Development Framework in Android
Android's development framework provides the necessary tools, libraries, and
components to create feature-rich mobile applications. Below is a brief
introduction:
1. What is an Android Development Framework?
The Android framework is a collection of pre-written code libraries and APIs that
developers use to build apps. It simplifies app development by providing reusable
components and tools.
2. Key Components of Android Framework
• Activities: Represents a single screen with a user interface.
• Fragments: Modular sections of UI within an activity.
• Services: Handles background operations without a UI.
• Broadcast Receivers: Responds to system-wide events like battery low or
network changes.
• Content Providers: Manages app data sharing between applications.
3. Architecture Layers
• Application Layer: Apps built by developers using the framework.
• Framework Layer: Provides APIs for app interaction with system services
(UI, telephony, resources, etc.).
• Native Libraries: C/C++ libraries for performance-critical tasks (e.g.,
SQLite, OpenGL).
• Android Runtime (ART): Executes Java/Kotlin bytecode.
• Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL): Facilitates interaction with hardware.
4. Features of the Android Framework
• Rich UI Components: Includes layouts, widgets, and animations.
• Resource Management: Supports diverse resources like images, strings,
and layouts for different devices.
• Lifecycle Management: Ensures proper handling of activity/fragment
lifecycle events.
• Event Handling: Provides touch and gesture handling mechanisms.
• Multithreading: Supports background task management with tools like
AsyncTask, Handlers, and WorkManager.
5. Tools and APIs
• Predefined APIs for:
o UI design
o Media handling
o Location and sensors
o Network operations
• Libraries like Jetpack for modern, robust app architecture.
6. Development Environment
• Android Studio: The official IDE for development.
• Gradle: Build and dependency management tool.
• Emulator: For testing applications on virtual devices.
