Smartphones have revolutionized the way we create and consume information. Today there are apps for everything, from learning programming to searching for recipes and playing games. In addition, an increasingly large number of people around the world are using smartphones as their first computing device, and as a gateway to healthcare and banking services that weren’t available to them otherwise. Android holds nearly an 85 percent share of the smartphone market.

Android has also made its way into various forms of hardware, including from microwaves, washing machines, smart homes, and even quad-copters. With over 1 billion Android devices already activated, Android is defining the future of ubiquitous computing and shaping the way we interact with the world around us.

Android devices are getting more efficient and affordable, so the already significant market share could grow. And there are no signs of a slowdown in the need for capable app developers. So if you're hoping to pick up this skill set for professional purposes, this is a fantastic time to do so.

This learning path is a collection of online resources that cover tools and principles for designing and building Android apps. It also tackles advanced topics like material design, using sensors, maps and location services, wearables and app distribution on the Google Play store. After completing this path, the kind of apps that you can create is only limited by your imagination.

This course is intended for people who want to build native applications on Android. It is necessary to have a good understanding of Java before getting started on this path. If you don’t know Java, please consider taking this introductory Java course first.