Android software development: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 05:18, 20 November 2011

Revision as of 05:11, 22 November 2011

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===Native Development Kit===

Libraries written in [[C (programming language)|C]] and other languages can be compiled to [[ARM architecture|ARM]] or [[X86|x86]] [[native code]] and installed using the Android [[Native Development Kit]]. Native classes can be called from Java code running under the Dalvik VM using the <code>System.loadLibrary</code> call, which is part of the standard Android Java classes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://davanum.wordpress.com/2007/12/09/android-invoke-jni-based-methods-bridging-cc-and-java/ |title=Android&nbsp;— Invoke JNI based methods (Bridging C/C++ and Java) |last=Srinivas |first=Davanum |date=2007-12-09 |accessdate=2008-12-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://developer.android.com/reference/java/lang/System.html |title=java.lang.System |work=Android Developers |accessdate=2009-09-03}}</ref>

Complete applications can be [[Compiler|compiled]] and installed using traditional development tools.<ref name="benno">{{cite web |url=http://benno.id.au/blog/2007/11/13/android-native-apps |title=Native C application for Android |date=13 November 2007|work=Benno's blog|first=Ben |last=Leslie |accessdate=2009-09-04}}</ref> The ADB debugger gives a root shell under the Android Emulator which allows native [[ARM architecture|ARM code]] or [[X86|x86]] to be uploaded and executed. ARM or x86 code can be compiled using [[GNU Compiler Collection|GCC]] on a standard PC.<ref name="benno"/> Running native code is complicated by the fact that Android uses a non-standard C library (libc, known as [[Bionic (software)|Bionic]]). The underlying graphics device is available as a [[framebuffer]] at ''/dev/graphics/fb0''.<ref>{{cite mailing list |url=http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers/msg/ace258af92fff692?dmode=source&pli=1 |title=Native C *GRAPHICAL* applications now working on Android emulator |last=Cooksey |first=Tom |mailinglist=android-developers |date=2007-11-07 |accessdate=2008-12-13}}</ref> The graphics library that Android uses to arbitrate and control access to this device is called the [[Skia Graphics Engine|Skia Graphics Library]] (SGL), and it has been released under an open source license.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome/trunk/src/skia/|title=Skia source}}</ref> Skia has backends for both [[win32]] and [[Unix]], allowing the development of cross-platform applications, and it is the graphics engine underlying the [[Google Chrome]] web browser.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atoker.com/blog/2008/09/06/skia-graphics-library-in-chrome-first-impressions/ |title=Skia graphics library in Chrome: First impressions |last=Toker |first=Alp |date=2008-09-06 |accessdate=2008-12-13}}</ref>

===App Inventor for Android===