The penetration index for smartphones is very high in the main markets and especially in Spain, one of the countries with the highest penetration indexes, at 66%. This smartphone boom means everyone now wants an Android/iOS application or mobile website, and the number of companies keen to hire mobile device developers has grown exponentially.
On that basis, it’s perfectly normal that you read the entry title and become curious to find out which qualities you need to get into this world, so I’ll get down to the serious business and leave you with the qualities that in my opinion an Android developer must have:
- Have prior studies in computing. Browsing Android websites you find lots of people asking how to make an app or how to download the IDE to start programming. Even though you don’t need a degree, and many famous developers have never set foot in a university, it is highly advisable to have studied computing, because programming is more than just a programming language. The better your studies, the more knowledge you’ll have.
- English. You don’t need to be bilingual, or to be able to speak it perfectly, but remember that you’re going to need to read technical documents, manuals and libraries in English all the time. Is there information in Spanish? Yes, but there isn’t as much as in English, and it’s not as good.
- Experience. Experience is one of the qualities that you’ll always find listed in any job offer. Fortunately, as it’s a new field, you’re not likely to be competing with many people who have more than 2 and a half years experience in Android because hardly anyone dared to go into this area. That said, experience is clearly a very important factor to consider when choosing a good Android developer. If you don’t have a great deal of experience, don’t worry too much and try to compensate for it with the rest of your qualities.
- Java. To develop on Android, you must be familiar with this programming language. You can program in other languages, but you normally (99% of the time) program in Java and everything this entails. Extensive knowledge in Object-Orientated Programming, all the Java APIs, HTTP connections, treatment of XML and JSON files, etc.
- Be familiar with development environments, eclipse and the new Android Studio. If you also know how to use the range of tools that come in the adb along with the Android sdk, that’s even better.
- Remember that Android is programmed in Java but it’s not a regular Java program. You must understand the differences, and be familiar with the characteristics of an Android project and the limitations of the mobile devices. If you program as if it were a PC application made in Java, the results will not be the desired ones.
- You must like the design of the applications, and not just their functionality. There’s nothing better than a mobile developer that is familiar with design and user experience. If the developer has the natural instinct and care to pay attention to the tiniest details, then the applications designed will be the best and the most attractive.
- Really, really want to learn. You must understand that if you want to be a good Android developer, you need to be constantly learning, asking questions, and trying new things out… Roughly every 6 months Google launches an update of its API and there are frequent major Operating System updates with a whole bunch of features. Without going into too much detail, in the most recent Google I/O there are at least 20 interesting videos to see, and this doesn’t include the large number of extremely interesting libraries – ActionBar Sherlock, ImageLoader, SlidingMenu, Volley, etc. – that are developed daily and it’s important to be familiar with them. If you don’t want to learn, you better not enter this platform.
- A bit of passion. Try to ensure that everything you do is the best it can possibly be, show a lot of desire and even be a bit of a ‘fandroid’ – but just a bit! This advice can be applied to all jobs, but it’s never a bad idea to remember it.
June 5, 2013
