9/25/23, 11:19 AM Android - Architecture

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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.

Linux kernel

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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.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.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.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.view − The fundamental building blocks of application user
interfaces.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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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