Android Studio helps you understand the basics and advanced concepts of Android application creation or technology. Android can be considered as a set of software for mobile devices. It includes middleware, a Linux-based operating system, and critical mobile applications. The main goal of Android is to produce a successful real-time product that improves the user’s mobile experience. 

Android can be seen as a mobile operating system. With modern advanced technology, Android is not limited to mobile-only. Android can be operated on other devices like tablets, television, etc. Google is the developer of Android and later the OHA (Open Handset Alliance). Java is mainly preferred to write the Android code. You can also use other programming languages.

The essential features of Android include:

• It is an open-source tool
• Free for customization of the Android Platform
• User is free to choose any application of their interest from a pool of mobile applications
• Many valuable and curious facts like weather forecasts, Live RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are provided
• It provides the privilege of message services like SMS and MMS, web browsers, media, storage, connectivity options, etc.

Android applications’ top categories include tools, entertainment, communication, personalization, music, video, etc.

Android architecture can be categorized into five sections:

• Linux Kernel: It is considered the soul of the Android architecture as it helps in managing device drivers, memory management, power management, device management, and resource access.

• Native Libraries: Native Libraries such as Media, SQLite, FreeType, WebKit, OpenGL, C runtime library, etc., can be found. SQLite is responsible for the database, WebKit for web browser, FreeType for front-end support, Media for recording and playing audio and video formats. The purpose of OpenGL is to retrieve data from the CPU to the GPU, and C runtime allows you to automatically compile for any C program that you intend to run. 

• Android Run Time: Android run time depends on core libraries, and DVM (Dalvik Virtual Machine) is responsible for running an Android application. DVM is the same as JVM but is specialized for mobile devices. It provides enhanced and fast performance with less memory consumption.

• Android Framework: Android Frameworks include Android APIs like UI (User Interface), resources, locations, content providers, package managers, communication. It provides many classes and interfaces for the development of Android applications.

• Applications: After the Android Framework comes applications. It includes all the applications such as contact, home, settings, games, browsers, media, which uses Android Framework, which in return uses Android run time and libraries. These Android runtimes and native libraries use Linux Kernel.

A Component in Android can be considered a piece of code that follows a well-defined life cycle. The vital building blocks of Android are activities, views, intents, services, content providers, fragments, and AndroidManifest.xml.

Activity is a class that is a representation of a single screen. It resembles a frame in AWT. The view is considered as a UI element like text, label, button, etc. Anything visible on the screen is a view. The intent is used for invoking the components. It helps start a list of contacts, broadcast messages, communicate, display the services, launch an activity, show a web page, display a list of contacts, post messages for communication, and much more. 

Service is a background process that runs for an extended period. There are local and remote services. Local service is accessed within the application, and remote service is accessed from other remotely running applications on the same device. Sharing content providers look after data between the applications.

Fragments are part of the activities. An activity is capable of displaying one or more fragments on the screen at the same time. AndroidManifest.xml is similar to the web.xml file, Java EE. It stores information about activities, content providers, permissions, etc. Android Virtual Device (AVD) is used for testing Android applications without any requirement of mobiles or tablets. It provides the privileges to create different configurations to emulate various types of real devices.

To learn Android Studio, get hold of Great Learning’s Android Studio Free Courses and attain free certificate after completing the courses.