Android Academy · Lesson

Project Structure & Manifest

Understand the Android project layout, the role of build.gradle, resources, and the AndroidManifest.xml file that declares your app to the OS.

Lesson 1 of 711 steps

Project Structure & Manifest is a free Android Academy lesson on CoddyKit. This is lesson 1 of 7. Any 3 lessons of this learning path are free to read in full — after that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus hands-on practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Android Academy learning path, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app. The Android Academy course includes 7 lessons in total.

Your First Android Project

When you create a new Android project in Android Studio, it generates a specific folder structure. Understanding this structure is the first step to productive Android development.

Every Android app has the same top-level layout — let's explore it.

Top-Level Structure

An Android project has two main modules:

app/ — your app module (code, resources, manifest)
Gradle files — build system configuration

Inside app/src/main/ you'll spend most of your time:

java/ (or kotlin/) — your Kotlin source files
res/ — layouts, images, strings
AndroidManifest.xml — the app's configuration file

The res/ Directory

The res/ folder holds all non-code resources:

res/layout/ — XML screen layouts
res/drawable/ — images and icons
res/values/strings.xml — text strings
res/values/colors.xml — color definitions
res/mipmap/ — app launcher icons

Android generates a class called R so you can reference resources in code.

AndroidManifest.xml

The AndroidManifest.xml is the most important config file. It tells Android:

The app's package name (unique identifier)
Which Activities exist
Which Activity is the launch screen
Permissions the app needs (camera, internet, etc.)
Minimum and target Android API levels

Manifest Structure

A minimal AndroidManifest.xml looks like this:

<!-- AndroidManifest.xml -->
<manifest
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">

    <uses-permission
        android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <application
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher">

        <activity android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:exported="true">
            <intent-filter>
                <!-- This is the launch activity -->
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>

    </application>
</manifest>

build.gradle Files

Gradle is the build system. There are two build.gradle files:

Project-level — global settings, repository config
App-level (app/build.gradle) — your app's dependencies, SDK versions, plugins

You add libraries here: implementation "com.google.code.gson:gson:2.10.1"

Key app/build.gradle Fields

The most important fields in app/build.gradle:

compileSdk — which Android API to compile against
minSdk — oldest Android version you support
targetSdk — the Android version you've tested against
versionCode — integer that increments with each release
versionName — human-readable version (e.g. "1.2.0")

The R Class

Android auto-generates a class R that maps every resource to an integer ID:

R.layout.activity_main — your XML layout
R.id.tvTitle — a view inside a layout
R.string.app_name — a string resource
R.drawable.ic_logo — an image

This is how your Kotlin code connects to XML resources.

strings.xml for Localization

Always put user-visible text in res/values/strings.xml instead of hardcoding it. This enables localization — Android automatically picks the right language string based on the device's locale.

Example: create res/values-tr/strings.xml for Turkish translations.

Quick Check

Where do you declare which Activity is shown when the app first launches?

Answer it in the interactive lesson

Recap: Project Structure

You now understand an Android project's anatomy:

app/src/main/kotlin/ — your code
app/src/main/res/ — layouts, images, strings
AndroidManifest.xml — permissions, activities, launch config
build.gradle — dependencies and SDK versions
R class — bridges code and resources

Next: the heart of every Android screen — Activities and their lifecycle.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the “Project Structure & Manifest” lesson free?

Yes — any 3 lessons of the Android Academy learning path, including “Project Structure & Manifest”, are free to read in full here on the web. After that, CoddyKit PRO unlocks every lesson, plus interactive practice with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. The Android Academy course includes 7 lessons in total.

What will I learn in “Project Structure & Manifest”?

Understand the Android project layout, the role of build.gradle, resources, and the AndroidManifest.xml file that declares your app to the OS. You practise Android Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Android Academy?

No prior experience is required. Android Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace. This is lesson 1 of 7.

How long does the “Project Structure & Manifest” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Android Academy lesson?

Yes. Every Android Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

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