Android SDK
Eclipse ADT plugin - Zip archive
The Android software development kit (SDK) includes a comprehensive set of development tools.
These include a debugger, libraries, a handset emulator (based on QEMU), documentation, sample code, and tutorials.
Currently supported development platforms include computers running Linux (any modern desktop Linux distribution), Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later, Windows XP or later.
The officially supported integrated development environment (IDE) is Eclipse (currently 3.5 or 3.6) using the Android Development Tools (ADT) Plugin, though developers may use any text editor to edit Java and XML files then use command line tools (Java Development Kit and Apache Ant are required) to create, build and debug Android applications as well as control attached Android devices (e.g., triggering a reboot, installing software package(s) remotely).
Enhancements to Android's SDK go hand in hand with the overall Android platform development.
The SDK also supports older versions of the Android platform in case developers wish to target their applications at older devices.
Development tools are downloadable components, so after one has downloaded the latest version and platform, older platforms and tools can also be downloaded for compatibility testing.
Android applications are packaged in .apk format and stored under /data/app folder on the Android OS (the folder is accessible only to root user for security reasons).
APK package contains .dex files (compiled byte code files called Dalvik executables), resource files, etc.