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Android Architecture: Alexandra Harrison & Jake Saxton

Android uses a layered architecture with the Linux kernel at the bottom layer providing core system services. Above this is the Android runtime including Dalvik/ART VMs and Java libraries. Next are frameworks and APIs for applications to access services. The top layer contains applications running within their own process and sandbox. Android has evolved through versions adding new features and optimizations while maintaining an open source model.

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86 views24 pages

Android Architecture: Alexandra Harrison & Jake Saxton

Android uses a layered architecture with the Linux kernel at the bottom layer providing core system services. Above this is the Android runtime including Dalvik/ART VMs and Java libraries. Next are frameworks and APIs for applications to access services. The top layer contains applications running within their own process and sandbox. Android has evolved through versions adding new features and optimizations while maintaining an open source model.

Uploaded by

swathi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Android Architecture

Alexandra Harrison & Jake Saxton


Overview
• History of Android Architecture
• Five Layers
▫ Linux Kernel
▫ Android Runtime
▫ Libraries
▫ Application Framework
▫ Applications
• Summary
History
• 2003 –Founded
▫ No product for two years, funded by Andy Rubin
 Planned the next generation of smartphones
 Open source evolution of “Danger”
• 2005 – Purchased by Google
▫ Sooner or G1?
• 2007 – Publically announced
• 2008 – Sold first phone

G1
Previous Versions

Lollipop Marshmallow
09/2014 09/2014
Previous Versions
• Unnamed (1.0 + 1.1) Cupcake
• Cupcake (1.5) Ice Cream
Sandwich Lollipop
• Donut (1.6) – Quick Search Box
• Éclair (2.1) – High Density Displays, Traffic + Navigation
• Froyo (2.2) – Voice Control, Hotspot, Speed
• Gingerbread (2.3) – Simpler, Battery Life, More apps
• Honeycomb (3.0) – Flexible interface, tablets
• Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) - Customization
• Jelly Bean (4.1) – Google Now, actionable notifications
• KitKat (4.4) – “Ok Google”, voice control variety
• Lollipop (5.0) – fluid tactile screens
• Marshmallow (6.0) – battery life, app permissions, UI
Linux Kernel
• 3.6 with ~115 patches
• Generic System Services
▫ Permissions
▫ Memory and Process management
▫ File & Network I/O
▫ Device Drivers
• Preemptive Multitasking
• Lean, efficient, and secure
• Open Source
Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)
• Software hooks between stack and hardware
• Hardware Specific
▫ Allows Applications to
be hardware ignorant
Android Runtime
• Dalvik Virtual Machine
• Core Java libraries
▫ Specific to Android development
 Apple: Swift (Objective C)
 Windows: Visual C++ (C++), Changes with OS
▫ Wrappers around C/C++ libraries
• ART (Android Runtime VM)
▫ Replaced Dalvik in Lollipop (Android 5.0)
▫ Advantages over Dalvik
 AOT (Ahead of Time) Compilation
 Improved Garbage Collection
Dalvik Virtual Machine
• Executes Android Applications
▫ Each Application runs within its own VM
 Each app is “sandboxed”
• Memory Management
• Multi-threading
Libraries
• C/C++
• Play and record audio and video
• Internet Security
• User interface building
• Graphics
• Database access
Library Examples
• WebKit
▫ Web Browser Engine
• OpenGL
▫ High Performance Graphics
▫ Render 2D or 3D Graphic Content
• libc
▫ Generic C library
• SQLite
▫ Storage and sharing of application data
Library Examples Cont.
• Surface Manager
▫ Off-screen buffering
 Apps can’t directly draw into screen
 Drawings go to off-screen buffer
 Combined with other drawings
 Reason behind window transparency
• Media Framework
▫ Provides media codecs allowing recording and
playback of different types of media
Application Framework
• Higher Level Services to Applications
• Environment in which applications are run and
managed
• Package Manager
▫ Keeps track of installed Applications
▫ Apps can communicate with other Apps on device
• Window Manager
▫ Manages main window that comprises Application
Application Framework Cont.
• View System
▫ Provide Common User Interface Elements
 Icons
 Buttons
 Text Entry
 Etc.
• Content Providers
▫ Databases that allow application to store and
share structured info
Application Framework Cont.
• Location Manager
▫ Allows application to receive location and
movement info generated by GPS
• Activity Manager
▫ Manages activity life cycle of applications
• Telephony Manager
▫ Manages all voice calls
Application Framework Cont.
• Resource Manager
▫ Manage various types of resources used in
applications
▫ Allows access to non-code embedded resources
 Strings
 Color settings
 UI Layout
• Notifications Manager
▫ Allows applications to display alerts
Applications
• Hosts Android Applications
• Written in Java
▫ Access to all Android APIs
• Executed in the VM (Dalvik or ART)
• Examples
▫ SMS client app
▫ Dialer
▫ Web Browser
▫ Contact manager
Conclusion
• Designed for mobile and flexibility
▫ Both in software and hardware
• 5 Layers
• Application Development
▫ Simple
 Java
▫ Access to all aspects of the Kernel
 Open Source
 APIs

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