What Is the Android SDK
The Android SDK (software development kit) is a group of development tools used to develop applications for the Android platform, which has become Apple's biggest rival in the smartphone field. The Android SDK includes:
- Required libraries.
- Debugger.
- An emulator
- Relevant documentation for the Android application program interfaces (APIs).
- Sample source code.
- Tutorials for the Android OS.
Every time Google releases a new version of Android, the corresponding SDK will be released. To create programs with the latest features, developers need to download each SDK version and install it for their specific mobile phone. The SDK basically represents the toolkit provided for a particular version and technology of the Android OS.
The development platforms supported by the SDK are operating systems such as Windows (XP or later), Linux (recent Linux distribution), and Mac OS X (10.4.9 or later). Android SDK components can be downloaded individually. Third-party add-ons are also available for download.
You can also use the SDK to write Android programs at the command prompt, but the most common method is to use an integrated development environment (IDE). The recommended IDE is Eclipse, installed with the Android Development Tools (ADT) plugin. However, it works with other IDEs such as NetBeans and IntelliJ.
Most of these IDEs provide a graphical interface to help developers work faster. Android applications are written in Java code, so users need to install the Java Development Kit (JDK).
Experts may also talk about optimizing the use of the SDK for Android, for example, using target versioning to eliminate the need for additional wrap API calls or making SDK targets useful for OS implementation. Sometimes referred to as the "additional value of the Android manifest," many recommend setting the target and minimum versions for the manifest.
How to Install the Android SDK
The Android SDK is optimized for Android Studio, so you need to have Android Studio installed to effectively benefit from it. By managing the Android SDK in Android Studio, languages such as Java, Kotlin, and C ++ are automatically supported, making it easier to use. Android SDK updates are also done automatically in Android Studio.
To install the Android SDK from Android Studio, first launch Android Studio.
- From the Android Studio start page, select Configure > SDK Manager.
If you already have Android Studio open, the SDK Manager icon is found in the top right corner.
- Android SDK Build-Tools
- Android Emulator
- Android SDK Platform-Tools
- Android SDK Tools
- Documentation for Android SDK
Click Apply and Android Studio will install the selected tools and packages.
What Is the SDK Manager?
The Android SDK consists of modular packages that can be individually downloaded, installed, and updated using the Android SDK Manager. The SDK Manager helps you update new SDK releases and updates as new Android platforms are released. The SDK Manager is displayed in the upper right corner of the Android Studio screen, as shown below.
All required is to follow the instructions provided, and the updates will be immediately downloaded to your environment.
Android SDK Features
The Android SDK has a lot of great features. I wrote down most of them. Then, please have a look.
- Offline Mapping
The SDK helps you dynamically download maps of over 60 languages and 190 countries. You can watch it offline. It also deals with map styles and touches gestures. The SDK also can render interleaved raster tiles and map objects within different map layers.
- Dynamic Markers
It was not possible to move the position in previous versions without fallback or re-adding the icon. However, in the latest version, the icon's position can be updated dynamically.
- Improvised API compatibility.
With the latest release, it's easier to migrate from the Google Maps Android API. This is another advantage of using the Android SDK.
What Are the Components of the Android SDK?
The Android SDK consists of an emulator, development tools, a sample project with source code, and the libraries needed to build an Android application. Let's look at the main components one by one.
Android SDK Tools
Android SDK Tools are components of the Android SDK. It includes a complete set of development and debugging tools for Android and is included with Android Studio. SDK Tools also consist of the test tools and other utilities needed to develop your app.
SDK Build Tools
The build tool is needed to build the components to build the actual binaries of your Android app. Download the latest version with the Android SDK Manager, and always make sure your build tool components are up to date.
SDK Platform
Each version of Android provides one SDK Platform. These are numbered according to the Android version (e.g., Android 7 Nougat) and the API version (e.g., API Level 24). Before you build your Android app, you need to specify the SDK Platform as your build target. The newer the SDK Platform version, the more features it has for developers, but older devices may not be compatible with the new Platform version.
