Obtaining The Required Tools
For Android development,you can use a Mac, a Windows PC, or a Linux machine. All the tools needed are free and can be downloaded from the Web.
1. Java JDK
The Android SDK makes use of the Java SE Development Kit (JDK). Hence, if your computer does not have the JDK installed, you should start by downloading the JDK from www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/index.html and installing it prior to moving to the next section.
2. Eclipse
The first step towards developing any applications is obtaining the integrated development environment(IDE). In the case of Android, the recommended IDE is Eclipse, a multi-language software development environment featuring an extensible plug-in system.For Android development, you should download the Eclipse IDE for Java EE Developers from www.eclipse .org/downloads/packages/eclipse-ide-java-eedevelopers/heliossr1. The editions you can avail is: Windows (32 and 64-bit),Once the Eclipse IDE is downloaded, unzip its content (the eclipse folder) into a folder, say C:\Android
3. Android SDK
The next important piece of software you need to download is, of course, the Android SDK. The Android SDK contains a debugger, libraries, an emulator,documentation, sample code, and tutorials.You can download the Android SDK from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html.Once the SDK is downloaded, unzip its content (the android-sdk-windows folder)into the C:\Android\android-sdk-windows ,or whatever name you have given to the folder you just created.
4. Android Development Tools (ADT)
The Android Development Tools (ADT) plug-in for Eclipse is an extension to the Eclipse IDE that supports the creation and debugging of Android applications. Using the ADT, you will be able to do
the following in Eclipse:
➤ Create new Android application projects.
➤ Access the tools for accessing your Android emulators and devices.
➤ Compile and debug Android applications.
➤ Export Android applications into Android Packages (APK).
➤ Create digital certificates for code-signing your APK.
To install the ADT, first launch Eclipse by double-clicking on the eclipse.exe file located in the
eclipse folder.
When Eclipse is first started, you will be prompted for a folder to use as your workspace. In Eclipse,a workspace is a folder where you store all your projects. Take the default suggested and click OK. Once Eclipse is up and running, select the Help ➪ Install New Software… menu item (see Fig 1). In the Install window that appears, type http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse in the text box (see Figure 1-9) and click Add…. After a while, you will see the Developer Tools item appear in the middle of the window (see Figure 1-10). Expand it, and it will reveal its content: Android DDMS, Android Development Tools, and Android Hierarchy Viewer. Check all of them and click Next. Figure 1-8 Figure 1-
