Android Interview Questions & Answers for Freshers (2026 Guide)

Prepare effectively for Android developer interviews with this updated collection of common questions and clear answers. This resource is designed for freshers, HR screens, and first technical rounds — aligned with what many recruiters and tech leads currently ask.

Android Fundamentals

What is Android?

Android is an open-source mobile operating system based on the Linux kernel. It enables developers to build apps that run across multiple device types including phones, tablets, and wearables.

Name the main components of an Android application.

1. Activities – UI screens
2. Services – Background processes
3. Broadcast Receivers – Event listeners
4. Content Providers – Data sharing interfaces

What is the Android SDK?

The Android Software Development Kit (SDK) contains APIs and tools required to develop Android apps.

Core Components

What is an Activity?

An Activity represents a single screen with a user interface in an Android app. It manages things like user inputs and navigation flow.

What is a Service?

A Service runs operations in the background without a user interface — ideal for tasks like music playback or network calls.

What is a Broadcast Receiver?

A Broadcast Receiver listens for and responds to system events (e.g., battery low, SMS received).

UI & Layouts

What is a ViewGroup?

A ViewGroup is a layout container that holds UI widgets such as LinearLayout, RelativeLayout, and ConstraintLayout.

What is RecyclerView?

RecyclerView is a flexible view for displaying large data collections efficiently with recycling logic.

App Lifecycle

Explain the Activity lifecycle.

The key lifecycle callbacks include:

• onCreate() – Initialization
• onStart() – Visible to user
• onResume() – Interactive
• onPause() – Leaving foreground
• onStop() – Not visible
• onDestroy() – Cleanup

Why is Activity lifecycle understanding important?

It helps manage memory, save state, and optimize app performance.

Intents & Navigation

What is an Intent?

An Intent is a messaging object used to request actions from other app components (e.g., switching activities).

Difference between Explicit and Implicit Intent?

Explicit — names a specific component
Implicit — action without specifying component

Data Storage

Name Android storage options.

• SharedPreferences – Key-value pairs
• Internal/External Storage – Files
• SQLite Databases – Structured data

Background Tasks

What is WorkManager?

WorkManager is Android’s recommended API for background tasks that require guaranteed execution.

What is AlarmManager?

AlarmManager schedules tasks for a specific time (e.g., reminders) — often used with services or BroadcastReceiver.

Advanced Topics (2026 Demand)

Interviewers often ask about modern architecture and best practices:

• Jetpack Components (ViewModel, LiveData)
• MVVM Architecture
• Coroutines & Async programming
• Dependency Injection with Hilt
• Performance optimization
  These are increasingly common for Android roles, even at junior levels.

Practical Coding Question

Q: How do you pass data between Activities?
A: Use Intent extras:

Intent intent = new Intent(this, SecondActivity.class);
intent.putExtra("KEY_USER", user);
startActivity(intent);

Then retrieve:

String user = getIntent().getStringExtra("KEY_USER");

Interview Tips for Freshers

• Know fundamentals well
• Explain concepts with real code examples
• Practice basic Kotlin/Java problems
• Be able to explain lifecycle and app architecture
• Ask clarifying questions when answering

Summary

This updated Android interview Q&A is designed for freshers preparing for technical interviews in 2026, covering:

• Core fundamentals
• Modern patterns (Jetpack, MVVM)
• Real interview-style answers

If you want, I can also convert this into downloadable PDF or add topic-wise flashcards for deeper practice.