1page.title=The Developer's Guide 2@jd:body 3 4<p> 5Welcome to the <i>Android Dev Guide</i>! The Dev Guide provides 6a practical introduction to developing applications for Android and documentation about major 7platform features. It explores the concepts behind Android, the framework for 8constructing an application, and the tools for developing, 9testing, and publishing software for the platform. 10</p> 11 12<p> 13The Dev Guide holds most of the documentation for the Android 14platform, except for reference material on the framework API. 15For API specifications, go to the 16<a href="{@docRoot}reference/packages.html">Reference</a>. 17</p> 18 19<p> 20As you can see in the panel on the left, the Dev Guide is 21divided into several sections: 22<p> 23 24<dl> 25<dt><b>Android Basics</b></dt> 26<dd>An initial orientation to Android — what it is, 27what it offers, and how your application fits in.</dd> 28 29<dt><b>Framework Topics</b></dt> 30<dd>Discussions of particular parts of the Android framework 31and API. For an introduction to the framework, begin with 32<a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/fundamentals.html">Application 33Fundamentals</a>. Then explore other topics — from 34designing a user interface and setting up resources to storing 35data and using permissions — as needed.</dd> 36 37<dt><b>Android Market Topics</b></dt> 38<dd>Documentation for topics that concern publishing and monetizing applications on Android 39Market, such as how to enforce licensing policies and implement in-app billing.</dd> 40 41<dt><b>Developing</b></dt> 42<dd>Directions for using Android's development and debugging tools, 43and for testing the results.</dd> 44 45<dt><b>Publishing</b></dt> 46<dd>Instructions on how to prepare your application for deployment 47and how to publish it when it's ready.</dd> 48 49<dt><b>Best Practices</b></dt> 50<dd>Recommendations on preferred techniques for writing 51applications that perform efficiently and work well for the 52user.</dd> 53 54<dt><b>Web Applications</b></dt> 55<dd>Documentation about how to create web applications that work seamlessly on Android-powered 56devices and create Android applications that embed web-based content.</dd> 57 58<dt><b>Appendix</b></dt> 59<dd>Reference information and specifications, as well as FAQs, 60a glossary of terms, and other information.</dd> 61</dl> 62 63<p> 64The first step in programming for Android is downloading the SDK 65(software development kit). For instructions and information, visit the <a 66href="{@docRoot}sdk/index.html">SDK</a> tab. 67</p> 68 69<p> 70After you have the SDK, begin by looking through the Dev Guide. 71If you want to start by getting a quick look at some code, the 72<a href="{@docRoot}resources/tutorials/hello-world.html">Hello World</a> 73tutorial walks you through a standard "Hello, World" application to introduce some basics of an 74Android application. The 75<a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/fundamentals.html">Application 76Fundamentals</a> document is a good place to start learning the basics about the application 77framework. 78</p> 79 80 81<p> 82For additional help, consider joining one or more of the Android 83discussion groups. Go to the 84<a href="{@docRoot}resources/community-groups.html">Developer Forums</a> page 85for more information. 86</p> 87 88<p>To return to this page later, just click the "Dev Guide" tab while any Dev Guide page is loaded. </p>