Android developer: features of the profession, prospects, necessary skills and abilities

The use of smartphones has long been firmly established in our lives, with 9 out of 10 mobile devices running on the Android platform. The demand for this system is high due to its simplicity and versatility for various devices - from mobile phones and tablets to smart watches. The number of applications for Android has long been in the millions, so the market really needs specialists in their development. They occupy a separate niche in the IT segment, and they have plenty of opportunities to realize themselves and achieve high income.

Some statistics in the field of mobile development

In 2014, 86% of all smartphones sold were based on Android. Despite competition from iOS, the Android platform has been and remains the most accessible and widely used. In 2017, Google announced 2 billion monthly active Android users. According to statista.com , the number of apps in the Google Store has grown rapidly in ten years. It surpassed 1 million in 2013 and 2.6 million at the end of 2018. Most large companies have apps as an alternative version of their website. Such products provide the capabilities of the PC version in full or in part. For example, online financial transactions, orders and purchases, familiarization with the content of the resource, communication with site managers or technical support. Mobile development is popular in e-commerce, an area aimed at quick conversions from mobile to online. The development of applications for banks that are constantly adding functions to their product is relevant; startups based on a new service, technology or game.

Benefits of working in Android development

The main advantage of Android development is its huge scope of application. In addition, the popularity of the trend has led to a large number of sources of information for beginners and experienced developers. The main advantages of development in the Android field include:

• effective auxiliary tools for creating and testing applications;
• a large database of training materials and instructions for developers;
• promising and growing market;
• demand for specialists and high level of salaries;
• opportunity to work in different countries;
• participation in interesting projects, creating useful products for a wide audience.

What are the responsibilities of an Android developer?

A mobile application developer has many tasks and responsibilities at different skill levels, from working on the internal structure to implementing the interface. Here are a few common tasks for an Android developer (for example, when working on your own project):

• development of mobile applications for Android OS: implementation of the task set out in the technical specifications or customer brief; writing code;
• interaction with databases and API;
• testing and finalization of the software product at several stages;
• uploading the finished product to the Google Play application store;
• support and upgrade of applications, creation of updates;
• preparation of documentation and instructions for working with the product.

Application Developer Tools

For productive mobile development, you need specially “sharpened” tools. In addition, in vacancies for the search for Android specialists, among the requirements for applicants is knowledge of a specific development environment or tools. Here are some of them:

• Android Studio

  The official programming environment for Android. Creating a product for this platform begins with installing Android Studio, an integrated development environment (IDE). This set of software supports various programming languages ​​- Java, C++, Kotlin - and offers opportunities for interaction with other applications.

• Android SDK

  Android SDK (software development kit) is a universal set of tools for creating and testing mobile applications with a set of functionality. Knowledge of this product is a big plus for a specialist.

• Git

  The project version control system with which Android Studio interacts. It allows you to record development stages and helps IT specialists within the team interact.

• Libraries

  Effective libraries make the life of an Android developer easier. In Android Studio, they can be connected via the Gradle automatic build system.

10 Libraries Every Android Developer Should Know About

Labor market for Android developers

The Android platform is used everywhere, and requests for programmers appear in the former CIS countries, Europe, and the USA. Java programming and knowledge of technologies in the field of mobile development open up opportunities for specialists and instill confidence in prospects in the global labor market. The results of a survey in which Ukrainian developers participated showed that about 18% of them use Java for their work. According to the website of the American company Stackify, based on annual statistics from GitHub, this language also leads the world ranking in popularity. The salary rating of Ukrainian Java specialists (according to DOU data) indicates similar income levels to Android developers. According to the Yandex.Practice website and the HeadHunter analytical service, in recent years in Russia Android developers have been among the highest paid IT specialists. Advice from seniors: how to improve your junior Android knowledge

5 Steps to Android Development

The amount of information in the field of mobile development is very large. An unprepared student may have a desire to master everything at once or, on the contrary, fear that the amount of necessary knowledge is unattainable. However, the path to any peak starts small. And a correct and consistent action plan will help you reach your goal faster. Let's consider the main stages of development of an Android developer as a specialist.

1. Mastering the basic principles of programming.

   Тем, кто решил стать Android-разработчиком с нуля, лучше начать с изучения базовых концепций программирования. Один из примеров — гарвардский курс «CS50» на русском языке, посвященный основам компьютерных наук. Легкая подача материала поможет разобраться в вопросе новичкам в сфере ИТ — от школьников до тех, кто решил сменить профессию и реализовать себя в разработке и информационных технологиях.

2. Погружение в мир Java.

   Этот язык лежит в основе разработки для мобильных устройств для Android. Whatбы стать разработчиком приложений, лучше всего начать со знакомства с Java.

   Обучение будет продуктивным и быстрым, если выбрать хороший курс для начинающих с правильным балансом теории и практики. На принципе 80/20% (практика/теория) построен курс JavaRush, который помогает изучить основы Java с нуля.

3. Изучение основ Android-разработки.

   После того, How начинающий программист стал увереннее разбираться в Java, можно переходить к освоению особенностей мобильной разработки для системы Android. На этом этапе необходимо узнать базовые принципы codeа, основные компоненты приложений, а также уверенно ориентироваться в функционале фреймворков Android.

   Большинство полезных материалов для Android-разработчиков опубликовано на английском. Одним из решений для тех, кто пока не знает язык, будет использование переведенного курса. Например, «Разработка под Android для начинающих» на русском языке: его исходный вариант разработали специалисты Google.

4. Активное самообучение.

   Перспективный специалист всегда интересуется трендами сферы разработки и непрерывно обучается. Whatбы попасть в число востребованных специалистов в ИТ, важно всегда быть в курсе новшеств, черпать новую информацию из проверенных и авторитетных ресурсов: официальных сайтов для разработчиков, тематических сообществ, форумов:

   • Android Developers — официальный ресурс для разработчиков Android-приложений, созданный Google. Здесь можно найти руководства, справочники, информацию об основах создания приложений, совместимости устройств, особенностях пользовательского интерфейса и многое другое.
   • Хабр — сайт на русском языке в формате коллективного блога, связанный с IT-технологиями, интернетом, бизнесом.
   • DOU — сообщество программистов в Украине с контентом на русском и украинском, где можно найти массу полезной информации, включая статистику по зарплатам и вакансии.
   • Cyberforum — площадка для обмена знаниями между программистами и другими специалистами компьютерных специальностей.
   Для тех, кто владеет английским, есть дополнительные возможности для совершенствования навыков:
   • Android Tutorial — учебное пособие, в котором можно найти базовые примеры по каждой теме с описанием. У сайта нет русской версии, но переводы материалов опубликованы на других источниках.
   • Slidenerd — канал на YouTube, ориентированный How на опытных, так и начинающих программистов.
   • Android Weekly — бесплатная еженедельная новостная раlink.
   • StackOverflow is a useful resource for beginners, where there are answers to any questions in the field of development.

5. Practice and practice again.

   For learning to be productive, you need to constantly develop practical skills. The more practice, the better. Beginners can start with single-screen applications with text and pictures, gradually increasing the level of difficulty.

Conclusion

Android development is an excellent option for those who want to enter the world of information technology and choose a promising direction for development. This area is full of interesting projects and opportunities to create new useful products. Software development for the Android platform is based on Java, which is one of the most popular and highly paid programming languages. To become an Android developer, you need to start by choosing the right learning strategy, equipping yourself with the best sources of information and an enthusiasm for learning new things.