Installations
Please download and install the following components in order to get started with Android development.
Java JDK
Android is written in Java, so we need to download the Java Development Kit.
Use the following link to download the most recent version of the Java JDK for your machine
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html
Android Studio
To write Android Apps, Google provides an environment called Android Studio. It is an IDE based on IntelliJ.
Note: If you already have IntelliJ, there is an Android plugin that you can find and install rather than following the next steps. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will be sticking to pure Android Studio, but you may prefer the plugin for your own purposes.
Android studio can be found here:
https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html
Android device
To develop Android apps, you will need access to an Android device in Developer mode. If you do not have a physical device, an emulator can be used. We will go over both types.
Preparing your physical device
You phone will need to be in developer mode in order to develop Android apps and install your own applications. This process can be slightly different for different phone and OS versions, but the general process is this.
Open the Settings menu
Go down to the "System" sub-section of the settings menu at the bottom
Hit "About Phone [or Tablet]"
At or near the bottom, you should see the "Build number" header
Tap this area about 10 times, and the Developer Options menu should appear at the bottom of you main Settings menu.
Open the Developer Options menu and find the option for "USB Debugging" and turn this on. Your phone will now be able to communicate with Android Studio.
Android Virtual Devices
If you do not have a physical Android device, you can install a virtual one to develop with. Android studio comes with an "Android Virtual Device" that will work for most people.
AVD
You can find information on how to create an AVD here: https://developer.android.com/studio/run/managing-avds.html
Genymotion
If you have issues getting an AVD to work for you, there are third party options available. My favorite is Genymotion, which can be found here: https://www.genymotion.com/