Hello, Android
A beginner workshop. No experience needed.

You are going to build an app.

You use apps every day. You will learn what an app is, what apps can do, and then you will build one yourself that really runs.

See the plan Meet the tools
Android Beginner Build + run
Workshop map

Choose where to begin

Jump into a category or follow them in order.

01 Start hereSet up your computer. 02 UnderstandLearn the big ideas. 03 BuildMeet the tools and practise. 04 ShipFinish your APK.
Part 1

Understand

What an app is and what it can do.

45 minutes

 Part 2

Build

Your hands on exercises, step by step.

90 minutes

 Part 3

Ship

Turn it into a real APK file.

45 minutes
⇄

One goal, two ways to build.

Both routes end with a working Android app. Pick one and follow it — you can try the other later.

Route A · Build it by hand

Android Studio

Install one program and write the code yourself, with AI as a helper. This whole page is Route A and the plan below is your step-by-step guide.

Follow Route A ↘ Route B · Let AI draft it

Google AI Studio

Describe the app in plain language and let Gemini generate a native Android project in your browser — no install needed to start.

Follow Route B ↘
Before you start

What you need first

Good news: both routes are free. Route A needs one install (Android Studio). Route B needs nothing but a Google account.

Your computer needs

  • ✓A laptop or desktop running Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • ✓About 8GB of memory (RAM)
  • ✓About 10GB of free space
  • ✓An internet connection for the download
  • ✓First-run is slow. That is normal.

Step 1: get Android Studio

Download Android Studio

One free program from Google. It bundles the code editor, the tools (SDK), a pretend phone (emulator), and its own Java. You do not install anything else.

! The download is big (over a gigabyte). The first time you open Android Studio it downloads more files and can take a long time. That is normal. This waiting is the hardest part, and it is only waiting.
⇄ On Route B instead? If you chose Google AI Studio (Route B), you can skip this whole install for now. AI Studio runs in your browser with no download — you only need a Google account. You can still install Android Studio later to open the ZIP it exports.
Basics

What is a mobile app?

An app is a program. A set of instructions that runs on a phone. When you install an app, you get one file called an APK. It holds the code, the images, and everything the app needs.

You write the code in a tool, then the tool turns it into an APK. Your phone runs it safely on its own. Each app is kept separate from the rest of the phone, so it cannot mess with things without your permission.

A your-app.apk
app-debug.apk
about 2.4 MB. version 1.0
codeimagesmanifestsignature
Plain words

A small dictionary

Every word you will meet today, explained without jargon.

CodeThe instructions you write. It is just text on a screen.
AppA program that runs on a phone.
APKThe single file your app becomes, ready to install on a phone.
Android StudioThe free Google program where you do the whole workshop.
KotlinThe language you write your code in. It reads almost like English.
SDKA box of Android rules your app uses. It comes with Android Studio.
EmulatorA pretend phone on your computer, to test without a real phone.
GradleThe builder that turns your code into an APK. It works in the background.
ActivityOne screen of your app.
View / ButtonA thing on a screen, like a button or a box of text.
LayoutHow the buttons and text are arranged on a screen.
Package nameA unique name for your app, like com.example.myapp.
API levelWhich Android version your app can run on. We use 24 so almost every phone works.
LogcatA message log that shows errors and what your app prints.
What apps do

Apps can do a lot.

Camera

Use the camera

Take photos and scan things using the phone's camera.

Location

Know where it is

Use GPS and maps. This is how "near me" apps work.

Alerts

Send notifications

Show updates on the lock screen, even when closed.

Offline

Work offline

Keep working with no internet. A website often cannot.

Motion

Sense movement

Tilt to steer or shake to undo. Games use this constantly.

Storage

Save your data

Keep scores, notes, and progress after closing.

Internet

Talk to the web

Fetch live data like weather, news, and chats.

Ask first

Request permission

Apps ask before using your camera or location. You stay in charge.

Tools

What you will use

Tool 1

Android Studio

The place where you write code and design screens. It is free from Google. This is where you work all session.

Tool 2

Kotlin

The language you write. It reads almost like English and is a great first language.

Tool 3

Screens & buttons

The building blocks of an app. You drag buttons and text into place, then make them work with code.

Tool 4

The emulator

A pretend phone on your computer. Run and test your app without a real device.

Tool 5

Gradle

The behind the scenes builder. It checks your code and packs it into an APK.

Tool 6

Logcat

The message log. When your app prints something or errors, it shows here. Your detective tool.

Install it, step by step

Do these in order. It is okay if it feels slow. Everyone does these the first time.

  1. Check your computer
    Look at the "What you need first" list above and make sure your laptop fits.
  2. Download Android Studio
    Official download page (free). Save the file where you can find it, like Downloads.
  3. Install it
    Open the downloaded file and keep clicking Next. Accept the defaults. Click Finish when done.
  4. First launch
    Open Android Studio and pick a theme (light or dark). Either is fine.
  5. Setup Wizard
    Choose Standard and let it download the extra files. This can take many minutes. Wait for it.
  6. New project
    Click New Project, then choose the "Empty Views Activity" template (or follow this session's instructions).
  7. Configure
    Give it a name, leave the defaults, and set Minimum SDK to API 24 (Android 7.0). Click Finish.
  8. Wait for Gradle
    The first build is the slowest. It settles everything in. Be patient.
Make it faster

Use AI to help you build

You can use ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini to help you write code and explain things. AI is a great assistant. But AI cannot do your manual setup for you. You still create the project, wire up the code, fix errors, and build the APK yourself.

AI helps. You still do the setup.

AIInside Android Studio

Ask the AI Agent without leaving your app project.

Recent Android Studio versions include an AI Agent that can read the project context, explain unfamiliar code, suggest changes, and help you learn right beside the editor. You can ask questions in plain language while you build.

01Open the AgentFind the Agent panel in Android Studio.
02Ask as you learnAsk it to explain code or plan the next step.
03Review every changeRead suggestions, then accept or edit them yourself.

1.Pick your AI tool

Choose any AI assistant. ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can all help you learn and write code.

Ask AI something likeI am a beginner learning Android. Explain what a mobile app and an APK are in simple words.
You still do: Choose the tool and log in yourself. AI cannot set that up for you.

2.Let AI make a plan

Tell AI your idea. Ask it to break the build into small steps you can follow.

Ask AI something likeI want to build [your idea] as my first Android app. Give me a simple plan in 5 steps.
You still do: Pick the idea and decide what the app actually does. AI only suggests.

3.Ask AI to write code

Ask AI for the code for each exercise. Copy it, paste it into the right file, and run it.

Ask AI something likeUsing Kotlin in Android Studio, write the code for a button that counts how many times it is tapped.
You still do: Paste the code into the right file, press Run, and check it works. AI cannot run your app.

4.Fix errors with AI

When something breaks, copy the error from Logcat and paste it into AI for help.

Ask AI something likeMy app shows this error: [paste your error from Logcat]. What does it mean and how do I fix it?
You still do: Find the error, copy it, and test each fix. That is your detective work.

5.Manual setup is still yours

AI cannot create your project, build your APK, or install it on your phone. Only you can do these.

Ask AI something likeGive me a checklist of everything I must configure manually to build my APK.
You still do: Create the project, build the APK, and move it to your phone yourself. Knowing the basics makes AI ten times more useful.
Step 1 of 5
The plan

Follow along, minute by minute

Part 1Understand

Learn what you are making

No code yet. Just a clear picture so the building makes sense.

Walkthrough

Apps vs websites

What an app is, and how it is different from a website.

Walkthrough

What apps can do

Camera, location, sensors, and offline. The app superpowers.

Walkthrough

Meet the tools

A quick tour of Android Studio so nothing feels foreign.

Your turn

Pick an idea

Write one line: "An app that …". Pick from the list below.

Part 2Build

Do the hands on exercises

The core of the session. Go from an empty project to a working app.

Exercise 1. 15 min

Create a project

Open Android Studio and make a new empty project.

Exercise 2. 20 min

Run Hello World

Start the emulator and launch your first app. Change the text, run again.

Exercise 3. 30 min

Make it interactive

Add a button and a counter. A tap makes the number go up.

Exercise 4. 30 min

Build your idea

A button, some text, an image. Bring your idea to life.

Part 3Ship

Turn it into a real APK

Package your working app into a file you could put on a phone.

Exercise 5. 25 min

Make it yours

Change the app name, pick a color, add an icon.

Exercise 6. 20 min

Build the APK

Build the APK and find the file in your project. That file is your app.

Show and tell

Show the room

Run your app for everyone. Save your APK and share what you built.

Wrap up

What is next

How to install the APK on a phone and where to keep learning.

Stuck? Start with one of these

1. Tap counter

Press a button, the number goes up. Easy first win.

2. Fortune cookie

Ask a question, tap, get a random answer.

3. Color mixer

Three sliders that recolour the whole screen.

4. Pep talk bot

Tap to get an encouraging line. Make it yours.

Want Google's official guide?
A tip for whoever runs this session

Install Android Studio on every computer before the students arrive. The first download and first build are large and slow, and can use up most of the session.