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Lecture 2 - Android - Architecture

The Android architecture consists of five main sections: the Linux kernel, libraries, Android runtime, application framework, and applications. At the bottom is the Linux kernel which provides drivers and handles low-level system tasks. Above this are libraries for functionality like media playback and web browsing. The Android runtime includes the Dalvik VM and core libraries allowing Android apps to run. The application framework provides higher-level services to apps. Finally, applications themselves are built and run at the top layer.

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Tanveer Ahmed Hakro
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33 views

Lecture 2 - Android - Architecture

The Android architecture consists of five main sections: the Linux kernel, libraries, Android runtime, application framework, and applications. At the bottom is the Linux kernel which provides drivers and handles low-level system tasks. Above this are libraries for functionality like media playback and web browsing. The Android runtime includes the Dalvik VM and core libraries allowing Android apps to run. The application framework provides higher-level services to apps. Finally, applications themselves are built and run at the top layer.

Uploaded by

Tanveer Ahmed Hakro
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Android - Architecture

Dr. Fareed Ahmed Jokhio


Android - Architecture
• Android operating system is a stack of software components
which is roughly divided into five sections and four main layers
as shown below in the architecture diagram.
Android - Architecture
Linux kernel
• At the bottom of the layers is Linux - Linux 3.6 with
approximately 115 patches. This provides a level of abstraction
between the device hardware and it contains all the essential
hardware drivers like camera, keypad, display etc. Also, the
kernel handles all the things that Linux is really good at such as
networking and a vast array of device drivers, which take the
pain out of interfacing to peripheral hardware.
Libraries
• On top of Linux kernel there is a set of libraries including open-
source Web browser engine WebKit, well known library libc,
SQLite database which is a useful repository for storage and
sharing of application data, libraries to play and record audio
and video, SSL libraries responsible for Internet security etc.
Android Libraries
• This category encompasses those Java-based libraries that are
specific to Android development. Examples of libraries in this
category include the application framework libraries in addition
to those that facilitate user interface building, graphics drawing
and database access. A summary of some key core Android
libraries available to the Android developer is as follows −
Android Libraries
• android.app − Provides access to the application model and is
the cornerstone of all Android applications.
• android.content − Facilitates content access, publishing and
messaging between applications and application components.
Android Libraries
• android.database − Used to access data published by content
providers and includes SQLite database management classes.
• android.opengl − A Java interface to the OpenGL ES 3D
graphics rendering API.
Android Libraries
• android.os − Provides applications with access to standard
operating system services including messages, system services
and inter-process communication.
• android.text − Used to render and manipulate text on a device
display.
Android Libraries
• android.view − The fundamental building blocks of application
user interfaces.
• android.widget − A rich collection of pre-built user interface
components such as buttons, labels, list views, layout
managers, radio buttons etc.
• android.webkit − A set of classes intended to allow web-
browsing capabilities to be built into applications.
Android Libraries
• Having covered the Java-based core libraries in the Android
runtime, it is now time to turn our attention to the C/C++ based
libraries contained in this layer of the Android software stack.
Android Runtime
• This is the third section of the architecture and available on the
second layer from the bottom. This section provides a key
component called Dalvik Virtual Machine which is a kind of
Java Virtual Machine specially designed and optimized for
Android.
Android Runtime
• The Dalvik VM makes use of Linux core features like memory
management and multi-threading, which is intrinsic in the Java
language. The Dalvik VM enables every Android application to
run in its own process, with its own instance of the Dalvik virtual
machine.
Android Runtime
• The Android runtime also provides a set of core libraries which
enable Android application developers to write Android
applications using standard Java programming language.
Application Framework
• The Application Framework layer provides many higher-level
services to applications in the form of Java classes. Application
developers are allowed to make use of these services in their
applications.
• The Android framework includes the following key services −
• Activity Manager − Controls all aspects of the application
lifecycle and activity stack.
• Content Providers − Allows applications to publish and share
data with other applications.
Application Framework
• Resource Manager − Provides access to non-code embedded
resources such as strings, color settings and user interface
layouts.
• Notifications Manager − Allows applications to display alerts
and notifications to the user.
• View System − An extensible set of views used to create
application user interfaces.
Applications
• You will find all the Android application at the top layer. You will
write your application to be installed on this layer only.
Examples of such applications are Contacts Books, Browser,
Games etc.

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