Hire Android App Developers

Billions of users around the world own android consumer electronics devices today. Android has overtaken BlackBerry as the most popular smartphone platform in the US. Android app development helps you create full-featured applications in a relatively short period. Platforms like the Google Play Store allow developers to simply upload their apps and publish them without any approval.

What is Android?

Android is an operating system based on Linux. The Android OS is an open platform, and Android code was released under the open-source Apache License. Anyone can download the complete Android source code to use Android. Manufacturers can add their own extensions to Android and customize them according to their product requirements. This feature is the most sought-after by sellers who design their own hardware and use Android as the operating system.

The benefits of using Android are:

• Offers a unified approach to application development
• Applications developed for Android can run on different devices which run Android
• A powerful tool to create extensive Android applications to take over the challenge posed by the iPhone, which is powered by a large base of applications.

Android Platform Differences

Android is hailed as the first complete, open and free mobile platform in the truest sense.

The various features that mark the Android as a distinguished platform for app development are:

• Free and Open Source - Android is an open-source platform free to use by developers and device manufacturers. It is governed by the GNU General Public License Version 2, and all third-party improvements should fall under the agreement terms listed in the License. Android developers are free to distribute the applications they develop under any licensing scheme. They can write open-source freeware or traditional licensed applications for profit.
• Familiar and Free Development Tools - There are no costs involved in Android app development as the required tools are available online in the Android SDK toolkit, and no fee is needed to use the same.
• Easy Learning Curve for Developers -The Android Application framework uses traditional constructs such as data structures and processes used in Java. Anyone familiar with the basic Java class structures can easily learn app development in Android using the open standards available in the tool kit for further customization according to their requirements.
• Enabling Development of Robust Applications - Android platform has enabled equal access for native and third-party applications, unlike the earlier app development platforms. The developers needed privileged access to the internal software framework and firmware to develop applications then. Android applications use the same APIs, and they can unanimously access the underlying hardware enabling healthy competition among Android application developers.
• Secure Application Integration - In the phone applications of the past, each was a separate application with its own unique user interface. On the contrary, Android has a well-designed application integration feature and provides all handy tools to write applications with powerful functionalities. Applications can also securely share data.
• A platform seeing constant growth - Android is a well-established platform today used by many Android app developers across the world. Each new version features a number of enhancements to the platform for improved performance. Popular devices in the modern world are supported completely by the platform.

The Advent of Android

The first version of the Android OS was created by Android Inc, a startup in Silicon Valley that Google later purchased. The founders of this company were part of the Google team that helped create the existing robust Android mobile operating system.

The following table shows a list of Android versions released to date.

‍How does Android work?

Android applications are written in Java. An Android developer needs expertise, not just on the enterprise edition that Java developers use but also the subset of Java libraries useful on Android.

The Android OS is divided into five sections.

• Linux kernel - Android is based on the Linux kernel, which contains all the lower-level device drivers required for the various hardware components.
• Libraries - This layer forms the codebase of an Android OS; for example, the WebKit library provides the functionalities to support Web browsing.
• Applications - This section contains all default applications that come with the Android device and the applications downloaded from the Android market. The applications that you write also are stored in this layer.
• Application framework - This layer provides all Android OS features for developers to use in their applications.
• Android runtime - The Android runtime has a set of core libraries that developers can use to create Android apps in Java. It also has the Dalvik virtual machine designed specifically for Android, which helps the applications to run their own processes optimized with limited memory and CPU utilization.

The Android Developers Community

With many versions of the Android OS hitting the market, there is a large developer community worldwide. The developers can share their knowledge and find solutions for their problems using the community.

Some communities that can help developers if they run into problems are listed below.

• Stack Overflow - It is a Question and Answer site for Android app developers. They can choose the right answer for their problems and vote for the best answer to help the other developers.
• Google Android Training - This group launched by Google has classes grouped topic-wise. They contain useful code snippets that the developers can use for writing their apps.
• Android Discuss - It is a discussion group hosted by Google using the Google Groups Service. Developers can discuss android programming concepts in this group, clarify their doubts and learn new tricks.

Required Expertise

Requirements - hard skills

• Professional software experience in developing Android applications
• Working knowledge of the general mobile landscape, architecture, trends, and emerging technologies
• Strong software development fundamentals, data structures, and design patterns
• Experience working with CI/CD systems and concepts
• Familiar with SOAP and restful APIs
• Experience working with node, Vue.js, or AWS
• Possess expertise in developing Android applications using Kotlin, Java, Gradle, and Android Studio
• Expertise in working with SQL 
• Experience with android deployment platforms like Google Console
• Possess knowledge and expertise in IDE, source control, debugger, continuous testing, and build automation
• Capable of developing responsive applications for phones and tablets with support for landscape and portrait orientations
• Capable of developing Web services and communicating with other devices on a local network
• Proficient in developing media-intensive applications, including capturing and editing images, video, and audio
• Ability to develop Android apps for multiple regions and languages
• Ability to think creatively in problem-solving and debugging
• Ability to create prototypes and demonstrate ideas quickly

Experience

The Android platform is inexpensive and easy to develop mobile applications for. Android app developers have the opportunity to make a name in the Android world by keeping them up to date with SDK updates and the new devices introduced in the market. The platform is open-source and free, with ample tools for developing powerful, feature-rich mobile apps. They have to just get familiar with the tried-and-tested open standards to start creating their own mobile apps.

• Develop cross-platform native applications and work with related frameworks
• Optimize mobile applications to achieve increased speed, reliability, and scalability
• Work with cross-functional teams including UX designers, Product Management, and other engineers to develop new features according to customers’ needs
• Deliver innovative solutions to increase performance and usability
• Collaborate with team members to refine best practices and processes
• Participate in code reviews, write automated tests, and help define the technical road map
• Understand the code versioning tools such as Git

Salary Structure

Many companies continue to use mobile applications for their business model to facilitate direct interaction with their consumers. The Android platform has also gone through numerous advancements and offers great scope for Android app developers in the IT market. It is the most desired smartphone operating system among consumers across the world. You can hire full-time employees or freelance contractors for mobile app development jobs.

Skuad assists you in identifying the best Android app developers in the market for your job requirements.

The salary range of Android app developers for different levels is listed below.

Industry Expertise

We cater to various sectors - Edutech, Fintech, Healthcare, Logistics & Transport, Retail & Ecommerce, Travel, Banking, Media, and more. From selecting to onboarding, invoicing, compliances, and taxation, we act as your local HR to manage the day-to-day operations related to your overseas employees.