android_environment

###Summary: This repository is a home for the vagrantfile we will be using for class. A vagrantfile is a pre-packaged configuration of (in this case) an Ubuntu GNU-Linux virtal machine. This Virtual environment can be considered to be an easily deployable, updatable and replicable Development Enviroment that is also stable and feature-rich.

get started building android apps from the Android SDK command line environment, in Java or Clojure, or through webview with Node.js and setup the Graphical User Interface Android Studio right away, or read on to learn more about the advantages of using this setup.

###Rationale: While initially it may seem that this setup requires some extra resources on the user's machine, and requires students to install software that is not strictly required for developing an ADK in Java, there are also several clear and rewarding justifications for the extra steps.

Firstly, having a setup for the Android SDK that is sane and similar across the major platforms decreases the friction of a group learning experience, and limits the headaches for an instructor doing double-duty as DevOps.

Secondly, having a preconfigured image for Vagrant gives us access to a fully-featured professional-quality development environment with the option to implement continuous integration testing and version control. These tools form the foundation for the fundamental "best practices" of software design, a skillset that can be built and improved upon from a coder's first "hello world," all the way through masterfully architectured fully-fledged production applications.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, students will be able to setup development environments on any machine they come in contact with in the future, while keeping the small comforts and configuration details of their favourite shell.

###get started:

• download and install virtualbox.
• install vagrant:
  • download vagrant for your platform and run the installer.
• run vagrant:
  • clone this repo and start vagrant.
    • git clone https://github.com/Android-at-The-Library/android_environment.git.
    • cd android_environment.
    • vagrant up .
      • if it doesn't work on windows, try this fix or you might have to shoot it for causing trouble.
• now your vagrant virtual machine is up and running! connect to it with vagrant ssh.

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####installing the Graphical User Interface the Android Studio GUI

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:paolorotolo/android-studio
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install android-studio

depending on which platform you are running from, you may have to set up an X11 client.

please check the Android Studio wiki for more information on what dependencies your platform may require.

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troubleshooting:

it might happen that vagrant does not just work™ right out of the box: #####on windows:

• most likely,vagrant ssh will additionally require setting up putty ssh client.
• most of the problems from setting up vagrant on windows will have to do with making sure that the $PATH variable is set properly for virtualbox(VIRTUALBOX) as well as for vagrant.