5 Best Books To Learn Android Development

Time and tide waits for no one! Puzzled? Well, this has nothing to do with the subject of the post but now that I have your attention, we can move on to see 5 best books using which you can learn Android development.

Since its inception, Android has gained much fame and accolade from critics as well as from users. At the age of 4 (First released in 2008) this operating system has more than 400,000 applications available at Android market which has been renamed as Google Play recently.

With the huge number of applications getting piled up in Android market every day, no wonder more developers want to develop application for this operating system but the question is “how to learn it?” Well, you can learn it using online tutorials or you can also make use of e-books.

So let us see which books are amongst the best, if you wish to learn Android app development!

1. Beginning Android:

“Learn how to develop applications for Android mobile devices using simple examples”, says its author Ed Burnette! Truly, this book has covered all the core functionalities as well as the new ideas surrounding the Android. Though this book is a complete guide for you, it’s better to have an eye open for online tutorials, news, forums and blogs for more information as per Ed himself.

This book is divided into 6 parts which are further divided as per chapters:

• Core Concepts
• Activities
• data Stores, Network Services and APIs
• Intents
• Content Providers and Services
• Other Android Capabilities

You can get this book at $27.73 at Amazon online store.

Amazon Link: Beginning Android (Expert’s Voice in Open Source)

2. Android Apps for Absolute Beginners:

This book is highly recommended for those newbies who wish to learn Android development but have no idea where to start! The author Wallace Jackson has penned down this book with a basic assumption that you know nothing in Android development. Nothing, Zilch! Everything is pretty well explained with simple examples. You can learn all the basic things starting right from “downloading the SDK”, “downloading Eclipse and JDK” and “how to install them” using this book.

The author will also show you how to go out of the way while developing the application with the use of third party tools like Adobe Photoshop. This book has 12 chapters ranging from introduction to advance topics.

So this book is a must for newbies! You can get it at $17.99 at Online Amazon store or you can also purchase kindle version of this book for slightly less price tag.

Amazon Link: Android Apps for Absolute Beginners

3. Hello, Android: Introducing Google’s Mobile Development Platform

This is another book written by Ed Burnette. Getting started with Android development is really easy as you don’t even have to possess an Android phone. You can do all things like designing or testing on your computer. Within few minutes of starting with “Hello, Android”, you will be able to run your first ever application for Android, however basic though. As you will move ahead through this book, you will be able to create more complex applications like sudoku!

Everything is well structured in this book and thus it can be your priced possession over time. This book can be purchased for $31.43 at Amazon online store.

Amazon Link: Hello, Android: Introducing Google’s Mobile Development Platform (Pragmatic Programmers)

4. Professional Android application development:

This is probably the best book so far. Written by author Reto Meier, this book handles all the basic as well as advanced features with simplicity. Yes, this book might be a little out-of-date but considering the evolution rate of Android, none can be blamed. This book all essential features, components and advanced capabilities (accelerometer, GPS and so on) like no other books.

Some might say that this book is based on 1.0, how much we can learn? Well, very few books cover 1.0 and even if it’s based on older version, basics never change!

Amazon has this book listed for $30.99; so what are you waiting for?

Amazon Link: Professional Android Application Development (Wrox Programmer to Programmer)

5. Android Application Development For Dummies:

This is another good choice, when it comes to learning Android development for the first time. This book has lo of introductory chapters followed by chapters on some advanced techniques. It explains everything a beginner might want to know!

Initially you go through few simple app ideas along with UI creating and as you learn more, it will teach you more complex things that you can use in your own application.

You can purchase this book at $19.79 at online Amazon store.

Amazon Link: Android Application Development For Dummies

So these are some books which are worth giving a try! Obviously, you won’t be able to learn everything just by reading these books, but as a started you can surely learn basic things as well as moderately advance topics!