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Android Architecture in English

Android Architecture in English:


Android Architecture in English


1. Linux Kernel Layer

 Role:
  • This is the lowest level of Android.
  • The entire Android system is based on it.
  • It acts as an interface between hardware and software.
 Main Functions:
  • Driver Support: Drivers that control hardware like the camera, keyboard, display, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc., are located here.
  • Process Management: Supports multitasking.
  • Memory Management: Manages memory efficiently.
  • Power Management: Controls battery usage.
  • Security: Keeps programs separate from each other (sandboxing).
2. Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)

 Role:

  • HAL acts as a bridge between the hardware and higher-level Android APIs.
  • It makes hardware features available through APIs.
 Example:

  • Camera HAL for using the camera.
  • Audio HAL for audio-related tasks.
  • Separate HAL Modules exist for sensors, GPS, Bluetooth, etc.
3. Android Runtime (ART) and Native Libraries

3.1 Android Runtime (ART):

  • This is the part of the Android OS that runs the apps.
  • From Android 5.0 (Lollipop), ART (Android Runtime) replaced Dalvik.
 Features:

  • Ahead-of-Time (AOT) Compilation: It compiles code in advance, which improves performance.
  • Garbage Collection: Automatically cleans up unused memory.
3.2 Native Libraries:

  • These are special libraries written in C/C++ that are used to enhance the functionality of apps.
 Key Libraries:

  • WebKit: For browsing-related tasks.
  • SQLite: For data storage (database).
  • Media Framework: For processing video and audio.
  • OpenGL ES: For 2D/3D graphics.
4. Application Framework

 Role:

  • It provides developers with the necessary tools and APIs to create Android applications.
  • It provides an interface between the user and the system.
 Main Components:

  • Activity Manager: Controls the lifecycle of an application.
  • Content Providers: For data sharing between apps.
  • Resource Manager: Manages external resources (images, strings, etc.).
  • Location Manager: Provides facilities related to GPS location.
  • Notification Manager: For displaying notifications.
5. Applications Layer

 Role:

  • This is the highest level of the Architecture.
  • It contains all the applications that the user uses.
 Example:

  • Default Apps: Dialer, SMS, Contacts, Browser, etc.
  • Third-Party Apps: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

In this Chapter

Android Architecture in English
Mobile Applications in English
Android Studio Setup in English
History of Android OS & Versions in English
What is AndroidManifest.xml in English
Exploring the Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Debugging an Android Application
Publishing an Android Application
Understanding Activities and their Lifecycle
Linking Activities Using Intents
Working with Fragments
Displaying Notifications
Fundamentals of the User Interface (UI)
Screen Orientation and the Action Bar
Working with Basic and Picker Views
Using List Views and Specialized Fragments
Displaying Images and Using Menus
Integrating Web Content with WebView
Data Persistence: Preferences and Files
Working with Databases
Sharing Data with Content Providers
Communication Services: SMS and Email
Location and Maps Services
Most Important Questions for Android Programming