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Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide
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Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide: is an introductory Android book for programmers with Java experience. Based on Big Nerd Ranch's popular Android Bootcamp course, this guide will lead you through the wilderness using hands-on example apps combined with clear explanations of key concepts and APIs. This book focuses on practical techniques for developing apps
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Paperback, 602 pages
Published
April 7th 2013
by Big Nerd Ranch Guides
(first published January 16th 2012)
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Start your review of Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide

Jun 10, 2014
Hosein
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
programming,
android
A great book to start programming, I look at it as a reference. nearly all the stuff you need to write an application is discussed in this book. I also enjoyed reading it because an application is simultaneously completing as you are reading it through. I finally recommend it to all the IT students who want to Start making Android App.

Jun 20, 2016
Eric Brooke
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
software-development
This is a really good book. The journey through this book teaches many things to build a strong foundation to be Android Programmer. It teaches things that you would never do in the wild but, you need to understand why. The curious and challenges sections are gold.
I have given 4 out of 5 stars, because it could be better.
Educational Approach and Visual design
It is a lot of text. First by getting someone to break down the chapters into sections, particularly the longer longer chapters e.g. nine. ...more
I have given 4 out of 5 stars, because it could be better.
Educational Approach and Visual design
It is a lot of text. First by getting someone to break down the chapters into sections, particularly the longer longer chapters e.g. nine. ...more

It is an amazing book, if you want to be a full stack mobile developer which will develop android apps, read it and implement the apps, this book gives you more than Java language, there are some best practices and working mentality of android that don't change. But it takes too long to finish and understand examples and I didn't even do challenges, it gives a broad understanding how apps work, but in some chapters it shows its age. And there are some libraries do the job this book does with a
...more

This book took me two years to read. The third edition of this book has come out since the time that I started reading this book.
This is a big book that can teach you how to write programs for Android using Java. One of the useful features of this book is the forum where you can research issues that you might be having. Sometimes, the technology changes so rapidly that it is really useful to have something like that.
This is a big book that can teach you how to write programs for Android using Java. One of the useful features of this book is the forum where you can research issues that you might be having. Sometimes, the technology changes so rapidly that it is really useful to have something like that.

My favorite Android Development book I've read so far. Thanks to concisely content, I found out diverse ways of handling development problems. Not to mention the author's sense of humor which is absolutely tremendous. Definitely must-read book for anyone who wants to make the first steps in Android Development journey.

Jul 12, 2014
Abbas
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
computer-science,
android-development
One of the best technical books I have read, teaching you android development by employing best practices in an step-by-step and simple fashion; the only things missing were Unit testing and Android UX.

The book introduces and explains basic Android concepts through a series of example applications that are each built and improved across a series of consecutive chapters. Each chapter provides step-by-step instructions that guide you through improving the current application.
When interaction with Android Studio is required snapshots are often provided. Code snippets show incremental modifications to apply in the form of additions and removals to the current code.
The book is quite readable and ...more
When interaction with Android Studio is required snapshots are often provided. Code snippets show incremental modifications to apply in the form of additions and removals to the current code.
The book is quite readable and ...more

Having in consideration that I read the 2nd edition published in August 2015 I have to say the content is good. I was able to review some important internals of Android like Processes and Tasks and interesting Intent related stuff. At least 1/3 of the book is outdated but it might have been fixed with the third edition of the book. Really good book for beginners :-)

This is good book for starting Android development journey.
I can't find better books instead of this.
Before You start, You need experience with Java and OOP.
I wish this book have more explanations and references to Android programming resources, sites, videos, developer documentation e.t.c.
I hope the next edition will be in Kotlin.
I can't find better books instead of this.
Before You start, You need experience with Java and OOP.
I wish this book have more explanations and references to Android programming resources, sites, videos, developer documentation e.t.c.
I hope the next edition will be in Kotlin.

This isn't the perfect learning book on Android Programming but it's very good. I only have a couple of quibbles with how some content was presented. I don't have the first edition of this but suspect if you do, you probably don't need this second edition. They do cover some of the differences that come with Lollipop (e.g. RecyclerView) with a bit of discussion about why the new stuff is better but it's not a large part of the book. The last chapter on Material Design was disappointing and only
...more

I've tried a number of different resources like books and online courses, and this book is way ahead of them.
This book does just the right thing for someone unfamiliar with Android concepts. It doesn't overwhelm you with rephrased documentation that you can lookup yourself. It doesn't give you a written application and asks you to change a couple of lines in it.
Instead, this book works with you and explains concepts as clearly as it can get. Numerous times I would have a question and start to ...more
This book does just the right thing for someone unfamiliar with Android concepts. It doesn't overwhelm you with rephrased documentation that you can lookup yourself. It doesn't give you a written application and asks you to change a couple of lines in it.
Instead, this book works with you and explains concepts as clearly as it can get. Numerous times I would have a question and start to ...more

This is easily one of the most enjoyable technical books I've read in years. It provides an excellent coverage of the entire Android platform, getting beginners quickly up to speed, and while none of the topics can be realistically expected to be discussed in depth, by the end of the book you will have obtained sufficient understanding of the system to be able to quickly find any required details in the reference.
The writing style is clear and concise, and the way the material is presented by ...more
The writing style is clear and concise, and the way the material is presented by ...more

In general, I really enjoyed this book. I liked the way they structured it, and the necessity for digging around and mucking about in the code. Each extension to the apps made sense in the way they built upon each other.
What I felt I was missing after finishing this was more of a "big picture" view. It felt that I was almost entirely in the details, and didn't have enough pauses to put together the architectural details. Perhaps if there had been a high level summary or preview before diving ...more
What I felt I was missing after finishing this was more of a "big picture" view. It felt that I was almost entirely in the details, and didn't have enough pauses to put together the architectural details. Perhaps if there had been a high level summary or preview before diving ...more

I really liked this book, and I found it very instructive to work through the examples. If more books did stuff like this, it would be welcome. The projects built upon each other logically, and concepts were introduced at a tractable pace. If I could improve one this it would be to add more big-picture reviews, as sometimes, deep in the details, it becomes hard to see the forest for the trees.

If you want to learn Android programming on your own, get this book.
Clearly written, well-paced, and with examples that actually work, plus there is an active web forum (where the Big Nerd Ranch folks will answer your questions) if you get stuck.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. One of the best programming books I've ever come across.
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“Now the circle is complete. The dates must flow. He who controls the dates controls time itself.”
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“we suggest going to sleep for a couple of years. Then you can wake up and learn Android programming once Gingerbread devices no longer make up a meaningful share of the market.”
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