I encountered this error in android studio while learning it:
08-20 11:56:52.192 9815-9815/com.example.android.courtcountee1 E/AndroidRuntime: FATAL EXCEPTION: main Process: com.example.android.courtcountee1, PID: 9815 java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.example.android.courtcountee1/com.example.android.courtcountee1.MainActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #66: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'boolean java.lang.String.equals(java.lang.Object)' on a null object reference at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3319) at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3415) at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1100(ActivityThread.java:229) at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1821) at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:148) at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7325) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1230) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1120) Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #66: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'boolean java.lang.String.equals(java.lang.Object)' on a null object reference at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:551) at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:429) at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:380) at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV9.setContentView(AppCompatDelegateImplV9.java:287) at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity.setContentView(AppCompatActivity.java:139) at com.example.android.courtcountee1.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:15) at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:6904) at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1136) at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3266) at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3415) at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1100(ActivityThread.java:229) at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1821) at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:148) at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7325) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1230) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1120) Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'boolean java.lang.String.equals(java.lang.Object)' on a null object reference at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:750) at android.view.LayoutInflater.createViewFromTag(LayoutInflater.java:716) at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:847) at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflateChildren(LayoutInflater.java:810) at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflate(LayoutInflater.java:855) at android.view.LayoutInflater.rInflateChildren(LayoutInflater.java:810) at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:527) at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:429) at android.view.LayoutInflater.inflate(LayoutInflater.java:380) at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatDelegateImplV9.setContentView(AppCompatDelegateImplV9.java:287) at android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity.setContentView(AppCompatActivity.java:139) at com.example.android.courtcountee1.MainActivity.onCreate(MainActivity.java:15) at android.app.Activity.performCreate(Activity.java:6904) at android.app.Instrumentation.callActivityOnCreate(Instrumentation.java:1136) at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3266) at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:3415) at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1100(ActivityThread.java:229) at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1821) at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:148) at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:7325) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:1230) at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:1120)
The XML
i THINK THE VIEW TAG IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AS REMOVING IT RESOLVED THIS
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_weight="1">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
android:orientation="horizontal">
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_marginLeft="24dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context="com.example.android.courtcounter.MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:padding="4dp"
android:text="Team A" />
<TextView
android:id="@+id/team_a_score"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginBottom="24dp"
android:fontFamily="sans-serif-light"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:padding="4dp"
android:text="0"
android:textColor="#000000"
android:textSize="56dp" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="threePoints"
android:text="+3 POINTS" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="twoPoints"
android:text="+2 POINTS" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="freeThrow"
android:text="Free Throw" />
</LinearLayout>
<!--<view
android:layout_width="1dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_marginLeft="24dp"
android:layout_marginRight="24dp"
android:background="@android:color/darker_gray">
</view>-->
<LinearLayout
android:layout_width="0dp"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
android:layout_marginRight="24dp"
android:layout_weight="1"
android:orientation="vertical"
tools:context=".MainActivity">
<TextView
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:padding="4dp"
android:text="Team B"
android:textColor="#616161"
android:textSize="14sp" />
<TextView
android:id="@+id/team_b_score"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_marginBottom="24dp"
android:fontFamily="sans-serif-light"
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:padding="4dp"
android:text="0"
android:textColor="#000000"
android:textSize="56dp" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="threePointsB"
android:text="+3 POINTS" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="twoPointsB"
android:text="+2 POINTS" />
<Button
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_margin="8dp"
android:onClick="freeThrowB"
android:text="Free Throw" />
</LinearLayout>
</LinearLayout>
<Button
android:layout_width="wrap_content"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginBottom="32dp"
android:onClick="reset"
android:text="RESET" />
</RelativeLayout>