How to Become Android Developer

Responsibilities of Android Developers

Let’s first cover the question of responsibility. There are several main responsibilities you will be faced with being an Android software developer, although these may vary depending on the company.

Building App Functionality and UI

Of course, the main task of any Android developer is to create the app’s design and build its functionality. This includes writing clean code and building a well-thought-out architecture, as well as considering possible bugs and trying to avoid them.

Collaborating with Other Team Members

It is extremely important for all software engineers to build and maintain effective communication with other members of the team like UI/UX designers, back-end developers, etc. Since in most companies every member of the team performs a specific role, good communication is key to building superb products.

Tackling Databases and APIs

An Android developer commonly has to work with external sources such as various APIs and databases. This means you should be skilled enough at dealing with third-party code written by other software engineers. We will talk about this a bit more later.

Performing Unit Testing

Unit testing—which is also called module testing—is often an integral part of the software development cycle. It is actually included in the Agile software development methodology, which many companies use. You should unit test your app throughout the development process.

Fixing Bugs

Bugs unfortunately just come with the territory of Android app development. Your task as an engineer is to find at least a portion of those bugs in your code, as well as fix the bugs that were found by other team members like Quality Assurance (QA) engineers.

Staying Up-to-Date on New Technologies

Being a software engineer means mastering new skills and gaining fresh knowledge all the time. It is barely possible to be a good developer in today’s rapidly developing high-tech world without paying due attention to learning.

Those are the basic responsibilities of Android developers, but definitely not all of them. Keep in mind that responsibilities usually differ from company to company and depend on your working experience.

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Technical Android Developer Skills

It is time to dive into the technical skills Android developers need, especially which ones are must-haves to start your career or find Android developer jobs at good companies.

Let’s see what skills employers are looking at when they decide to hire for Android developer jobs.

What technical skills do you need to be an Android developer? Learn more here.

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1. Expertise in Java, Kotlin or Both

An extensive knowledge of at least one of the two official Android development languages is the first Android developer required skill you’ll need. You have to be comfortable with Kotlin or Java programming languages.

What does that mean? You must have an advanced knowledge of their syntax and structure. In addition, you should understand the following concepts:

Object-oriented fundamentals (e.g. inheritance, class, and static methods)
Variables
Lists
Loops

If you’re learning Java, then you should also be confident with using JDK documentation to be able to quickly learn how to use different parts of the language.

Find out the best places to learn Java here.

2. Vital Android SDK concepts

Android engineers should also be good at using the Android Software Development Kit (Android SDK). There are several areas you should be aware of:

Fundamentals of Views, View Groups, and Layouts
User input
Ways to get data from the web
Storing data
Action bars
Adapting apps for different screen sizes

You should also be familiar with Android documentation and various third-party resources that will help you quickly master any parts of SDK that are still unknown to you.

3. Decent Experience with SQL

Almost every Android app needs to store data in some form, whether that’s the data of the app itself or user data. Correspondingly, your app should be integrated with a database so that you are able to manage the data.

This is why many employers are looking for an Android developer with SQL experience. Thus, it is a good idea to master this database management system to increase your chances to be hired.

Need to learn SQL? Here are some good places to start.

4. Knowledge of Git

This Android developer skill may not be strictly necessary depending on the company and your needs, but it’s good to have. You will most likely need to use some kind of version control tool eventually.

You don’t have to be a Git “ninja.” It’s enough to be aware of the basics, like creating and using repositories and knowing how to commit changes.

5. XML Basics

XML stands for Extensible Markup Language and is mostly used in the development of web solutions. Nevertheless, it is an essential technology for Android app development as well, due to the fact XML is used to access web data. Since many Android apps require transferring data to web services and vice versa, XML is a must-have skill to master.

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6. Understanding of Material Design Guidelines

Every Android app has to be aligned with the Material Design language guidelines that cover all essential elements in apps (colors, shades, transitions, element placement, etc.) Otherwise, the app may not be approved to publish to the Google Play Store. Many job postings for Android developers require this.

7. Android Studio

The knowledge of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) such as Android Studio or any other is also an important skill to have. Familiarity with Android Studio will help you work more efficiently. In particular, you can benefit from the built-in debugger and testing tools to write bug-free code.

8. Backend Programming Skills

Some Android developer job posts will mention that their perfect candidate should be able to work with the backend component of the software as well. It may be hard to learn another language, especially if you are just starting your career path and lack experience. What’s more, there are dozens of backend programming languages and they are all different (Python, Node.js, .Net, etc.)

It is absolutely up to you whether or not to apply for these Android developer jobs. Maybe you already have some experience with one of the backend languages, or maybe you’d prefer to stick with the front end. It is not always necessary to dive deep into learning one or another backend technology to know how to be an Android developer.

Image created by Vlad K., Cleveroad

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Good-to-Have Non-Technical Skills

While it is obvious that any technical position requires corresponding technical skills, many developers forget about the non-technical skills that can be equally important for Android developer jobs and others.

Let’s take a look at some of them.

Passion for Your Work

Every software engineer has their own motivation for waking up in the morning and writing code for eight hours a day from Monday to Friday. Passion for work is what differentiates an exceptional Android software developer from a merely “good” one.

I understand that it sounds like a cliche, but being passionate about what you do is one of the surest ways to climb the career ladder quickly. Once you find something that sparks passion in any aspect of your work, you should pursue that—be it the use of a certain Android language or technology, the ability to create top-notch products for users from all over the globe, or whatever else.

Communication Skills and Teamwork

Most employers require potential tech candidates (Android developers included) to be able to collaborate well with a team. This involves being able to talk about what you’re doing, delegate wisely, and accept feedback about your work from colleagues. Especially if you’re working across teams, it’s also valuable if you can explain complex processes in simple terms to non-technical specialists.

Writing

Writing is another non-technical skill that many employers have started looking for lately. An aptitude for writing is useful in any context, whether it’s communicating with colleagues via chat or email or writing technical documentation, articles, work summaries, texts for users, etc.

Agile Methodology

As I mentioned earlier, most companies work with Agile software development methodology these days. Essentially, Agile breaks each project into iterations that are also called sprints. Each sprint lasts an equal period of time (e.g. two weeks). During the sprint, the team works on a specific piece of functionality, which is released at the end. The exact implementation may vary depending on the company.

Having experience working in an Agile software development environment may complement your resume and work well for you during an interview for an Android developer job. If you have no experience like this, you should be at least familiar with the principles of Agile methodology.

Business Knowledge of an Industry

The last but not the least skill to mention here is having a business knowledge of a certain industry. Why? Because Android developers typically build mobile apps for a variety of industries: healthcare, entertainment, real estate, etc.

A decent understanding and experience of working with one of them can distinguish you from dozens of other candidates for a desired position. For example, if you have knowledge of the healthcare field, then you have a deeper understanding of what their users need and which Android app features could be most useful for the target audience—which translates to a more effective app and higher profits.

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How to Become an Android Developer & Find Work

If you want to find a freelance Android developer job, you can look for clients on the following platforms:

If you are looking for how to be an Android developer in a full-time job, you can try the following job boards and platforms:

There are more platforms than just these ones for finding Android developer jobs. However, this list can certainly get you started.

Where you can find a job as an Android developer? Check out this list to start looking for your dream job

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Android Developer Salaries

So, you know what Android developer skills you should have and what responsibilities you will have to perform. It is high time to figure out the appropriate level of salary for your software engineering efforts.

Of course, the higher your level of expertise is (junior, middle, senior), the higher the salary will be. It also largely depends on the country of your residence, so I am going to consider several countries.

Average Android developer salary by the level of knowledge in the US (all states):

Junior Android Developer: $80,733 per year
Mid-Level Android Developer: $96,012 per year
Senior Android Developer: $115,086 per year

Average Android developer salary by level in Canada:

Junior Android Developer: $50,000 per year
Mid-Level Android Developer: $78,000 per year
Senior Android Developer: $106,000 per year

Average Android developer salary by level in the UK:

Junior Android Developer: £21,509 per year
Mid-Level Android Developer: £41,000 per year
Senior Android Developer: £59,046 per year

Average Android developer salary by level in India:

Junior Android Developer: ₹182,837 ($2,443) per year
Mid-Level Android Developer: ₹336,000 ($4,468) per year
Senior Android Developer: ₹810,471 ($10,830) per year

(These figures are averages taken from Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn)

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Where to Learn Android Development

Android App Development – Coursera Specialization

This specialization takes you through five different courses that each teach you some new Android developer skills. Start with learning Java programming, then the components of a Java app, various development and testing methods, and much more, ending with a capstone project.

Build Your First Android App (Project-Centered Course) – Coursera

This Coursera Android development course focuses on learning by doing. You should start with some background knowledge of the Java programming language, so you can combine that knowledge with the building blocks in this course to create your own real-world Android app.

Learn the Basics of Android – Codecademy

In this course, you’ll learn about Android Studio—the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for Android, and you’ll learn the fundamentals skills you need to build simple Android apps and run them on a real or simulated virtual device.

Complete Java Masterclass – Become an Android App Developer! – Mammoth Interactive

No prior experience is necessary for this class. If you’ve never done any coding before, Java might be a tougher language to dive into as your first, but it’s certainly possible. Learn Java fundamentals, how to navigate Android Studio, how to overcome challenges, etc.

The Complete Java and Android Studio Course for Beginners – Mammoth Interactive

Another project-based course, this one teaches you how to build real-world apps from calculators to games to map travel apps. Along the way, it focuses on the Java concepts and Android Studio tools you’ll need for these apps.

Learn to Code in Kotlin by Building an Android App – Mammoth Interactive

So far, most of these courses have focused on Java as the main programming language to use as an Android software developer. This one mixes it up by teaching you the other main up-and-coming Android language, Kotlin, as you build a to-do list app.

Java Programming Masterclass for Software Developers – Udemy

We’re going back to Java with this final course, which is full of 80 hours of video content and 36 coding exercises. Go from total beginner to an Android developer prepared to build apps and even sit for the Oracle Java Certificate exam.

Android Basics by Google – Udacity

Built with Google, this course is perfect for aspiring Android developers who are new to programming and want to learn real-world skills. If you want to know how to build and accelerate your journey towards becoming a professional Android Developer, this is the course for you.

Android App Development for Complete Beginners – Skillshare

Whether you have prior experience programming or not, this class will take you step-by-step through the process of creating your first Android app. You’ll learn how to get up and running with Android Studio, how to create a basic user interface, how to make the application interactive, and how to install and test your app on your own Android device.

Check out our detailed Skillshare review here.

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Beginning Your Android Developer Journey

If you are a beginner just learning how to be an Android developer, you have plenty of things to learn before you will be hired for a middle or senior position. It all depends on you. Even if you are a middle or senior-level Android developer, there are always new things to learn and skills to improve. When you work in tech, learning is a lifelong commitment!

About the Author

Natalia Kharchenko is a Technical Writer at Cleveroad, a web and mobile app development company in Ukraine. They are focused on helping startups, small, and medium businesses create competitive and winning software. She enjoys bringing a digital world closer to people and writing about technology, mobile apps, innovations, and progressive management models.

Note: there are affiliate links in this post.