!). Agree that it makes more sense to greet a kitten than to some kind of world.

Therefore, we will split the problem into two parts. First, let's run the finished program without writing any code to make sure that all the tools are installed correctly so that we can build and debug programs. And then we'll write our first program.

Creating a new project

Launch Studio and select File | New | New Project ...... A wizard dialog box will appear.

Field Application name- a friendly name for the application, which will be displayed in the title of the application. By default, you may already have My Application... Replace with. Basically you could write here and Hello world!, but Android has a wonderful ability to display the desired strings on phones with different languages. Let's say an American has an inscription on his phone in English, and a Russian one - in Russian. Therefore, in the initial settings, the English variants are always used, and prepare the localized strings later. Get in the habit of getting the right code right away.

Field Company Domain serves to indicate your site. By default, your computer username may appear there. If you have a site, you can enter its address, or come up with some name. The entered name is remembered and will be automatically substituted in the next new projects. Savings, however.

Third field Project location allows you to select a disk location for the project being created. You can create a separate folder for your projects on your disk and store your programs in it. The studio remembers the last folder and will automatically suggest saving in it. If necessary, you can specify a different location for a separate project via the button with three dots.

Field Package name generates a special Java package based on your name from the previous field. Java uses an inverted naming convention for packages, so first goes ru, and then the name of the site. The package is used to uniquely identify your application when you redistribute it. If a hundred people write a hundred applications with the name "Cat", then it will not be clear where the application, written by the developer Vasily Kotov, is. And the app with the package name ru.vaskakotov.cat easier to find. Please note that Google uses the package in its documentation com.example for demonstration purposes. If you just copy the examples from the documentation and try to put them in this form on Google Play, then nothing will come of it - this name is reserved and prohibited from use in the app store. Button Edit allows you to edit the prepared version. For example, you are writing a custom application and you need to use the customer approved package name rather than your default.

Below are two options for writing C ++ and Kotlin programs. We are not considering these options yet. When you write in Kotlin, then check the appropriate box. However, you can convert a project from Java to Kotlin and later using the studio.

Click on the button Next and go to the next window. Here we select the types of devices for which we will develop our application. In most cases, we will write for smartphones and tablets, so we leave the checkbox next to the first item. You can also write apps for Android TV, Android Wear, Android Auto, and Android Things.

In addition to choosing the type of devices, you must select the minimum version of the system for which the application will work. Choose your option. At the moment, Google supports versions starting with API 7, releasing special compatibility libraries for older devices. But you can choose a more modern option. I have a phone with a minimum version of Android 4.4, so I am showing this option.

java

Folder java contains three subfolders - working and for tests. The working folder is named after your package and contains the class files. Now there is one class MainActivity... You can leave the test folders untouched. If you know how packages work in Java, you can create new folders and subfolders.

res

Folder res contains resource files split into separate subfolders.

• drawable- these folders store graphic resources - pictures and xml-files describing color and shapes.
• layout- this folder contains xml files that describe the appearance of forms and various form elements. After creating the project, there is already a file there activity_main.xml, which is responsible for the appearance of the main application window.
• mipmap- app icons for different screen resolutions are stored here
• values- this is where string resources, resources of colors, themes, styles and dimensions are located, which we can use in our project. Here you can see the files colors.xml, strings.xml, styles.xml... In older projects, there was also a file dimens.xml, now it was abandoned

Over time, you will be free to navigate these folders, until you boggle your head.

Working with the project - Hello, World!

As already mentioned, the program Hello, World! is already built into any new project, so you don't even need to write anything. You just need to start the project and get the finished program!

To study, you need to open two files - MainActivity(most likely it is already open) and activity_main.xml (res / layout) in the central part of the Studio. If the files are not open, then open them yourself by double-clicking for editing (or viewing). In this way, you can open any file you need.

We will not study the code yet, but just click on the green triangle. Run(Shift + F10) on the toolbar at the top of the studio to launch the application.

If you haven't configured the emulator, then you haven't read the previous tutorial. Configure the emulator first and run the project again. Or connect a real device.

If everything is done correctly, then your program will be loaded in the emulator or on the device. Congratulations!

So, if the program has started, you will see the application window with the inscription. The program title will also be. All these lines can be found in the file res / values ​​/ strings.xml and edit if desired.

Now let's look at the code. Let's first examine activity_main.xml.

You can watch it in two modes - Design and Text.

Open in mode Text.

This is the new template code that appeared in Android Studio 2.3 in March 2017. Previously used different code with RelativeLayout(and even earlier, another code with LinearLayout). If you come across old examples, the studio has a context menu that will help you convert the old code into a new one.

A little about XML code. There is a special container ConstraintLayout where the component is located TextView, intended for text output.

Now let's look at the Java code ( MainActivity.java)

Package ru.alexanderklimov.helloworld; import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity; import android.os.Bundle; public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity (@Override protected void onCreate (Bundle savedInstanceState) (super.onCreate (savedInstanceState); setContentView (R.layout.activity_main);))

Before you open a class file, where the class name MainActivity matches file name with extension java(this is the rule set by the Java language). The first line contains the name of the package - we set it when creating the project ( Package Name). Next are the lines for importing the necessary classes for the project. To save space, they are folded into one group. Expand it. If one day you see that the class names are displayed in gray, then they are not used in the project (hint Unused import statement) and you can safely delete the extra lines. They can also be deleted automatically (configurable).

Next comes the declaration of the class itself, which is inherited ( extends) from abstract class Activity... It is the base class for all screens in the application. It is possible that you will have AppCompatActivity if, when creating a project, you left support for old devices (checkbox Backwards Compatibilty (App Compat)). The old versions did not have the goodies that appeared after Android 4, so a special compatibility library was created for them, which allows you to use new items from new versions of Android in old programs. Class AppCompatActivity just refers to the compatibility library. Consider her the poor cousin of the base Activity... It has all the methods and helper classes you need, but the names may vary slightly. And you can't mix names. If you are already using a class from the compatibility library, then take the appropriate methods.

At different stages, different names of the activity class were used, which you may encounter in old projects. For example, first used FragmenActivity, then ActionBarActivity, and on April 22, 2015 a new version of the compatibility library was released and at the moment a new class is being used AppCompatActivity.

In the class itself, we see the method onCreate ()- it is called when the application creates and displays the markup of the activity. The method is marked as protected and is accompanied by an annotation @Override(reimplemented from base class). The abstract may be useful to you. If you make a typo in the method name, the compiler will be able to warn you, informing you about the absence of such a method in the parent class. Activity.

Let's analyze the method code.

Line super.onCreate (savedInstanceState); Is the constructor of the parent class that performs the necessary operations for the activity to work. You do not have to touch this line, leave it unchanged.

Second line setContentView (R.layout.activity_main); is of greater interest. Method setContentView (int) includes content from a markup file. As an argument, we specify the name of the file without the extension from the folder res / layout... By default, the project creates a file in it activity_main.xml... You can rename the file or create your own file named cat.xml and connect it to your activity. Then the code will look like this:

SetContentView (R.layout.cat);

To keep your code neat, try to adhere to standards. If you are creating markup for an activity, then use the prefix activity_ for the file name. For example, the markup for the second activity might be named activity_second.xml.