“You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.”
― Colette
Living is learning, and once you stop learning, you stop truly living—this is a philosophy I deeply believe in. Android programming has become an integral part of my life. What began as a hobby gradually evolved into my primary source of income. However, my journey in Android programming isn’t just about my interest in coding; it’s a testament to the importance of learning with both passion and dedication. When you love what you do, you persevere. Conversely, if you lack enthusiasm for your work, it’s only a matter of time before you give up.
As for myself, despite the pressures that come with work, I can confidently say I love what I do. My professional experiences continually teach me and help me grow. One fascinating aspect of my work is that we still use Android Java to develop our applications, even though much of the Android development industry is shifting toward Kotlin—particularly with newer architectures like Jetpack Compose—or cross-platform frameworks like Flutter and React Native.
Having spent the past three years building my portfolio with Android Java, I found it relatively seamless to immerse myself in Android Java development.
The learning ecosystem:
What I do is continuously refine my skills by learning professional Android coding at work while implementing similar architectures in my personal projects at home, practicing professional-grade coding techniques. I refer to this approach as the “learning ecosystem.” In this system, learning takes place both at work and at home, creating a mutually reinforcing cycle. Skills developed at work can be applied to personal projects, and insights gained from personal practice can enhance professional performance, allowing each aspect to enrich the other.
I Love Android Programming:
It’s fascinating to think that we write code on large screens or monitors connected to our PCs or Macs, yet the final product is designed for much smaller screens used by millions of people. In contrast, my portfolio is only used by me and doesn’t have the same widespread impact as the apps we develop at work.
However, the practices I develop while working on my portfolio inevitably influence how I code professionally. Through my job, I’ve already learned a great deal: how to write cleaner, more efficient code; how to use techniques like null-checks to prevent potential app crashes; and the importance of utilizing JavaDocs to document methods effectively, including details about their arguments and functionality.
Everything I do, whether at work or at home, enhances my Android programming skills. And since we use Java—a versatile and widely applicable language—it also improves my overall Java proficiency.
Each coding experience, no matter how small, contributes to my ongoing growth as a developer.
Conclusion:
I firmly believe that 99% of our education is self-driven. What you learn at school or work merely provides a starting point—the rest is entirely up to you.
Just as I discovered my passion for Android coding and the Android platform itself, you can uncover your own enthusiasm. For me, Android has become more than just an operating system; it’s a personal phenomenon that plays a central role in my life.
It’s a system I interact with daily, and I earn a living by developing apps for the platform. Being a part of the Android app development community fills me with pride, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to something so impactful.