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Android Development in 2024

ยท 2 min read
Preet Shah
Preet Shah
Software Developer @ JPMC
  1. I started learning Android Development with Java through a helpful guide at https://developer.android.com/codelabs/android-room-with-a-view
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I decided to begin my Android development journey with Java since it's what I'm already familiar with, even though most tutorials nowadays use Kotlin.

To prepare for the codelab, I checked out some prerequisite materials and stumbled upon the helpful Android Development videos by Meisam Mansourzadeh on freeCodeCamp.org. These tutorials taught me a lot about RecyclerView and Adapters, which are essential for building Android apps.

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fis26HvvDII

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSHAkpwXAQ

  1. The guide had lots of useful links that really helped me grasp the concepts.

  2. Installing Android Studio was easy, and its templates made setting up my first project quick, which was great for a beginner like me.

  3. I finished the entire guide in one day, which shows how good the instructions were.

  4. Coming from using React for frontend, using XML for UI felt a bit odd to me, but I'm going to explore alternative ways to style the UI. I came across Jetpack Compose a lot, which I'm going to check out next.

  5. I had a small issue with the app name not showing, maybe because of using a different Android version or template for Java, but my app worked well on the emulator without any major problems.

A demo of the app -

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Key Insights:

  • I gained a comprehensive understanding of Architecture Components such as LiveData, ViewModel, and Room, and their pivotal role in architecting resilient Android applications.
  • Delving into Room for database management and migrations unveiled its significance in ensuring efficient data storage and seamless schema evolution. Florina Muntenescu's article, 'Understanding Migrations with Room', offered indispensable guidance in navigating the complexities of database versioning and migration strategies.
  • Exploring the intricacies of RecyclerView and Adapters provided valuable insights into optimizing UI performance, particularly in the context of managing large datasets and dynamic content presentation.