KOTLIN APP DEVELOPMENT COURSE

Kotlin App Development Apprentice Course Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Kotlin and Android Development

• Objective: To introduce students to Kotlin and set up the Android development environment.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to Kotlin: Why Kotlin is used for Android development.
  
  
  • Setting up the Android Studio IDE.
  
  
  • Introduction to Android app architecture and components (Activities, Fragments, Services).
  
  
  • Building your first Android app: "Hello World" app in Kotlin.
  
  
  • Understanding Android project structure and files.
  
  
  • Overview of Android Emulator and testing on real devices.
  
  
  
  

Module 2: Basics of Kotlin Programming

• Objective: To cover the core syntax and features of Kotlin needed for Android development.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Variables, constants, and data types in Kotlin.
  
  
  • Functions and lambdas in Kotlin.
  
  
  • Control structures (if-else, loops, when).
  
  
  • Collections in Kotlin: Lists, Sets, Maps.
  
  
  • Null Safety in Kotlin: Safe calls, null checks, and the Elvis operator.
  
  
  • Object-Oriented Programming in Kotlin: Classes, objects, inheritance, and interfaces.
  
  
  • Extension functions and data classes.
  
  
  
  

Module 3: User Interface (UI) Design

• Objective: To learn how to design interactive and responsive UIs for Android applications.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to Android Views: TextViews, Buttons, EditTexts, ImageViews.
  
  
  • Working with Layouts: LinearLayout, RelativeLayout, ConstraintLayout.
  
  
  • Understanding RecyclerView and CardView for dynamic lists.
  
  
  • Implementing Fragments for modular UIs.
  
  
  • Handling user input: EditText, Buttons, Checkboxes, Radio Buttons.
  
  
  • Styling with Themes, Styles, and Drawable Resources.
  
  
  • Introduction to Material Design Components (e.g., Snackbar, Floating Action Button).
  
  
  • Working with ConstraintLayout for responsive designs.
  
  
  
  

Module 4: Activities, Intents, and Navigation

• Objective: To master navigation between screens and handling user interactions.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Understanding Activities and Intents.
  
  
  • Passing data between Activities using Intents (bundle, Parcelable).
  
  
  • Introduction to Navigation Components for modern navigation.
  
  
  • Using Fragments and Fragment Transactions.
  
  
  • Understanding ViewModels and LiveData for managing UI-related data.
  
  
  • Deep Linking and navigating to specific parts of an app.
  
  
  • Introduction to Navigation Drawer and Tabs.
  
  
  
  

Module 5: Data Storage and Persistence

• Objective: To handle local data storage and management in Android apps.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to SharedPreferences for simple key-value data storage.
  
  
  • Using SQLite for local databases.
  
  
  • Introduction to Room Database for managing structured data.
  
  
  • Working with File Storage for saving files locally.
  
  
  • Understanding and implementing Content Providers.
  
  
  • Storing data in the Cloud with Firebase Realtime Database.
  
  
  
  

Module 6: Networking and APIs

• Objective: To interact with remote data and make API calls.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to Retrofit for making API calls.
  
  
  • Parsing JSON data using Gson.
  
  
  • Handling network requests with OkHttp.
  
  
  • Working with Volley for network operations.
  
  
  • Displaying remote data in RecyclerView.
  
  
  • Managing asynchronous tasks using Coroutines.
  
  
  • Handling Error Responses and exceptions.
  
  
  
  

Module 7: Background Tasks and Services

• Objective: To learn how to run background tasks and handle notifications.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Introduction to Services in Android.
  
  
  • Understanding Broadcast Receivers and background processing.
  
  
  • Working with WorkManager for background tasks.
  
  
  • Implementing Push Notifications using Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM).
  
  
  • Scheduling tasks with AlarmManager and JobScheduler.
  
  
  • Understanding AsyncTask and Coroutines for background threads.
  
  
  
  

Module 8: Debugging, Testing, and App Performance

• Objective: To ensure apps run efficiently and without bugs.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Debugging with Android Studio: Breakpoints, logs, and the debugger.
  
  
  • Writing unit tests with JUnit.
  
  
  • UI testing using Espresso.
  
  
  • Introduction to Mockito for mock testing.
  
  
  • Profiling and optimizing apps for performance (memory leaks, battery usage, CPU).
  
  
  • Using Android Profiler to measure app performance.
  
  
  • Best practices for efficient app performance.
  
  
  
  

Module 9: Publishing Your App

• Objective: To prepare for app deployment and launch.


• Topics:
  
  
  
  • Preparing the app for release: Minify, proguard, and optimize.
  
  
  • Signing the APK and creating a release build.
  
  
  • App Store guidelines and the process of submitting to the Google Play Store.
  
  
  • Managing app updates and versioning.
  
  
  • Handling app crashes and using Crashlytics for reporting.
  
  
  • Understanding Google Play Services for app analytics and monetization.
  
  
  
  

Course Delivery Plan

1. Duration

• Recommended Duration: 3-4 months (flexible depending on the learner's pace)


• Mode: Live online classes, recorded lessons, hands-on coding, and project work.


• Frequency: 3 sessions per week, 1.5 to 2 hours per session.

2. Weekly Breakdown

• Weeks 1-4:
  
  
  
  • Module 1: Introduction to Kotlin and Android Development
  
  
  • Module 2: Basics of Kotlin Programming
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 5-8:
  
  
  
  • Module 3: User Interface (UI) Design
  
  
  • Module 4: Activities, Intents, and Navigation
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 9-12:
  
  
  
  • Module 5: Data Storage and Persistence
  
  
  • Module 6: Networking and APIs
  
  
  
  


• Weeks 13-16:
  
  
  
  • Module 7: Background Tasks and Services
  
  
  • Module 8: Debugging, Testing, and App Performance
  
  
  • Module 9: Publishing Your App
  
  
  
  

3. Key Features

• Live Coding Sessions: Instructors demonstrate code implementation in real time, followed by student coding exercises.


• Hands-On Projects: Students will work on mini-projects and a final project that includes all major concepts covered in the course.


• Assignments: Weekly assignments to test knowledge and reinforce learning.


• Live Q&A Sessions: Regular sessions for answering queries and solving doubts.


• Peer Review: Students review each other’s code to encourage collaborative learning.


• Project-Based Learning: Each student will build a functional Android app by the end of the course.

4. Resources

• Course Material: Slide decks, code examples, and reading materials.


• GitHub Repository: A shared repository for storing and sharing code examples and assignments.


• Mobile App: An app to track progress, review course material, and get updates.


• Discussion Forums: A community space for students to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate.

5. Performance Tracking

• Weekly Quizzes: Short quizzes to assess knowledge retention and progress.


• Assignments and Code Reviews: Students submit assignments and get feedback.


• Project Milestones: Students complete projects in phases, getting feedback at each stage.


• Final Project: A comprehensive final project that will be submitted and presented.


• Certificate of Completion: Awarded to students who complete the course and the final project.