1 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

Android Development Q&A

Tools and technologies are required to build an android application

Building an Android application typically requires a combination of tools and technologies.

Here's a list of some of the key components you'll need:

1. Integrated Development Environment (IDE):

Android Studio: This is the official IDE for Android app development. It provides a
range of tools for building, testing, and debugging Android applications.

2. Programming Languages:
Java: Traditionally, Android apps were written in Java.
Kotlin: Kotlin has become the preferred language for Android development due to its
concise syntax, improved safety, and interoperability with Java.

3. Android Software Development Kit (SDK):

The Android SDK includes various libraries, tools, and APIs needed to develop Android
applications.

4. Gradle Build System:

Gradle is used to build, compile, and package your Android app. It manages dependencies
and allows for customization of the build process.

5. User Interface (UI) Design Tools:

Android XML layout files:These define the layout and design of your apps user interface.
Design tools within Android Studio: Android Studio provides a visual designer to create
UI layouts.

6. Version Control System:

Git is commonly used for version control, and platforms like GitHub, GitLab, or
Bitbucket are often used for hosting and collaborating on code.

7. Libraries and Frameworks:

Android Jetpack: A set of libraries, tools, and guidance for Android app development,
which simplifies many common tasks.
Retrofit: A popular library for making network requests and handling API data.
Picasso or Glide: Libraries for loading and caching images in your app.
Room: A local database library for data persistence.
Firebase: A suite of mobile development tools and services for various tasks like
authentication, real-time databases, and cloud functions.
 2 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

8. Emulator or Physical Device:

You can use the Android Emulator included in Android Studio to test your app on different
virtual devices. For real-world testing, you'll need an Android device with USB debugging
enabled.

9. Testing and Debugging:

Android Debug Bridge(ADB):A command-line tool for interacting with Android devices.
Android Virtual Device Manager: Create and manage virtual devices for testing.
Testing frameworks like JUnit and Espresso for unit testing and UI testing, respectively.

10. Publishing and Distribution:

Google Play Console: The platform for publishing and managing Android apps on the
Google Play Store.
Developer account on Google Play: You'll need a Google Developer account to publish
your app.

11. Documentation and Resources:

Android Developer Documentation: The official documentation provides valuable
resources and guides for Android development.
Online communities and forums: Places like Stack Overflow and the Android
Developers community can help you find solutions to common issues.

12. Design Guidelines:

Familiarize yourself with Google's Material Design guidelines for creating visually
appealing and user-friendly apps.

13. Security and Permissions:

Understand Android's permission system and best practices for securing your app.

14. Monetization (if applicable):

If you plan to monetize your app, you might need tools for in-app purchases, ads, or
subscription management.

15. Analytics and Crash Reporting:

Tools like Google Analytics or Firebase Analytics can help you track user behavior, and
Firebase Crashlytics can help you monitor and fix crashes.

Remember that the specific tools and technologies you use may vary depending on the
complexity and requirements of your Android application. Additionally, staying up-to-date
with the latest developments in the Android ecosystem is essential for successful app
development.
 3 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

Android Studio

The primary tool used to build Android applications is Android Studio. Android Studio is
the official integrated development environment (IDE) provided by Google for Android app
development. It is purpose-built for creating, testing, and deploying Android applications.
Android Studio comes equipped with various features and tools that make it easier for
developers to build Android apps, including code editing, debugging, visual design, and
more.

Key features of Android Studio include:

1. Code editor with intelligent code completion.

2. Visual layout editor for designing app interfaces.
3. Gradle-based build system for managing dependencies and building the app.
4. Emulator for testing apps on virtual devices.
5. Built-in support for version control systems like Git.
6. Profiling and debugging tools for app optimization and bug fixing.
7. Integration with Google services and APIs.
8. Support for developing in both Java and Kotlin.

Android Studio is the go-to choice for Android developers, and it is regularly updated with
new features and improvements to make the app development process more efficient and
productive.

Examples of Android exceptions.

1. NullPointerException: Occurs when you try to access or manipulate an object

that is null.
2. ClassCastException: Happens when an attempt is made to cast an object to an
incompatible class.
3. ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException: Occurs when trying to access an array element at
an invalid index.
4. NumberFormatException: Typically occurs when parsing a string to a numeric type,
and the string is not a valid number.
5. SecurityException: Raised when there's a security violation, such as when an app tries to
access a restricted resource or permission it doesn't have.
6. IllegalStateException: Often indicates that an object is in an invalid state for the
operation being performed.
7. SQLiteException: Raised when there's an issue with database operations, such as a
malformed query or database corruption.
 4 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

1. What is Android Software Development Kit (SDK) ?

The Android SDK includes various libraries, tools, and APIs needed to develop
Android applications.

2. What is the Android operating system?

The Android operating system is an open-source, Linux-based operating system
primarily designed for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. It was
developed by Android Inc., which was later acquired by Google in 2005. Android
provides a platform for developers to create applications and services that can run
on various Android devices.

3. What is an Activity in Android?

An activity is the single screen in android. It is like window or frame of Java.
By the help of activity, you can place all your UI components or widgets in a single
screen.

4. Describe the lifecycle of an Activity in Android ?

onCreate : called when activity is first created.
onStart : called when activity is becoming visible to the user.
onResume : called when activity will start interacting with the user.
onPause : called when activity is not visible to the user.
onStop : called when activity is no longer visible to the user.
onRestart : called after your activity is stopped, prior to start.
onDestroy : called before the activity is destroyed.

5. What is a Fragment in Android? How does it differ from an Activity?

Fragments, on the other hand, are small pieces of code that are used to build a user
interface within an activity. Fragments are typically used to break-up a complex user
interface into smaller, more manageable pieces. They can also be used to add func-
tionality to an existing activity or to provide a common user interface across multiple
activities.
Fragments can contain their own user interface elements, respond to user input
and communicate with other parts of the app.

Ul Component: Similar to an Activity, a Fragment can have its own user interface
components and layout file. It can contain buttons, text fields, images, and other Ul
elements.
Lifecycle: Fragments have their own lifecycle, which is closely related to the lifecycle of
the hosting Activity. However, Fragments have additional lifecycle-methods like
onAttach(), onCreateView(), and onDetach(), which are not present in Activities.
Reusability: Fragments are designed to be reusable components that can be combi-
ned and reused across multiple activities. This allows for more modular and flexible Ul
design. For example, you can have a Fragment representing a navigation drawer that can
be included in different activities.
 5 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

6. Explain the concept of an Intent in Android?

Intent is used to call an internal or external component from an activity to another
activity of another app.
Two type of Intent in Android are:
Explicit Intent: Used to launch a specific component within your app by specifying the
target component's class name.
Ex: Opening a specific activity within your app like going from the main menu to a
settings screen.

Implicit Intent: Used to request an action from another app or component without
specifying the exact target, relying on Android's intent resolution mechanism to find a
suitable recipient.
Ex: Asking the system to open a web URL using the default web browser app.

7. Explain the Android application architecture.

Android architecture or Android software stack is categorised into five parts:
Linux Kernel: The foundation of the Android system, responsible for core hardware
interactions, such as memory management and device drivers.
Native Libraries (Middleware): Libraries that provide essential functions for the
operating system, like graphics rendering, database access, and web browsing.
Android Runtime: The runtime environment where apps run, using either the Dalvik
or ART (Android Runtime) virtual machines to execute Java-based code.
Application Framework: Pre-built components and services for Android app
development.
Applications: The top layer where user-facing apps are created. These apps are what
users interact with and are built using the Android Application Framework and other
tools provided by Android's development platform.

8. What is the purpose of the Android Manifest file? What information does it
contain?
The AndroidManifest.xml file contains information of your package, including
components of the application such as activities, services, broadcast receivers, content
providers etc. Its purposes are:
Declaration of Components: It lists the components of the application, such as
activities, services, broadcast receivers, and content providers.
Permissions: It defines the permissions the app needs to access certain system
features or data.
App Metadata: Contains metadata about the app, like its package name, version, icon.
App Features: It specifies the hardware and software features the app requires.
App Launch Configuration: It defines the default activity (entry point) when the app is
launched.
Intent Filters: It describes how the app responds to implicit intents from other apps.
Dependencies: It lists the libraries and components the app relies on.
 6 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

9. Explain the concept of Services in Android. When and why would you use them?
Android service is a component that is used to perform operations on the background
such as playing music, handle network transactions, interacting content providers etc. It
doesn't has any UI (user interface). The service runs in the background indefinitely even
if application is destroyed.
These are the three different types of services:
Foreground: The main subject or objects of interest in an image or scene, typically in
the front and visually prominent.
Background: The area or elements in an image or scene that are not the main focus and
are behind the foreground, providing context or setting.
Bound: A boundary or limit that defines the extent or scope of something, often used in
the context of setting constraints or restrictions.

10. What is a Toast? Write its syntax.

Toast is a message that pops up on the screen. It is used to display the message
regarding the status of the operation initiated by the user
and covers only the expanse of space required for the message while the user's recent
activity remains visible and interactive.
Toast notification automatically fades in and out and it does not accept interaction
events.
Syntax:
Toast.makeText(ProjectActivity.this, "Your message here”, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

11. What is ANR in Android? What are the measures you can take to avoid ANR?
ANR (Application Not Responding) in Android is when an app becomes unresponsive.
To avoid ANR, perform time-consuming operations in background threads, use async
tasks, and optimize code for responsiveness.

12. What is the difference between compileSdkVersion and targetSdkVersion?

compileSdkVersion : Specifies the Android Version / API level used for compilation
and building the app.
Ex: If you try to use API 15 features but set compileSdkVersion is 14, you will get a
compilation error. If you set compileSdkVersion to15 you can still run the app on
an API 14 device as long as your app's execution paths do not attempt to invoke
any APIs specific to API 15.
targetSdkVersion : Indicates the highest API level / Android version the app is
designed to run on, ensuring compatibility.
Ex: targetSdkVersion 30: indicates that the app is designed to be compatible with
Android API level 30 but can run on newer versions with compatibility.

13. What database is used for the Android platform?

SQLite, an open-source, self-contained, serverless database, is embedded in Android by
default.
 7 ✍ _Prabhat Kr.

14. List the four Android supported dialogue boxes.

Alert Dialog: Features selectable elements such as radio buttons and/or checkboxes.
Progress Dialog: Shows progress, either via a progress wheel or bar.
Date Picker Dialog: Lets the user select a date.
Time picker Dialog: Lets the user select a time.

15. What is the difference between Serializable and Parcelable in Android?

Serializable uses Java serialization, while Parcelable is optimized for Android and more
efficient.

16. What is an APK in Android?

An APK (Android Package) is the package file format used to distribute and install
Android applications.

17. What is the role of the AndroidManifest.xml file?

It defines essential information about the app, including permissions, components, and
their relationships.

18. Describe the difference between a Service and an IntentService ?

Service runs on the main thread, while IntentService handles tasks on a separate
worker thread.

19. What is the purpose of the Gradle build system in Android?

Gradle is a build automation tool used to compile, package, and manage dependencies
for Android apps.

20. Explain the significance of the 'adb' command in Android development ?

'adb' (Android Debug Bridge) is a command-line tool for interacting with Android
devices, including installing apps and debugging.

21. What is the Android Emulator, and how is it used?

The Android Emulator is a tool for testing and running Android apps on a computer,
simulating various devices and versions.

22. What is Android and its key components?

Android is an open-source mobile operating system. Key components include activities,
services, broadcast receivers, and content providers.

23. How can you pass data between activities in Android?

You can use Intent with extras, Parcelable objects, or a ViewModel.