In order to run your app, you are going to need some kind of device to run it on. When it comes to Android, nothing beats the real thing. If you have access to a real Android device, it is recommended that you try to use that device for development as much as possible.
However, there are advantages to using an Android emulator (and an iOS simulator). It is often simpler to have a virtual device next to your code rather than having to carry around real devices with the required cables.
Follow these steps to set up your first emulator:
- Select the Android Virtual Device Manager (AVD Manager) from the toolbar in Android Studio:
- The first time you open the AVD Manager, you'll get a splash screen. Select the Create Virtual Device... button in the middle to start building your virtual device:
- The next text screen allows you to configure which Android hardware you want to emulate. I recommend using a Pixel device:
- In the next screen, you...
