Creating applications on Android on a phone

Development of mobile applications has long been considered the prerogative of the owners powerful desktop computers with bulky development environments like Android Studio. However, modern technologies have made great strides, making it possible to turn an ordinary smartphone into a full-fledged programmer’s workstation. Today, you can write code, compile it, and immediately run a test version right on the device you're writing on.

This paradigm shift opens up huge opportunities for enthusiasts, students, and even professionals who need to quickly make changes to a project on the fly. Creating mobile application directly on the phone requires the right selection of tools and an understanding of the limitations of the mobile platform. In this article, we will take a detailed look at what tools to use, how to set up the environment and where to start your first project.

You don’t have to have a flagship smartphone with 12 gigabytes of RAM to start writing code. Even devices in the mid-price segment are capable of coping with tasks of entry-level and medium complexity. The main thing is to choose the appropriate integrated development environment (IDE) and decide on the programming language that will be most convenient for working on a touch screen.

Selecting development tools

The first and most critical step is choosing the software in which you will work. Unlike PCs, where the de facto standard is Android Studio, the ecosystem on mobile devices is more diverse. You will need an application that combines a text editor with syntax highlighting, a compiler and an emulator, or the ability to run on a real device. One of the most popular solutions is the application (Android IDE), which allows you to create real native applications in Java and Kotlin. It provides training courses and allows you to compile projects directly on your phone. Another powerful option is

One of the most popular solutions is the application AIDE (Android IDE), which allows you to create true native applications in Java and Kotlin. It provides training courses and allows you to compile projects directly on your phone. Another powerful option is Termux a Linux terminal emulator that gives access to a full command line and allows you to install compilers manually.

For those who prefer web technologies, there are code editors that support HTML, CSS and JavaScript, such as Spck Editor or Treble Edit. They allow you to create hybrid apps or progressive web apps (PWAs), which can then be wrapped in an APK file. The choice depends on what type of product you plan to create.

• 🛠 AIDE —a classic IDE for native development in Java/Kotlin with built-in training.
• 💻 Termux —a powerful terminal emulator for advanced users who prefer a console.
• 🌐 Spck Editor —an ideal choice for web development and creating cross-platform solutions.
• 🐍 Pydroid 3 —an environment for developing applications in Python with support for graphics libraries.

⚠️ Attention: Many full-fledged IDEs require significant CPU and RAM resources. Before installing heavy software, make sure that your device has at least 2 GB of RAM free, otherwise compilation may fail due to lack of resources.

Customizing the environment and interface

After installing the selected application, you need to properly configure the workspace. A smartphone screen is much smaller than a monitor, so ergonomics plays a key role. Most modern mobile IDEs support connecting external input devices, which radically changes the development experience.

It is recommended to connect a physical keyboard and mouse to the phone via Bluetooth or a USB-OTG adapter. This will allow you to use standard hotkeys to navigate code, copy and paste, and quickly access menus. The virtual keyboard of the screen takes up too much useful space and slows down the process of writing code.

It is also worth paying attention to the editor theme settings. Using a dark theme (Dark Mode) not only reduces eye strain when working for long periods of time, but also saves battery power on OLED screens. Make sure that autosave and code line numbering are enabled in your settings, as debugging without these functions becomes a pain.

It is important to set up project paths correctly. By default, many applications save data in internal folders, access to which may be restricted in new versions of Android. It is best to create a separate directory in the internal storage, for example /storage/emulated/0/MyProjects, and specify it in the IDE settings as the root folder for all projects.

Step-by-step guide: creating the first project

Let's consider the process of creating a simple application using the AIDE environment as an example, since it most clearly demonstrates the structure of native development. The process begins by creating a new project through the app's main menu. You will be prompted to select an application type and enter its name.

After entering the package name (for example, com.example.myapp), the system will generate a basic file structure. You will see several tabs: the main activity file (Activity), the interface markup file (XML) and the manifest file. It is in the markup file that you will define what your application looks like.

XML is used to add interface elements. You can drag and drop components in the visual editor or write them manually. For example, to add a button, you need to use a tag <Button> and give it the width, height and text attributes. After layout of the interface, you need to go to the Java or Kotlin file to write the logic.

Button myButton = findViewById(R.id.button1);
myButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View v) {
Toast.makeText(getApplicationContext(), "Hello, Android!", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
}
});

This code finds a button by its identifier and assigns an action to it: when clicked, a pop-up message will appear on the screen. After writing the code, click the “Run” button (usually the Play icon in the top bar). The system will compile the project, install the APK on your device and open the application.

Programming languages for mobile development

The choice of programming language determines not only syntax, but also available libraries, application performance and complexity of its development. Today, the main languages ​​for creating applications for Android are Java and Kotlin, but there are also alternatives.

Kotlin is officially recognized as the preferred language for developing for Android by Google. It is more concise, safer (protected from null pointer exception errors) and fully compatible with Java. For beginners, Kotlin may seem a little more complex due to the abundance of features, but in the long run it saves time.

Java remains a classic of the genre. A huge number of lessons, documentation and ready-made solutions on the Internet are written in Java. If you plan to learn from old video courses or use legacy code, knowledge of Java will be a must. Java syntax is more verbose, which can be awkward when typing on a touch screen.

Language	Difficulty of mastering	Performance	Popularity in 2026+
Kotlin	Average	High	Very high
Java	Average/High	High	Stable
Python (Kivy)	Low	Average	Growing
JavaScript (React Native)	Low	Medium	High

Also worth mentioning Python with the Kivy library or JavaScript for cross-platform development. These languages ​​allow you to write code once and run it on different platforms, but they may require additional tools to build the final APK file, which is not always convenient to do directly on your phone.

⚠️ Attention: Mobile IDE interfaces and supported language versions may be updated by application developers. Always check the "About" section or the official documentation of your chosen editor to ensure support for the latest versions of the Android SDK.

Why is Kotlin better than Java for mobile screens?

Kotlin requires fewer lines of code to perform the same tasks, which is critical when typing on a smartphone. Less code means fewer typing errors and a faster writing process.

Debugging and testing the application

Writing code is only half the battle. The second, no less important part is finding and correcting errors. Debugging on a mobile device has its own characteristics. You can't use a full debugger with breakpoints as conveniently as you can on a PC, so you have to rely on logging.

Use command Log.d (for Kotlin/Java) or function print (for Python) to output debugging information to the console (Logcat). Mobile IDEs usually have a "Logcat" or "Console" tab where all system messages and errors of your application are displayed in real time.

If the application crashes immediately after launch, first check the file AndroidManifest.xml. Often the error lies in the incorrect activity class name or lack of necessary permissions. Also make sure that all resources (pictures, fonts) are connected correctly and are not damaged.

Testing should be carried out on different versions of Android, if possible. What works on Android 13 may behave differently on Android 10 due to differences in permission policies and how background processes work. Emulators inside the phone consume a lot of resources, so it is better to test the application immediately on a physical device.

Building the project and publishing

When the application is ready and tested, The stage of assembling the release version begins. In mobile IDEs, this process is usually automated: just select the “Export APK” or “Build Release” option. The system will create a signed file, ready for installation on other devices.

It is important to understand the difference between the Debug and Release versions. The debug version contains unnecessary information for the developer and is slower. To transfer to friends or publish in the store, you need to create a release version with a digital signature.

To publish on the Google Play Market, you will need to create a developer account (this is a paid service) and prepare graphic materials: an icon, screenshots and a description. The APK file generated on the phone can be uploaded to the developer console directly or tested in internal testing first.

Be aware of Google's security policies. The application must not request unnecessary permissions, contain malicious code, or violate copyrights. Before downloading, carefully check the file AndroidManifest.xml for the presence of lines <uses-permission> and delete all unnecessary ones.

Is it possible to create a complex game directly on your phone?

Technically this is possible, but extremely inconvenient. Creating 3D games requires working with large assets (models, textures), which take up a lot of space and are difficult to manage on a touch screen. For simple 2D games, mobile tools are great.

Do you need root access to develop applications?

No, root access is not required to write, compile and install applications in debug mode. Root may only be needed for deep system debugging or changing system files, which is not part of standard development.

How much space does the development environment take up on the phone?

The IDE application itself weighs a little (50-100 MB), but during operation it downloads the SDK, libraries and caches project files. For comfortable work, it is recommended to have at least 2-3 GB of free space in the internal memory.

Is it possible to make money on applications created on the phone?

Yes, the Google Play store does not distinguish between applications created on a PC or on a smartphone. The main thing is the quality of the product, its usefulness and compliance with the rules of the store. Many indie developers successfully publish such applications.