Table of Contents
Getting Ready to Create Your First Project
Before you create your first Android project, you should have Android Studio installed and working on your computer. In this chapter you will walk through the specific steps of creating a new project in Android Studio and understand the most important choices you make in the New Project wizard. You will not yet dive into what the generated code does, that belongs to the next chapters. Here, the focus is on getting from an empty Android Studio screen to a runnable project.
Starting Android Studio
When you open Android Studio, you arrive at the Welcome screen. If you already have projects, they appear as a list. To create a new one, look for the option labeled New Project on the welcome window. If you already have a project open and the welcome window does not appear, use the top menu, select File, then select New, then New Project.
Selecting New Project opens a wizard that guides you through several screens. Each screen asks for information about your app such as its template, name, and where to store it on your computer.
Choosing a Project Template
The first screen in the New Project wizard lets you choose a project template. Templates are predefined starting points that include layout files, activities, and some basic configuration, so you do not start from a completely empty project.
You will see entries such as Empty Views Activity, No Activity, Basic Views Activity, and often several templates for specific form factors or UI styles like Empty Activity (Material 3) or templates for Wear OS or TV. For a first simple app that uses the traditional XML based views, select the Empty Views Activity or Empty Activity template that uses Views. This template creates a single screen with minimal code, and is easier to explore for beginners.
If your Android Studio offers separate templates for Jetpack Compose, do not choose those for now if the course focuses on classic Views. The Compose templates are good for modern UI development but will be addressed separately. The View based empty activity template is sufficient to learn the basics of the project structure and the Android lifecycle.
After selecting the template, click Next to move to the configuration screen.
Configuring the Application Name and Package
The next screen is about configuration of your new project. At the top you will see a field called Name. This is the name of your application that users will see under the app icon on their device. For your first project, you can use a simple name such as My First App. You can change this later, but it is better to pick a clear and simple name that describes the purpose of the app.
Below the name, you will see Package name. This is a unique identifier that Android and Google Play use to distinguish your app from all others. It usually looks like com.example.myfirstapp. The package name is important for publishing and updating your app. While the visible app name can change, the package name should stay the same for the lifetime of the app.
Android Studio generates a default package name from your company domain and app name. If you see something like com.example.myfirstapp, that is perfectly fine for practice. In real projects you would replace example with a domain you control, such as com.yourname or com.yourcompany.
You will also see a Save location field that defines the folder on your computer where Android Studio stores your project files. If you are just starting, you can keep the default location. Later you may organize projects into special development folders.
Selecting the Programming Language
On the same configuration screen you will see a field labeled Language. Here you choose between Kotlin and sometimes Java. For modern Android development and for this course, you must choose Kotlin. Kotlin is now the recommended language for Android, and many new Android APIs and examples use it.
Once you pick Kotlin for your project, Android Studio will generate Kotlin files with the extension .kt for your activities and other classes. You can technically mix Kotlin and Java in one project, but for beginners it is safest to stick to Kotlin only.
Always select Kotlin as the language for new Android projects in this course. Mixing languages in beginner projects can create confusion and harder debugging.
Choosing the Minimum SDK (Minimum API Level)
Another important field on the configuration screen is Minimum SDK or sometimes Minimum API level. This defines the oldest Android version that your app will support. Android versions are identified by API levels. For example, Android 8.0 is API level 26, Android 10 is API level 29, and so on.
The Minimum SDK has two main effects. It determines which devices can install your app, and which Android features are safe to use without extra compatibility code. A lower minimum SDK means more devices can install the app, but you must sometimes use older APIs or support libraries. A higher minimum SDK means you can use newer features more easily, but fewer devices will be able to run the app.
Android Studio shows a small hint that estimates what percentage of active devices your selected minimum SDK will cover. For learning purposes you can usually choose a value that covers most devices, such as an API level around Android 8 or Android 9, depending on the suggestion shown. For practice or classroom apps that will not be published, you can use a slightly higher minimum SDK to simplify code.
Remember that the minimum SDK is not the same as the version of Android on your emulator or physical device. You can run your app on newer versions than your minimum SDK. The minimum SDK simply sets the oldest version that is allowed.
Configuring the Project for Different Form Factors
On some Android Studio versions, the New Project wizard lets you select which form factors your app targets. These can include options such as Phone and Tablet, Wear OS, TV, or Android Auto. For beginner projects, keep only Phone and Tablet checked. This prevents extra complexity such as wearable specific dependencies or layout folders.
Later in your learning, you can explore additional device types, but starting with phones and tablets gives you a simpler and more predictable environment. Most of the examples in beginner courses assume a phone sized screen.
Setting the Build Configuration Basics
Inside the configuration screen, some values related to the build configuration are set automatically. You might see a Build configuration language field where you can choose between Kotlin DSL and Groovy. If your Android Studio version offers this option, you can usually keep the default, which is often Groovy in older projects or Kotlin DSL in more recent templates.
The build configuration language determines how the Gradle configuration files are written, but it does not change the app logic language. Your activities and classes remain Kotlin. As a beginner, you do not need to adjust this setting frequently. You will learn about the Gradle build system in a dedicated chapter.
Reviewing and Creating the Project
Once you have set the application name, package name, save location, language, minimum SDK, and form factor, you can review your choices at the bottom of the screen. If everything looks correct, click the Finish button.
After you click Finish, Android Studio creates all necessary folders and files for your app. It may take some time on the first run because Android Studio has to set up the Gradle build, download some dependencies, and index the new project.
While this process runs, you can follow progress at the bottom of the IDE in the status bar or the Build window. If Android Studio needs additional components, such as a missing SDK platform for the selected minimum or target SDK, it may show a prompt to download them. Accept these downloads so that the project can build successfully.
Understanding the Initial Project View
When the project is ready, Android Studio opens it in the main window. On the left, the Project tool window appears where you can see a logical representation of your files. Usually the default view is Android, which groups files by their role rather than by raw folders. For now, notice only that there is an app module with folders such as java or kotlin, res, and some Gradle files at the project root.
At the center, you will typically see the MainActivity file or the layout file activity_main.xml, depending on which file the template opens by default. You do not need to understand the code yet. In the following chapters, you will explore what these generated files mean.
If you see warnings or sync messages at the top, such as Gradle project sync in progress or prompts to update Gradle or the Android Gradle Plugin, you can usually allow Android Studio to complete these operations. Once the sync is finished, the small Gradle icon in the status bar stops spinning and you are ready to run the app.
Verifying That the Project Builds
Before moving on, it is useful to confirm that the newly created project builds correctly. At the top toolbar, find the hammer icon labeled Make Project or select Build then Make Project from the menu. Android Studio will compile the project and report any errors in the Build window.
For a newly created project with default settings, the build should succeed without any changes. If you see errors about missing SDK components, follow the suggested actions, such as installing the required Android SDK platform. If you see errors about internet connection or Gradle dependencies, check your network and try building again.
Once the project builds without errors, you have successfully created your first Android project. The next step is to understand the MainActivity that the template has generated and then learn how to run and debug the app on an emulator or device in the following chapters.