Learn to Develop Android Applications From Scratch with Udacity’s Nanodegree Program

Abhiroj Panwar

21 October 2022

Add To Wishlist

Course Overview

This Android Basics Nanodegree Program by Udacity curriculum is developed together with Google for beginners interested in developing apps but who are new to programming. We worked on a capstone project which included making a weather notification android app, a stock notification & display android app, a wallpaper browsable android app and watch faces for all these apps.

They start from a very basic level of explaining android platform concepts using UI mock-ups and how to work on the layout in android. Then gradually build on your foundation, adding complexity along the way by adding an API layer, data layer and cache layer. Moreover, they also share lots of notes and presentations attached to the video lessons.

"The knowledge obtained from the course helps me even today in understanding the various projects I undertake at work."

- Abhiroj Panwar

Course Structure

It’s a self-paced and well-curated beginner-level course spread over 3 months. It is taught online by experienced faculty members. This course usually requires 10 hours per week of learners' time. This Nanodegree program is developed together with Google for beginners interested in developing apps for the next billion Android users.

The course instructors would use Android Studio to build apps, so you should have access to a computer that can run Android Studio in order to follow along.

Technically, the course is spread over 4 distinct modules:

Module 1: User Interface

Module 2: User Input

Module 3: Multi-Screen Apps

Module 4: Networking

Insider Tips

In order to get the best out of this course, I have included some important tips below that I think you might find useful.

Technical Exhibitionism

If you want to develop Android apps, but have no prior programming experience, this is the apt course for you.

Some of the skills you tend to hone as well as develop in this program include Android Development, Android Studio, Android SDK, Java, Mobile App Development, etc. The best practices shared along the way shed great light on how software development works.

Assessment and Grading Criteria

The assessments were done on a weekly basis, and each assessment was a deliverable of the end-game android app we had to work on. It requires completing assignments and undertaking projects under various modules throughout the program.

There are instructor-moderated discussions scheduled at stipulated intervals to validate the learning experience of the learners.

Requirements

Those who enroll should be motivated to learn and be comfortable with basic computer skills like managing files, navigating the Internet, and running programs. The course instructors would use Android Studio to build apps, so you should have access to a computer that can run Android Studio in order to follow along.

Final Take

I am currently working as a Software Development Engineer-2 (SDE-2). The course helped me in developing a foundation on how software development generally works with Android as an example platform. This knowledge helps me even today in understanding the various projects I undertake, which are often of complex nature.