How To Install Android SDK

To install Android SDK on a Windows machine, please follow these steps.

Step 1: Install Java Development Kit 

You need to install Java Development Kit, if it is not already installed on you computer. JDK 5 or JDK 6 (JRE alone will not work) is required for developing Android applications using the Android SDK. You can download the JDK from  http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp Follow the instructions provided at Java official page for the installation of JDK.

Step 2: Install Eclipse IDE

Install Eclipse IDE. You can install any one from Eclipse Classic 3.4 or Eclipse 3.4 (Ganymede) Eclipse 3.5 (Galileo) or greater (Eclipse 3.4 (Ganymede) is no longer supported with the latest version of ADT). To download and install Eclipse IDE visit http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/

Step 3: Download the Android SDK Starter Package

The Android SDK Starter Package includes the core SDK tools. This helps in downloading and installing the rest of SDK components. To download the Starter Package goto http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html. Select .zip file for Windows platform. Unpack the downloaded .zip file to any suitable location on your computer. For example in "c:\", after that you will have a folder something like "c:\android-sdk-windows".

Step 4: Install ADT Plugin for Eclipse

To work with Eclipse IDE you need to install Android Development Tool (ADT). To install this plugin Start Eclipse and select Help -> Install New Software. Click on Add button on top right corner.  Type URL http://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/ for Location. In the Available Softwares dialog, select the Developer Tools to install the Android DDMS and Android development Tools.

Step 5: Set Android Preferences
 

In Eclipse IDE, select Window -> Preferences. Select Android and browse to the location where Android SDK was unpacked. Press OK button.

Step 6: Add SDK Components and APIs

Android SDK and AVD Manager is used to add or update the SDK Components and APIs. In Eclipse IDE, select Window -> Android SDK and AVD Manager -> Available Packages. Select the APIs you need to develop your applications. For example; select "Documentation for Android SDK, API 9", "SDK Platform Android 2.3,API 9", "Google APIs by Google Inc. Android API 9" and 'Samples for SDK API 9".

Press "Install Selected" to install the components and api.

Step 7: Create Virtual Devices

To run the emulator to run applications, you need to create Virtual Devices. You can create multiple devices each with different configurations as per your need.

To define an AVD, in Eclipse IDE, select Window -> Android SDK and AVD Manager -> Virtual Devices. Press New button and define the configuration for your new virtual device.

After successfully completing all the above steps your Development Environment is ready to develop Android Applications. You can also run the applications on the emulator or an Android device.