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Learning Android development can be overwhelming. As there is too much information overload and It's hard to find your way through it. My intention behind writing this article is to show you how to learn app development without getting lost in details. At the end of this article, you'd have a clear goals towards learning android development.

Let me explain how you can approach the app development with Android.

Start with Wireframe



Every big concept needs to be broken into modular level. This is where wireframes come into play. Many instructors tell you to start learning java before learning Android. I have found that instead of learning java, you should start learning how to wireframe. Wireframing may seem trivial but it can be really helpful. You can visualize your app elements and functionality on paper prior to creating it. And you can get the blueprint of app and decide the steps in which you want to develop the program.

Learn Java

In order to make wire-frame design work in code, you have to learn to use Java. Java is the base programming language for app development. Android does allow C++ for development too but it's easy to use Java. You need to learn the basics in java which also includes object oriented programming. Java isn't hard to learn. People will tell you it's hard but it's not and you just have to learn one concept at a time. Once you learn core java, you can then immediately apply your learned skills for app. Download Eclipse IDE and start learning Java. While you use Eclipse, It helps to download latest JDK version from Oracle website.

Learn Android Studio



Java on it's own can't do everything. This is where an IDE comes in. IDE stands for integrated development environment. Android Studio is one such IDE that makes Java and App development easy. You have to download the Android Studio for your operating system. After downloading it, you have to learn how to use it. You have to learn how to create basic project. Once you learn basics such as this, you can then dive into serious app development. You'll learn details such as gradle build, AVD manager and few other configurations. You'll learn how to use SDK manager as you spend time learning android Studio.

Create An App

Once you understand how to create a project in IDE, it's time to start designing app. Learn how to create first hello world app on Android. After you learn how to create basic app project, learn how to use Java to make widgets work. Java, XML and Android studio settings can help you create successful app that you can deploy.

Publish on Google Play Store

This is the last step in your app development process. If you manage to clear all previous hurdles it'd be easier for you to get into this step. You need to sign up for publisher account. And once you sign up, google asks you to pay 25$ developer fee. Once you pay that fee, you'll be eligible for publishing unlimited apps on the store. Apart from publishing your apps on Google play you can take this skills for freelance jobs. You can also apply for the local IT firms that work in Android app development.

Courses

The above steps are mostly covered in a courses released by sites like Udacity, Coursera and Udemy. The android development courses are free on Udacity. If you want live instructor guided courses then you have to sign up to Udemy courses instead. My suggestion is to stick with Udacity's beginner courses on Android. Once you get comfortable with basics, you can then go for paid training.

Conclusion

Here I have explained the steps through which you can learn how to approach learning android development. There are lot of advanced things you can learn as you dive into app development. But you have to start somewhere with the basics. And above mentioned steps will help you get started with the Android app development.