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Best Development Environment (IDE) for Android

Just downloaded the SDK 1.0 from
http://code.google.com/android
But now i learnt it also Require IDE Integrated Development Environment to Develop Application for Android Phones.
I think there are 2 IDE available
Eclipse 3.4 or JDK 6
Which is the Best IDE so i can started Developing Application for Google Android OS ?

I would recommend to go for Eclipse. Much better user support and bigger community. So once you've got questions the probability to find answers with Eclipse is higher, imo.

JDK 6 is not IDE, its java development kit, and it needed to create android apps.
I'd recomend use intellij idea, cuz eclipse is quite unstable and too complex.

Eclipse is the only IDE that supports Android development at the moment.

new development ide for android
I am currently working on a new IDE – 'Meme IDE' for ANDROID, WM and Apple IOS.
Here is the link to the hello world video I made.
http://vimeo.com/20599586
It is planned to launch in april as its not quite finished yet but it works! and the plan is to make the design and deployment of cross platform apps more efficient while protecting functional depth in each.
Have a look and let me know what you think.
Joe

Lol!!! Depends on what OS you are running!(Windows) Eclipse is perfectly stable and u dont install it, it runs standalone! I am a IT major in College and have gone to programming competitions where they prefer you to use Eclipse over Netbeans, JGrasp, etc for java based languages. And you need all of it. the JDK, Eclipse, and Android SDK. JDK == java development kit, eclipse is your program to create code in and the android SDK is where essentially where all the different types of methods are like in the JDK but specifically designed for the Android Operating System. You should use Eclipse bc it has intellisence and since you dont know what an IDE is, not to be mean or anything, you should do more research before jumping into it because you will get overwhelmed quickly.

I'll give a try to meme!!

Great response. Very clear and concise and put it all in perspective for me! Thanks so much for this advice.
Cheers, Mike
Delete please... I forgot to quote post I was referring to...see next post! cheers, Mike

Nice concise helpful response - thanks
jr10000 said:
Lol!!! Depends on what OS you are running!(Windows) Eclipse is perfectly stable and u dont install it, it runs standalone! I am a IT major in College and have gone to programming competitions where they prefer you to use Eclipse over Netbeans, JGrasp, etc for java based languages. And you need all of it. the JDK, Eclipse, and Android SDK. JDK == java development kit, eclipse is your program to create code in and the android SDK is where essentially where all the different types of methods are like in the JDK but specifically designed for the Android Operating System. You should use Eclipse bc it has intellisence and since you dont know what an IDE is, not to be mean or anything, you should do more research before jumping into it because you will get overwhelmed quickly.
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Great response. Very clear and concise and put it all in perspective for me! Thanks so much for this advice.
Cheers, Mike

Best place to get started ? ? ?

. . . with understanding development using Java for Android?
Do I start with Java books?
Where do I read about how to set up an Android development environment? I'm trying to read through everything at the Android Developers website, but I was hoping someone could point me towards better/more information.
I know this is a VERY n00b question, but in order to avoid asking any further n00b questions, I'd like to come to this party better equipped.
TIA -
Darryl

You HAVE to be good at java before you can start programming for android. C/C++ too if you intend to develop something performance hungry.
I suggest that you look at an introduction to developing in Java on desktop and familiarize yourself with Java syntax. If you haven't programmed anything before then also familiarize yourself with programming techniques and object oriented programming in java.
To be honest, it takes 4 years on college to learn that. You may be able to learn it earlier, given that you put enough effort but don't expect programming anything useful anytime soon.

Thank you!! At least I have a starting point. Never too late to begin.

Gonna see if starting with Introduction to Java Programming, Comprehensive Edition is something that works for me.
Thanks again!!
sorry for double post

Ive managed to set up Eclipse 3.5 and the Android SDK.
Then I downloaded the components to develop for Android 1.5, 1.5, and 2.x(.x)
Also installed the USB driver(on an WinXP machine) and that's all there is to it, I think.
As for Java, I have an old book(or bible, judging by the size) on Java 1.5 from Deitel.
But right now, Im just looking at the official trails on sun.com:
http ://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/index.html
I guess learning the syntax is one thing.
Learning programming concepts and OO are two other things.
Then there are algorithms and programming techniques.
Then there is familiarization with how the Android platform differs from regular Java applications/applets/etc.
I think that covers the basic steps towards Android programming in java.
If I missed anything, can someone fill me in please?
Thanks!

maybe someone knows of a open source repos. you can look at examples. Like planet-source-code dot com but with android examples.

I want to develop.

im looking to start developing android apps. should i start goggling how to develop android apps, or should i learn c++ first?
i have a 500 page PDF on c++ ( from the university that my brother goes to). the pdf is for beginner's learning to c++ it starts of with the common hello world code and advances.is this a good start?
ps: i hope this is the right section.

Damn! 500+ Pages and for Beginners. I couldn't write that much if I had a whole life time to do it. And maybe Android Q&A.
And yeah dude Google then Learn. Or maybe, Google and Learn. OR! Google what you should do first. SMART!

I would suggest you take a course on it then do some real world placement with seasoned programmers, you wont really develop all of the required skills using a beginners guide to programming.

Android is Java not C++.

I heard that a good Java introductory book is Head First Java. If you have some programming experience I would recommend Thinking in Java.
After you are confortable with Java, you could move to Android specific things. Good luck!

thanks for the replies. the 500 pages of C++ are pdf, and the font is kind of big. im ganna keep learning from that for a couple of weeks to get the very basics. then ill move on to java.
PS: another nub question, what dose Linux have to do with android? is it better to develop on Linux or windows 7?

Android is based on Linux. But you can develop in any platform you want. It is the same Linux, windows or OSX, whatever you have would work.

janfsd said:
Android is based on Linux. But you can develop in any platform you want. It is the same Linux, windows or OSX, whatever you have would work.
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im a little confused .
andriod uses the syntax java,while andriod is based off linux which uses syntax c, c++, java and fortan. so dose andriod use the java part of linux only or what?

To be more specific, it is based on the Linux Kernel, which is written in C. All the apps are already Android specific, so written in Java. Google developed their own virtual machine (Dalvik) so the developers can use it. It is Java based (on the 1.5 version), but it doesn't support all Java classes. It is still possible to write in c++ with the NDK, but only if you need the extra performance or maybe write a game in OpenGL. So you would stick to Java.

If you need to communicate with kernel, or your application has to do something with great calculation (Such as encoding or decoding), you may need to through Java layer and native layer by JNI, than you need C/C++. Else you just need to write your application by Java.

okay that clears it up, thanks guys. now i just gotta give it time and dedication.

Where should I start if I wanted to start developing ROMs?

I have coding experience in C++ and windows programming languages, but I haven't a clue about android. I tried searching google and this forum for a good master thread or even a book, but haven't had much luck.
Can anyone help me out?

jojo54696 said:
I have coding experience in C++ and windows programming languages, but I haven't a clue about android. I tried searching google and this forum for a good master thread or even a book, but haven't had much luck.
Can anyone help me out?
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same here
Hello I am new to xda and I would like to start developing new custom roms and kernels however I do not know where to start.
Just some background info about me:
I am 15 yrs old
I am have programmed in the following:
c++
visual basic
c#
asm
Java
javascript
html
android 2.2 framework
window phone 7 framework
xml
ios
XNA
I have done computer repair for people along with console repair
Tools I have used:
visual studio
android sdk
eclipse
dreamweaver
dev c++
Photoshop
appmobi xdk
phonegap xda
xcode iphone sdk
and some more
Phone I currently have:
evo 3d
I am a noob to making roms and I do not know how to start if someone could help me or point me into the right direction that would great. Thanks
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that was my post and still no replys

First of all, learn and become comfortable with Java. If you're not comfortable with Java you're going to have some problems since besides the c libraries/kernel the android source is Java/XML.
Second, you need to decide if you're going to be messing with pre-built ROMs (or RUUs or whatever) or the actual AOSP. Actual AOSP is the actual source code but if you're modding a pre-built ROM you're going to have to also learn how to deal with smali code (which as far as I know is basically machine code [if you know what that is]).. Eris has a pretty good guide-in-progress which I'll find and post here later if I can.
It's a lot of work and a lot of looking and learning and not very clear. I have a lot of respect for the people who do it a lot I'm thinking of dabbling soon...
Edit:
here: http://teambamf.net/showthread.php/2793-Guide-Eris-s-Ultimate-Guide-to-ROM-ing-and-Porting

ARM Based Hackintosh iOS

Here's an idea ARM Based Hackintosh iOS Style. Get iOS running on an ARM development board or Android phone. :highfive: You guys know that would be bad($). Because creating drivers can be a problem since there are many ARM Platforms lets choose one device then branch out. If anyone is up to the task I'll help found what I can.

Toxic_Dragon said:
Here's an idea ARM Based Hackintosh iOS Style. Get iOS running on an ARM development board or Android phone. :highfive: You guys know that would be bad($). Because creating drivers can be a problem since there are many ARM Platforms lets choose one device then branch out. If anyone is up to the task I'll help found what I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds cool, not to hip on the mac side of things; but I've seen some things. I've two cence to throw in:
Check out qemu or limbo for android. Their all about tight prossessor emulation. This may enable you to emulate the hardware that normaly runs iOS.
Check out java. I've seen some fantastic and fast development in translating programs, sometimes on the fly, in such a way that they become hardware independent.
I'm up for seeing about a port to linux that can be dule-booted for development as that may lend to branching for Android easyer. As far as a device to choose I'd sugest something older but not so old as the g1, though that would be fancy, because cost will be lower, documentation more prevolent, and paralel minded progects may already have a levereg point that you can start from.
Sent from either my SPH-D700 or myTouch3Gs
Debian Kit Install guide for all android devices that I'm writing:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2240397
Or
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ssVeIhdBuuy8CtpBP1lWgUkG6fR6oHxP20ToYPPw6zI/edit?usp=drive_web