docs/html/guide/basics/fixme-gs-core-packages.jd

page.title=Getting Started
@jd:body
<h1>Getting Started with Android</h1>
 
<p>To get started with Android, please read the following sections first:</p>
<dl>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/installing.html">Installing the SDK and
    Plugin</a></dt>
    <dd>How to install the Android SDK and Eclipse plugin.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/develop-and-debug.html">Developing and Debugging</a></dt>
    <dd>An introduction to developing and debugging Android applications in Eclipse,
    plus information on using other IDEs.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/hello-android.html">Hello Android</a></dt>
    <dd>Writing your first Android Application, the ever popular Hello World,
    Android style.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/anatomy.html">Anatomy of an App</a></dt>
    <dd>A guide to the structure and architecture of an Android
    Application. This guide will help you understand the pieces that make up
    an Android app.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/tutorial.html">Notepad Tutorial</a></dt>
    <dd>This tutorial document will lead you through
    constructing a real Android Application: A notepad which can create, edit
    and delete notes, and covers many of the basic concepts with practical
    examples.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/tools.html">Development Tools</a></dt>
    <dd>The
    command line tools included with the SDK, what they do, and how to use
    them.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/appmodel.html">Application Model</a></dt>
    <dd>A guide to Applications, Tasks, Processes, and Threads.
    These are the elements that define the way your application is run by the 
    system and presented to the user.</dd>
    <dt><a href="{@docRoot}intro/lifecycle.html">Application Life Cycle</a></dt>
    <dd>The important life-cycle details for
    Applications and the Activities running inside of them.</dd>

</dl>

<h2>Other Introductory Material</h2>
<p>After reading the sections above, the following Getting Started information is also very useful:</p>


<h3>Core Packages</h3>
<p> These are the basic packages that make up the Android SDK for writing
applications. The packages are organized as layers, listed here from
lowest-level to highest.</p>

<dl>
    <dt>{@link android.util}</dt>
    <dd>contains various low-level utility classes, such
    as specialized container classes, XML utilities, etc.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.os}</dt>
    <dd> provides basic operating system services, message
    passing, and inter-process communication.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.graphics}</dt><dd>is the core rendering package.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.text}, {@link android.text.method}, {@link
    android.text.style}, and {@link android.text.util} </dt>
    <dd>supply a rich set of
    text processing tools, supporting rich text, input methods, etc.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.database}</dt>
    <dd>contains low-level APIs for working with
    databases.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.content}</dt>
    <dd>provides various services for accessing data
    on the device: applications installed on the device and their associated
    resources, and content providers for persistent dynamic data.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.view}</dt>
    <dd>is the core user-interface framework.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.widget}</dt>
    <dd>supplies standard user interface elements
    (lists, buttons, layout managers, etc) built from the view package.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.app}</dt>
    <dd>provides the high-level application model,
    implemented using Activities.</dd>
</dl>

<h3>Other Notable Packages</h3>

<p> These packages provide additional domain-specific features of the Android
platform. They are not necessary for basic application development.</p>

<dl>
    <dt>{@link android.provider}</dt>
    <dd>contains definitions for various standard
    content providers included with the platform.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.telephony}</dt>
    <dd>provides APIs for interacting with the
    device's phone stack.</dd>
    <dt>{@link android.webkit}</dt>
    <dd>includes various APIs for working with
    web-based content.</dd>
</dl>