Lecture 2 – Android Studio Setup and Project Structure

Android Studio Setup and Project Structure is the foundation of every Android developer’s journey. In this lecture, we will learn how to install Android Studio step by step, configure SDK tools, and explore how each component in the Android project works together.

Installing Android Studio & SDK Tools

Android Studio is the official IDE for Android app development designed by Google.
It provides everything you need to build, test, and debug Android apps.

Steps to Install Android Studio:

1. Download:
   Visit developer.android.com/studio
2. Install:
   Follow setup instructions and include the Android SDK, Emulator, and Virtual Device Manager (AVD).
3. Launch:
   Open Android Studio → click “New Project” → choose Empty Activity → select language (Java or Kotlin)

Explore more fundamentals like your very first lecture:
Introduction to mobile computing.

Understanding Project Structure in Android Studio

When a new project is created, several folders and files are automatically generated.
Each plays a unique role in the app’s functionality.

---

Main Components:

Folder / File	Purpose
AndroidManifest.xml	Defines app permissions, activities, and launcher icons
java/	Contains source code (activities, classes, logic)
res/	Stores resources (layouts, images, strings, colors)
Gradle Scripts	Build automation files controlling dependencies & versions

Example Folder Structure:

MyFirstApp/
 ├── app/
 │   ├── src/
 │   │   ├── main/
 │   │   │   ├── java/
 │   │   │   │   └── com.example.myfirstapp (code)
 │   │   │   ├── res/
 │   │   │   │   ├── layout/ (XML layouts)
 │   │   │   │   ├── drawable/ (images/icons)
 │   │   │   │   └── values/ (colors, strings)
 │   │   │   └── AndroidManifest.xml
 │   └── build.gradle
 └── settings.gradle

The AndroidManifest.xml File

The AndroidManifest.xml is the blueprint of your app it declares activities, permissions, app name, and more.

Example:

<manifest package="com.example.myfirstapp">
    <application
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="My First App">
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/>
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>

Explanation:

• package → your app’s unique ID
• application → main container for all activities
• intent-filter → tells which activity launches first

Gradle – The Build System

Gradle automates building, testing, and packaging your Android app.
It manages versions, dependencies, and APK generation.

Example (build.gradle):

plugins {
    id 'com.android.application'
}
android {
    compileSdk 34
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.example.myfirstapp"
        minSdk 24
        targetSdk 34
    }
}
dependencies {
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.7.0'
}

Explanation:

• compileSdk → Android version used for compilation
• dependencies → external libraries used
• applicationId → unique package name

Running Your First “Hello World” App

Once setup is complete, let’s run your first app!

Step-by-Step:

1. Open Android Studio → Create New Project
2. Select Empty Activity → name it MyFirstApp
3. Choose Java or Kotlin
4. Click Run
5. Choose Emulator or Connected Device

Code Example (MainActivity.java):

package com.example.myfirstapp;
import android.os.Bundle;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    }
}

activity_main.xml

<TextView
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="Hello World!"
    android:textSize="24sp"
    android:gravity="center"/>

Output:
Your emulator displays “Hello World!”

Final Thoughts

After this lecture, students can:

• Install Android Studio & SDK tools
• Identify key files: Manifest, res, Gradle
• Understand Android project structure
• Run and test a simple Hello World app

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