path: root/docs/html/training/basics/firstapp/running-app.jd

page.title=Running Your App
parent.title=Building Your First App
parent.link=index.html

trainingnavtop=true
previous.title=Creating a Project
previous.link=creating-project.html
next.title=Building a Simple User Interface
next.link=building-ui.html

@jd:body


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<div id="tb"> 
 
<h2>This lesson teaches you to</h2>

<ol>
  <li><a href="#RealDevice">Run on a Real Device</a></li>
  <li><a href="#Emulator">Run on the Emulator</a></li>
</ol>

<h2>You should also read</h2>

<ul>
  <li><a href="{@docRoot}tools/device.html">Using Hardware Devices</a></li>
  <li><a href="{@docRoot}tools/devices/index.html">Managing Virtual Devices</a></li>
  <li><a href="{@docRoot}tools/projects/index.html">Managing Projects</a></li>
</ul>
 
 
</div> 
</div> 


<p>If you followed the <a href="creating-project.html">previous lesson</a> to create an
Android project, it includes a default set of "Hello World" source files that allow you to
immediately run the app.</p>

<p>How you run your app depends on two things: whether you have a real Android-powered device and
whether you're using Eclipse. This lesson shows you how to install and run your app on a
real device and on the Android emulator, and in both cases with either Eclipse or the command line
tools.</p>

<p>Before you run your app, you should be aware of a few directories and files in the Android
project:</p>

<dl>
  <dt><code>AndroidManifest.xml</code></dt>
  <dd>The <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/manifest-intro.html">manifest file</a> describes
the fundamental characteristics of the app and defines each of
its components. You'll learn about various declarations in this file as you read more training
classes.
  <p>One of the most important elements your manifest should include is the <a
href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html">{@code &lt;uses-sdk>}</a>
element. This declares your app's compatibility with different Android versions using the <a
href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html#min">{@code android:minSdkVersion}</a>
and <a
href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html#target">{@code android:targetSdkVersion}</a>
attributes. For your first app, it should look like this:</p>
<pre>
&lt;manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" ... >
    &lt;uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="8" android:targetSdkVersion="17" />
    ...
&lt;/manifest>
</pre>
<p>You should always set the <a
href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/manifest/uses-sdk-element.html#target">{@code android:targetSdkVersion}</a>
as high as possible and test your app on the corresponding platform version. For more information,
read <a href="{@docRoot}training/basics/supporting-devices/platforms.html">Supporting Different
Platform Versions</a>.</p>

  </dd>
  <dt><code>src/</code></dt>
  <dd>Directory for your app's main source files. By default, it includes an {@link
android.app.Activity} class that runs when your app is launched using the app icon.</dd>
  <dt><code>res/</code></dt>
  <dd>Contains several sub-directories for <a
href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/resources/overview.html">app resources</a>. Here are just a few:
    <dl style="margin-top:1em">
      <dt><code>drawable-hdpi/</code></dt>
        <dd>Directory for drawable objects (such as bitmaps) that are designed for high-density
(hdpi) screens. Other drawable directories contain assets designed for other screen densities.</dd>
      <dt><code>layout/</code></dt>
        <dd>Directory for files that define your app's user interface.</dd>
      <dt><code>values/</code></dt>
        <dd>Directory for other various XML files that contain a collection of resources, such as
string and color definitions.</dd>
    </dl>  
  </dd>
</dl>

<p>When you build and run the default Android app, the default {@link android.app.Activity}
class starts and loads a layout file
that says "Hello World." The result is nothing exciting, but it's
important that you understand how to run your app before you start developing.</p>



<h2 id="RealDevice">Run on a Real Device</h2>

<p>If you have a real Android-powered device, here's how you can install and run your app:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Plug in your device to your development machine with a USB cable.
If you're developing on Windows, you might need to install the appropriate USB driver for your
device. For help installing drivers, see the <a href="{@docRoot}tools/extras/oem-usb.html">OEM USB
Drivers</a> document.</li>  
  <li>Enable <strong>USB debugging</strong> on your device.
    <ul>
      <li>On most devices running Android 3.2 or older, you can find the option under
        <strong>Settings > Applications > Development</strong>.</li>
      <li>On Android 4.0 and newer, it's in <strong>Settings > Developer options</strong>.
        <p class="note"><strong>Note:</strong> On Android 4.2 and newer, <strong>Developer
        options</strong> is hidden by default. To make it available, go
        to <strong>Settings > About phone</strong> and tap <strong>Build number</strong>
        seven times. Return to the previous screen to find <strong>Developer options</strong>.</p>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ol>

<p>To run the app from Eclipse:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Open one of your project's files and click
<strong>Run</strong> <img
src="{@docRoot}images/tools/eclipse-run.png" style="vertical-align:baseline;margin:0" />
from the toolbar.</li>
  <li>In the <strong>Run as</strong> window that appears, select
  <strong>Android Application</strong> and click <strong>OK</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<p>Eclipse installs the app on your connected device and starts it.</p>


<p>Or to run your app from a command line:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Change directories to the root of your Android project and execute:
<pre class="no-pretty-print">ant debug</pre></li>
  <li>Make sure the Android SDK <code>platform-tools/</code> directory is included in your
<code>PATH</code> environment variable, then execute:
<pre class="no-pretty-print">adb install bin/MyFirstApp-debug.apk</pre></li>
  <li>On your device, locate <em>MyFirstActivity</em> and open it.</li>
</ol>

<p>That's how you build and run your Android app on a device!
  To start developing, continue to the <a href="building-ui.html">next
lesson</a>.</p>



<h2 id="Emulator">Run on the Emulator</h2>

<p>Whether you're using Eclipse or the command line, to run your app on the emulator you need to
first create an <a href="{@docRoot}tools/devices/index.html">Android Virtual Device</a> (AVD). An
AVD is a device configuration for the Android emulator that allows you to model different
devices.</p>

<div class="figure" style="width:457px">
  <img src="{@docRoot}images/screens_support/avds-config.png" alt="" />
  <p class="img-caption"><strong>Figure 1.</strong> The AVD Manager showing a few virtual
devices.</p>
</div>

<p>To create an AVD:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Launch the Android Virtual Device Manager:
    <ol type="a">
      <li>In Eclipse, click Android Virtual Device Manager 
        <img src="{@docRoot}images/tools/avd_manager.png"
style="vertical-align:baseline;margin:0" /> from the toolbar.</li> 
      <li>From the command line, change
directories to <code>&lt;sdk>/tools/</code> and execute:
<pre class="no-pretty-print">android avd</pre></li>
    </ol>
  </li>
  <li>In the <em>Android Virtual Device Manager</em> panel, click <strong>New</strong>.</li>
  <li>Fill in the details for the AVD.
Give it a name, a platform target, an SD card size, and a skin (HVGA is default).</li>
  <li>Click <strong>Create AVD</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select the new AVD from the <em>Android Virtual Device Manager</em> and click
<strong>Start</strong>.</li>
  <li>After the emulator boots up, unlock the emulator screen.</li>
</ol>

<p>To run the app from Eclipse:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Open one of your project's files and click
<strong>Run</strong> <img
src="{@docRoot}images/tools/eclipse-run.png" style="vertical-align:baseline;margin:0" />
from the toolbar.</li>
  <li>In the <strong>Run as</strong> window that appears, select
  <strong>Android Application</strong> and click <strong>OK</strong>.</li>
</ol>
<p>Eclipse installs the app on your AVD and starts it.</p>


<p>Or to run your app from the command line:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Change directories to the root of your Android project and execute:
<pre class="no-pretty-print">ant debug</pre></li>
  <li>Make sure the Android SDK <code>platform-tools/</code> directory is included in your
<code>PATH</code> environment
variable, then execute:
<pre class="no-pretty-print">adb install bin/MyFirstApp-debug.apk</pre></li>
  <li>On the emulator, locate <em>MyFirstActivity</em> and open it.</li>
</ol>


<p>That's how you build and run your Android app on the emulator! 
  To start developing, continue to the <a href="building-ui.html">next
lesson</a>.</p>