Android Software Development Kit (SDK)

The Android Software Development Kit (SDK) is a collection of tools, libraries, documentation, and samples that are used to develop [[Android]] applications. It provides the essential resources for developers to build apps for Android devices, including smartphones, tablets, and Android Wear devices.

Tools such as the Android Studio Integrated Development Environment (IDE), the Android Debug Bridge (ADB), and the emulator for testing Android applications on different virtual devices. A set of pre-built code libraries, including the Android framework [[APIs]], which offer functionalities like UI elements, networking, media playback, database access, and more.

Android Studio is the official IDE for Android development. It is based on IntelliJ IDEA and provides tools for coding, debugging, performance tuning, and version compatibility checking. The SDK includes an emulator (AVD) that allows developers to run and test their applications on different Android versions and screen sizes without needing physical devices.

Android SDK is structured around API (Application Programming Interface) levels, which correspond to different versions of the Android platform. Developers can target specific API levels depending on the range of devices they aim to support.

While [[Java]] was the primary language for Android development, Kotlin is now recommended by Google. The SDK also supports other languages like C and C++ for parts of the app that require high performance.

Android uses [[Gradle]] as its build system, which automates the process of building the application package (APK or Android App Bundle) that is deployed to devices. The SDK includes frameworks for unit testing and UI testing, allowing developers to ensure their apps work correctly.