Key Concepts You Must Know Before Taking the AND-801 Android v8 Exam

 

The AND-801 Android Application Development v8 Exam by ATC (Advanced Training Consultants) is a globally recognized certification for aspiring Android developers. It validates your ability to design, build, and deploy Android applications using the latest development tools and frameworks.

To pass this exam successfully, it’s crucial to master the core Android concepts that form the foundation of every app — from Activities and Intents to UI Components and Data Storage. This article explores these essential areas in detail to help you prepare effectively for the Android v8 certification.

1. Activities – The Building Blocks of Android Apps

Activities are at the heart of every Android application. Each screen you interact with in an app represents an Activity. They control the user interface and handle the logic behind it.

In Android v8, developers must understand the Activity Lifecycle — from onCreate() to onDestroy() — and how to manage app state transitions efficiently. Properly handling lifecycle events ensures smooth navigation, prevents crashes, and improves app performance.

Pro Tip:
Use ViewModel and LiveData to preserve UI data during configuration changes like screen rotations — a concept now emphasized in the AND-801 v8 syllabus.

2. Intents – Connecting Components and Activities

Intents are a powerful feature that allows communication between different components of an Android app. They can be explicit, targeting a specific Activity, or implicit, letting the system determine which component should handle the action.

In v8, understanding Intent Filters, Pending Intents, and Bundles is crucial. You’ll need to know how to pass data between Activities and even interact with external apps like the camera, browser, or maps.

Example Use Case:
Launching an email app using an implicit intent:

val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_SEND)

intent.type = "text/plain"

intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_EMAIL, "info@example.com")

startActivity(intent)

Mastering intents will help you build apps that are more interactive, connected, and user-centric — key skills evaluated in the AND-801 Android v8 exam.

3. UI Components – Designing Modern Android Interfaces

The User Interface (UI) is what users see and interact with — and Android v8 focuses heavily on modern UI design. The new version emphasizes Jetpack Compose, Google’s declarative toolkit for building native UIs faster and with less code.

In earlier versions, developers used XML layouts; now, Jetpack Compose simplifies this with a Kotlin-based approach. You’ll need to understand how to create composable functions, manage state in Compose, and use Material 3 components for consistent design.

Example:

@Composable

fun Greeting(name: String) {

    Text(text = "Hello, $name!", style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyLarge)

}

@Composable

fun Greeting(name: String) {

    Text(text = "Hello, $name!", style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodyLarge)

}

Additionally, familiarity with ConstraintLayout, RecyclerView, and Fragments remains important since they’re still part of many existing apps and the exam curriculum.

4. Data Storage – Managing Information Efficiently

Data management is another critical area covered in the AND-801 v8 exam. You’ll need to know how to store, retrieve, and manage data using multiple approaches:

• SharedPreferences / DataStore: For saving small amounts of user data (e.g., app settings).

• Room Database: The official ORM for local database management, replacing traditional SQLite methods.

• Cloud Integration: Basic understanding of Firebase Realtime Database or Firestore for cloud-based storage.

Modern Update:
The v8 curriculum promotes DataStore (based on Kotlin coroutines) as the modern replacement for SharedPreferences — offering better performance and type safety.

Pro Tip:
Learn how to implement CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations using Room and handle database migrations efficiently.

5. Bonus Topics – What Else to Review Before the Exam

Besides these core topics, make sure to review:

• App Permissions and Security: Scoped storage, biometric authentication, and runtime permissions.

• App Navigation: Using the Jetpack Navigation Component for seamless screen transitions.

• App Lifecycle Management: Handling background tasks and optimizing battery usage with WorkManager.

• Testing and Debugging: Writing unit tests with JUnit and UI tests with Espresso.

These areas are part of the v8 syllabus and help you build apps that are secure, reliable, and optimized for performance.

Conclusion

Preparing for the AND-801 Android v8 Exam means more than memorizing code — it’s about mastering the key concepts that power every Android app. Focus on understanding Activities, Intents, UI Components, and Data Storage, while also exploring modern frameworks like Jetpack Compose and Kotlin Coroutines.

By strengthening these foundations, you’ll be well-prepared to not only pass the exam but also build professional-grade Android applications aligned with the latest industry standards.