How can I make my first Android app? Where Do I Start?

Dear Android Amateur,
Creating an Android app is sort of a two-pronged process.

If you are an amateur coder, there are so many sources online for you to harness your coding skills. You will also need to get familiar with Google Play's development tools as well as their guidelines. Just so you know, Google is known for its policy enforcement as they restrict apps for all kinds of things. This is why you need to fully understand and know what you can't or shouldn't do before you even start.

Heads up! I am not going to walk you through here in this post, the entire coding process of developing an Android app that would be too much information to fit into this article. However, I will tell you my secret on how to create Android apps without coding, point you to Google's guidelines, and give you a few tips to help you develop your very first app.

Developing for Google Play is not just about familiarizing yourself with Android development tools like Eclipse, Android Studio, Python, or any programming languages. If you're not comfortable with coding, you can still create apps in various ways.

Being an amateur coder is not really a crime in this digital era. Yeah, you can try to study and explore the nerdy world of programming and designing languages. But the time you would consume teaching yourself how to program and design an app really depends on your learning curve. Rather than struggling with complexities of programming and designing, you might want to check different builders like AppsGeyser AppMkr, Eachscape, LumeApps or MyAppBuilder. There are hundreds of successful apps have been developed using any of these platforms and have successfully managed to bring appreciation from its users, and of course - PROFITS.

Building an Android App has never been a Child's Play but in this mini guide I plan to give you an overview of the top Builders in the Market

Building Android Apps with AppMkr

AppMkr is an online platform developed to aid users without coding knowledge in creating their own mobile apps.

It's a free online service where you don't need to register if you already have a Google, Facebook, Twitter, or Yahoo account.

Just login using any of the following credentials mentioned and it will direct you to the app creation page.

Here, you will need to choose the name of your app, type your name, and your email address.

You can choose from pre-created canvas (realtor, store, work group, etc.) or start with a blank canvas, and start creating an Android app from scratch.

Next step is to choose which functions from the left pane that you would like to be added to your app. I have tried creating an app using a blank canvas, and honestly, it's kind of difficult. It's time consuming and you really have to exert extra effort reading their tutorials and videos.

But again, it's still worth a try. I like their pre-created templates though because you just need to edit the layout and functions the way you like it. However, as of this writing they only have 11 templates, so there's a huge chance that you'll end up starting from scratch or using a blank canvas.

Well, if that's your case, you need to learn how to design, format, add functions, and add files to your app. While you're at it, learn to market your app to your prospective employers. For your information, the cost to submit the app on the app store is nothing, however, you need to pay $79 monthly (subscription).

Not my favourite option, but still valid.

Building Android Apps with EachScape

Creating an app with EachScape is super simple. You can build out an app features using its user-friendly drag and drop interface (MVC Framework). With EachScape, you design your app the way you like it and submit it to app. It's free to use, but you have to pay extra if you want access to more app feature.

I like the fact that it allows you to connect CMS solutions or use their own CMS. You may also add SDKs from third party sources like analytics, ads, and more. In its admin panel, you can define user privileges, organize Android, and JS components with ease.

It offers many templates to start you off. There's also a blank app also known as the Visual Editor option, when you create a new app using its Web Studio.

It's a good mobile app builder - not awesome but good enough.

You'll like its IDE as it offers many features and capabilities. It also provides MBaaS options and supports third party SDKs and other services. Moreover, it can be integrated with JSON, XML, and RSS via its RESTful URL scheme. However, using this platform requires you to be technically savvy (must be a skilled developer). It's not totally free to use also. It also cannot wrap existing apps as well as databases with REST services.

You can set up an account now with EachScape and and start building your first Android app today: https://eachscape.com/. Happy building!


Build Android Apps with MyAppBuilder

MyAppBuilder is an online service aimed at the mass market to make sure that anyone can have their own Android app without coding skills.

They are one of the pioneers who have been developing mobile apps for their subscribers since 2008. However, their service is not totally free as you have to pay monthly and the price varies depending on the plan that you choose. Refer to the pricing options below:

Price does not include third party plugins, graphics and themes. After 90 days of hour requirements met for project, client can change subscription to a hosting only plan for $9 a month.

They have a 30 day trial with each subscription, where you can cancel any time once you find their product or service unsatisfactory.

With MyAppBuilder, you can easily have a File Sharing App, a Messaging App, or a Shopping Cart App. Or, you can have them customize their existing app templates to your liking:

• Real Estate App
• Car Dealer App
• Author/Publisher App
• News App
• Church/Religion Apps

MyAppBuilder has built over a thousand of apps already since launch and still developing new app templates for their users. It is a Platform as a Service who releases most of their apps for free and the code is open source....

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