How to Install Android on Ubuntu Linux with Eclipse IDE

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

This article offers an overview of the steps required to install and configure Android on your Ubuntu Linux system. Before installing the Android SDK on the system you will need to have the Oracle Java JDK or the OpenJDK. OpenJDK (Open Java Development Kit) is a free and open source implementation of the Java programming language. Additionally, you will learn to:

1. Prepare the development environment and make sure it meets the system requirements;
2. Install the Android Software Development Kit (SDK);
3. Download and configure the Eclipse Integrate Development Environment (IDE);
4. Install the Android Development Tool (ADT) Plugin for Eclipse IDE;
5. Add Android platforms and other components to your SDK;

6. Create your Android Virtual Device (AVD).

   Steps

   Part 1 of 6: Preparing the Development Environment

   

   Step 1. Prepare the Ubuntu development environment and make sure it meets the system requirements

   First, start Ubuntu, make sure you have an implementation of the Java JDK installed on your system, be it OpenJDK or Oracle's JDK, which lays the foundation for the Android SDK. If you don't have the Java JDK installed on your system, do it now; you can get it from the Download Oracle Java JDK page.

   • For more information on how to install the Java JDK search wikiHow for articles on the subject or open the terminal and enter the following commands to install OPenJDK and OpenJRE.

   • Type / Copy / Paste:

     sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk

     This command installs OpenJDK on the system

   • Type / Copy / Paste:

     sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jre

     This command installs the OpenJDK Java Runtime Environment (JRE) on the system

   • You have the option to choose whether to install OpenJDK or Oracle Java. The advice is to install the software Oracle, because it is often the most up-to-date and most curated version of Java.

   

   Step 2. If you have a 64-bit distribution of the Android SDK on your system, you will need to install the ia32-libs

   • Type / Copy / Paste:

     sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

     This command installs additional libraries needed for development with the Android SDK

   • Type / Copy / Paste:

     javac -version

   • This command checks the Java JDK on your system.

     • The answer should be as follows:

       • java 1.7.0
       • or something very similar.

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       java -version

       This command checks the Java JRE on your system

     Part 2 of 6: Download and Configure the Eclipse Integrate Development Environment (IDE)

     

     Step 1. Make sure you have the Eclipse IDE installed on your system

     If you have not already done so, select Eclipse Classic and download the version suitable for the architecture of your Linux system (32-bit or 64-bit). If your computer has more than 4GB of RAM it is probably 64-bit. You can check your Ubuntu version by opening the terminal and entering the following command.

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       file / sbin / init

     • Download Eclipse IDE; will be saved in the / home / folder "your_user_name"/ Downloads.

       Select the version for your system architecture. If you have the 32-bit version of Ubuntu select the 32-bit version of the program and do the same for the 64-bit version

     

     Step 2. The following example is for installing the 64-bit version of Eclipse IDE on a 64-bit Ubuntu operating system

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       cd / home /"your_user_name"/ Downloads

       You will reach the path of the Downloads folder

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       sudo -s cp -r eclipse-SDK-3.7-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz / usr / local

       This command copies the Eclipse IDE to the / usr / local folder

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       cd / usr / local

       You will reach the path of the Eclipse folder

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       sudo -s chmod a + x eclipse-SDK-3.7-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz

       This command makes the Eclipse binaries executable for all users of the system

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       sudo -s tar xvzf eclipse-SDK-3.7-linux-gtk-x86_64.tar.gz

       This command decompresses the compressed binaries of the Eclipse IDE

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       exit

       With this command you log out of the root user

     

     Step 3. Open a terminal and enter the following command:

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       cd / home /"your_user_name"/ Desktop

       You will reach your user's Desktop path, make sure you are not root

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       ln -s / usr / local / eclipse / eclipse

     • Type / Copy / Paste:

       chown "your_user_name" eclipse

       • This will assign the Eclipse symbolic link on the desktop to your user.
       • Important, make sure you are not root when you create this symbolic link from Eclipse IDE / usr / local / eclipse folder to Desktop / home /"your_user_name"/ Desktop.

       Part 3 of 6: Download, Install and Configure the Android SDK

       

       Step 1. Download the Android SDK, click on the Linux tarball, android-sdk_r22-linux.tgz and save it in the / home / "your_username" / Downloads folder, open the terminal and run the following commands

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         cd / home /"your_user_name"/ Downloads

         You will reach the path of the Downloads folder

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo cp -r android-sdk_r22-linux.tgz / opt

         You will copy the Android SDK to / opt

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         cd / opt

         You will reach the path of the Android folder

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo tar xvzf android-sdk_r22-linux.tgz

         This command unzips the Android SDK archive

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo -s chmod -R 755 / opt / android-sdk-linux

         This command makes the / opt folder and the Android SDK writable and executable for all users of the system

       

       Step 2. Once these steps are completed, the Android SDK is located in the path:

       / opt / android-sdk-linux of your Ubuntu system.

       

       Step 3. Open the terminal and add the Android SDK to the system PATH

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo nano / etc / profile

       • or

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo gedit / etc / profile

       • Add the following lines to the end of the system PATH file

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         export PATH = $ {PATH}: / opt / android-sdk-linux / tools

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         export PATH = $ {PATH}: / opt / android-sdk-linux / tools

       

       Step 4. Save the / etc / profile file and exit

       

       Step 5. Reload the / etc / profile file with the following command

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         . / etc / profile

         This command informs the Linux system of the location of the Android SDK development tools

       Part 4 of 6: Install the Android Development Tool (ADT) Plugin for Eclipse IDE

       In order to install the Android Development Tool (ADT), you will need to install this tool for the Eclipse IDE as root.

       

       Step 1. Type / Copy / Paste:

       sudo -s / usr / local / eclipse / eclipse

       This command will install the ADT plugin tool for all users on the system

       

       Step 2. Install the ADT Plugin for Eclipse

       Before you can install or use ADT, you will need to have a compatible version of Eclipse installed on your system. Launch Eclipse, then select Help> Install New Software. Click Add, in the upper right corner. In the Add Repository window that appears, enter "ADT Plugin" as Name and the following URL as Path.

       

       Step 3. Type / Copy / Paste:

       https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/

       • Click OK.
       • Note: If you have trouble getting the plugin, try using "http" in the Path, instead of "https" (https is used because it offers more security).

       

       Step 4. In the Available Software window, check the Developer Tools box, then click Next

       In the following window, you will see the list of tools to download, then click Next. Read and accept the license agreement, then click Finish.

       Note: If you see a warning that the authenticity or validity of the program cannot be confirmed, click OK

       

       Step 5. When the installation is complete, restart Eclipse

       The next step will be to change the ADT settings in Eclipse to point to the Android SDK folder.

       • Select Window> Preferences… to open the Preferences pane.

         Select Android from the left pane. A window may appear asking you whether to send usage statistics to Google. Make your choice and proceed. You cannot continue with the operation unless you click Proceed

       

       Step 6. To set the SDK Path in the main pane, click Browse

       .. and find the SDK folder you downloaded, which should be / opt / android-sdk-linux.

       Click on "Apply" and then on "Ok"

       Part 5 of 6: Adding Android Platforms and Other Components to Your SDK

       

       Step 1. Download the core components of the SDK in the development environment

       The SDK starter package, which you have already downloaded, includes only one component: the latest version of the SDK Tools. To develop an Android application, you will also need to download at least one Android platform and the tools associated with it. You can add other components and platforms as well, which is highly recommended.

       

       Step 2. Open Eclipse and click Window-> Android SDK and AVD Manager-> Installed Packages, then click Update All

       Click Install to accept the recommended set of components and install.

       

       Step 3. On Linux, open a terminal and navigate to the / opt / android-sdk-linux / tools folder of the Android SDK

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         sudo -s

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         cd / opt / android-sdk-linux / tools

       • You will reach the tools path of the Android SDK.

       • Type / Copy / Paste:

         ./android

       • This command will run the Android GUI; in most cases you will need to be root to download the updated Android SDK components to the opt / android-sdk-linux folder. To download components, use the GUI to browse the SDK repository and select new or updated components.

       Part 6 of 6: Create your Android Virtual Device (AVD)

       

       Step 1. After updating all the Android components, you will need to create an Android Virtual Device (AVD)

       • Click on Window -> Android SDK and AVD Manager -> Virtual Devices to create an Android Virtual Device (an emulator).
       • Click New, scroll to the name field and give the device a name, such as: Mio_AVD.
       • Now click on the target field and use the arrows to select the appropriate Android version to develop for, such as Android 3.2-API Level 13.
       • Then, scroll to the Skin field and click on Resolution; enter the numbers 420x580 and click Create AVD.