A Complete Guide to Publishing Your First Android App on Google Play

27th Dec, 2024
0 Comment

For any developer, releasing an Android app on Google Play is a thrilling achievement. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, the process can seem overwhelming at first. However, once you understand the steps involved, it becomes straightforward and manageable. Everything from getting your app ready for release to submitting it to the Google Play Store will be covered in this guide.

Prerequisites for Publishing an Android App
Step 1: Get Your Android App Ready for Publication
Step 2: Create a Developer Account
Step 3: Create an account on the Google Play Console
Step 4: Create an App Bundle or Signed APK
Step 5: Optimize Your App's Listing
Step 6: Upload Your App to Google Play
Step 7: Set Pricing and Distribution Preferences

1. Prerequisites for Publishing an Android App

Before you begin the process of submitting your app to the Google Play Store, there are a few prerequisites you need to meet:

Functional and Bug-Free App: Ensure your app works as intended and is free from critical bugs. Test it thoroughly on various Android devices and versions.
App Versioning: Make sure your app’s version code and version name are updated. The version code is an integer value that must increase with each new version. The version name is a string that users see in the Play Store.
Google Play Developer Account: To publish apps on the Play Store, you need to have a Google Play Developer Account. A $25 one-time payment is needed for this.

Legal Compliance: Ensure that your app complies with Google Play’s policies, including privacy laws and terms of service. Your app must have a privacy policy if it gathers user information.
App Icon and Screenshots: Prepare assets like an app icon, promotional images, and screenshots of your app in use. These will appear on the Play Store listing for your app.

2. Step 1: Get Your Android App Ready for Publication

Before publishing your app, it’s crucial to ensure that it’s ready for the Play Store. Follow these steps to prepare:

Remove Debug Code: Make sure that all debug code and logging statements (e.g., Log.d()) are removed. These can slow down the app and expose sensitive information.
Minify Your Code (Optional): Use ProGuard or R8 (the new default in Android) to shrink your app’s code and remove unused classes. This will reduce the size of your APK or app bundle and make the app more efficient.
Testing: Test your app on real devices and use tools like Android’s adb (Android Debug Bridge) for debugging. For real-time crash reporting, think about utilizing Firebase Crashlytics.
App Permissions: Ensure that your app only requests permissions that are absolutely necessary. Google's Play Store policies are stringent when it comes to asking for extra permissions.

3. Step 2: Create a Developer Account

You must have a Google Play Developer account in order to publish an Android app on Google Play. Here's how to create one:

Using your Google account, log in to the Google Play Console.
Agree to the Google Play Developer distribution agreement.
Pay a one-time registration fee of $25. To develop and maintain your apps on the Google Play Store, you must pay this charge.
Complete your developer profile by adding details like your name, address, and phone number. This will be visible to users.

Once your account is set up, you’re ready to start publishing apps.

4. Step 3: Create an account on the Google Play Console

The Google Play Console is the dashboard where you’ll manage your app's submission, track performance, and interact with users. Here's how to set it up:

Log in to the Google Play Console: After creating your developer account, log into the Google Play Console using your Google credentials.
Create a New App: Select “Create Application” from the left menu.
Choose the Default Language: Select the language that will be displayed in your app’s Play Store listing.
Enter Your App Title: This is the name that users will see on the Play Store.
Complete Your App’s Details: You’ll be asked to provide a description of your app, categorization (e.g., education, games), and tags.

5. Step 4: Create an App Bundle or Signed APK

For security reasons, Android requires your app to be signed before publishing it. You’ll need to create a signed APK (Android Package) or App Bundle (AAB).

Here’s how to sign your APK:

Create a Keystore: Open Android Studio, navigate to Build > Generate Signed Bundle / APK. Android Studio will ask you to build a keystore if you haven't already.
Generate the Signed APK: After selecting your keystore, choose whether to generate an APK or an App Bundle. App Bundles are now preferred for new apps.
Build the APK: After selecting the build variant (usually release), Android Studio will generate the APK or AAB.

Remember, once your app is signed, you cannot change the keystore. Keep it safe to avoid issues with updates.

6. Step 5: Optimize Your App’s Listing

Your app’s Google Play Store listing plays a significant role in attracting users. Here’s how to optimize it:

App Title and Description: Use clear, descriptive language in the title and description. Be concise, but include relevant keywords that users may search for. The title should also be catchy to grab attention.
App Icon: Your icon should be unique, simple, and visually appealing. It’s the first thing users see, so make sure it stands out.
Screenshots: Provide high-quality screenshots showing key features of your app. Screenshots can include text overlays explaining functionality.
Feature Graphic: Include a promotional graphic (1024 x 500 pixels) to highlight your app’s main features.
Privacy Policy: If your app collects personal data, include a link to your privacy policy, as it’s a requirement by Google Play.

7. Step 6: Upload Your App to Google Play

Once your app is ready and your listing is optimized, you can upload your APK or App Bundle to the Google Play Console.

Choose your app in the Google Play Console, then go to the Release management area.

Click on App releases and select either Production, Beta, or Alpha depending on which phase you want your app to be in.
Upload your APK or App Bundle and fill out the necessary release notes. Provide an overview of the new features or modifications in this version.
Review and confirm the details of your release.

8. Step 7: Set Pricing and Distribution Preferences

You may publish your software to several nations and areas via Google Play. You also need to set your app’s pricing model. Here’s how:

Pricing: Choose whether your app will be free or paid. You cannot change a paid app to a free one after it’s published, but you can do the opposite.
Distribution: Decide which nations you would like your app to be accessible in.

9. Step 8: Submit and Closed Test for 14 days

After uploading your app and setting your preferences, the next step is to submit your app for a closed test:

A closed test with at least 20 testers who must opt-in for 14 days in a row is required by the present policy. This presents a problem for independent developers, particularly those creating feature-light apps.

Here are some steps to make a closed test:

Creating Closed Testing
Setup the Closed Testing Track
Add Testers to Test Your App
Create New Release
License Testing

You can apply for production access after fulfilling the conditions for closed testing. Simply click Apply for production on your Dashboard. After that, you have to respond to questions regarding your app, your closed test, and its production readiness.

If your app is approved, it will go live on the Google Play Store. If rejected, Google will provide feedback explaining why it didn’t meet their policies.

Once your app is live, you can start tracking its performance through the Google Play Console. You’ll receive insights into downloads, ratings, reviews, and crash reports. Use this data to make improvements and push out updates.

Additionally, engage with users by responding to their reviews, fixing bugs, and rolling out new features based on feedback.

Publishing your first Android app on Google Play is an exciting achievement. By following these steps, you’ll be able to navigate the entire process from preparing your app for release to submitting it to the Play Store. Remember to continually monitor your app’s performance and make updates as necessary. Good luck with your Android development journey!

Write a comment

Future Scope of Android Application Development

Scope for Android Application Development in 2020 Mobile application development one of the fastest growing IT career paths in this decade. India stands second for internet users after China and expected to grow 730 million in 2020. According to market research firm techARC, the number of smartphone users in India was 502.2 million in Dec 2019 and expected to grow in 2020. Companies are more focusing to Hire Android Application Developers in India. With the increase of the market share of Android users in India, companies are now getting into android application development. The Scope of android application developers has increased rapidly and will always increase in the coming years in India. Big companies like Samsung, Oppo, Mi, Vivo, One plus are launching mobile phones with new features update every year, thus increasing the demand for the android application developer. It is hard to imagine any single person in this world without using a mobile phone in this 21st century. It’s no secret that mobile applications are an integral part of our lives now. From online shopping to ordering food and playing games, chatting with friends there is an app for almost everything. E-commerce companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy, Lens Kart, OYO, and Makemytrip are running most of their business through mobile applications. They require knowledgeable app developers who can take responsibility to look out for bugs in the application and fix those bugs. The salary offered to Android app developers is highly satisfied and can grow as they become more experienced and more skillful. According to payscale.com, the average salary of an android developer in India is Rs. 361,928 per year. Reason to Learn Application Development There is plenty of reason for students to learn Application development Open Source Android is an open-source operating system designed mainly for smartphones and tablets. It helps the developer to register once and then they can develop apps and earn. On the Android platform, the one-time registration fee is $25 to get a developer account on the Google play store which helps you to publish multiple android apps in a single account. For paid apps, Google charges 30% commission as an aggregator and for free apps, they are distributed free among all users over the world. 1. Huge Market size for Business The mobile application market is the fastest growing app market in India. Android developers also can publish their apps on other platforms like SlideME, Opera Mobile Store, AppBrain, 1Mobile, Aptoide. Most of these platforms or markets are free. India has recognized IT hubs globally. 2. High Return on Investment with Low Cost and efficiency Application Developers use the Android SDK tools and build an application. They need to pay only once for the registration amount. Thus end-users are benefited using interactive apps and the company gains a high return on investment... 3. Larger User Base in the active user Android has a large number of users in the world and it continues to grow on day by day. Android allows you to develop apps and games for millions of android users. Thus reaching a larger number of users gives you the perception of the market. 4. Career Opportunities for Android Developer The market size in android is large thus job scope for android mobile app development is increasing day today in India. Developers who are knowledgeable and experienced will have a good salary package in this industry. For experienced developer’s salary lies between Rs 1.2 to 5.6 lakh per annum. Scope of Android App Development in IT & Other Sectors 1. Banking Industry Indian Prime Minister Announcement of Digital India initiatives bought a lot of changes in India. With Cashless transaction in India has increased online banking transactions, with this increase banking application is been in vastly demanding. All the banks in India are ready to pay high salaries to experience and skillful developers. Maintaining the banking app needs many security checks like customer’s sensitive information which should not be leaked to the public. Apps like Paytm, Bhim app, PhonePe app, google pay are being in demand nowadays. 2. Educational Industry With digitalized India initiatives, many educational industries are getting updated with the latest online courses. Nowadays it’s been easy to learn with online courses where ever you are you can access the online course and learn new things in this competitive market. An application like Udemy, Byju’s, TED, Topranker, NCERT, Simplilearn. 3. Gaming Industry Who doesn’t like to play games? Mostly the game is liked by Children and Youngster. PUB G game has become rapidly popular among youngsters in the world these days. A Demand for the gaming sector for Android mobile application is also booming nowadays in India. The gaming sector is giving the highest Return compare to any industry in India. Game development example like candy crush, Ball Pool, Clash Royale 4. E-commerce Industry The E-commerce industry in India was expected to do sales of $120 billion in 2020. Mostly customer like to buy through mobile apps as many big companies like Amazon and Flipkart usually gives huge discounts on apps and time-consuming. 5. Social Media Industry Social Media is another platform that is getting ample benefits through android applications. World’s biggest organizations such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest Snapchat are famous examples that have utilized an android platform for their business profits. 6. Media & Entertainment Industry The future of android mobile app development regarding the media & entertainment industry seems to be very effective. To get sports updates, watch TV serials, listen to music. People using smartphones from around the world prefer mobile apps to avail of all such benefits. Some of the android applications for media & entertainment are Wynk, Soundcloud, Saavn, IMDb, Hungama, Google Play Music, Cricbuzz. 7. Freelancing Business The scope for android app development is not bound to the industry of e-commerce, education, social media, gaming, banking & finance. Freelancing is another aspect area where an individual can utilize his skills and make personal profits.

Flutter UI Toolkit for Mobile Development

Flutter is Google’s UI toolkit for building beautiful, natively compiled applications for mobile, web, and desktop from a single codebase. Fast Development Paint your app to life in milliseconds with Stateful Hot Reload. Use a rich set of fully-customizable widgets to build native interfaces in minutes. Expressive and Flexible UI Quickly ship features with a focus on native end-user experiences. Layered architecture allows for full customization, which results in incredibly fast rendering and expressive and flexible designs. Native Performance Flutter’s widgets incorporate all critical platform differences such as scrolling, navigation, icons and fonts, and your Flutter code is compiled to native ARM machine code using Dart's native compilers. Thus Flutter gives you full native performance on both iOS and Android.