Android apps are software programs that run on the Android OS. They can be downloaded on Android devices like tablets, TVs and phones. They are very good at making use of the touchscreen, camera and GPS features of the device. The presence of a lot of apps on an Android phone can, however, affect battery life and performance.
Understanding the Android platform and its design principles is vital to developing Android applications. It also means implementing an appropriate app architecture that is able to separate UI and OS-related code into parts that share responsibilities. The system can trigger these components asynchronously through broadcast mechanisms that are triggered by intents.
Kotlin is gaining traction as a language for Android development. Both languages are supported by Android SDK. A large developer community is online to help newcomers to the language understand and solve issues.
The Android OS itself is divided into layers, with the application layer comprising the standard apps that come with the operating system along with the specialized applications that are included with a particular device, such as the phone dialer or music player. The Android app layer also includes custom firmwares, like CyanogenMod or OMFGB. They can be installed to enhance the capabilities of specific devices.
Another factor that prevents some apps from working is compatibility. If an app was designed specifically for the US but not compatible with your European device, it won’t function and will be displayed in the Play Store as “incompatible”.
