Book Image

Learning Embedded Android N Programming

By : Ivan Morgillo
Book Image

Learning Embedded Android N Programming

By: Ivan Morgillo

Overview of this book

Take a deep dive into the Android build system and its customization with Learning Embedded Android Programming, written to help you master the steep learning curve of working with embedded Android. Start by exploring the basics of Android OS, discover Google’s “repo” system, and discover how to retrieve AOSP source code. You'll then find out to set up the build environment and the first AOSP system. Next, learn how to customize the boot sequence with a new animation, and use an Android “kitchen” to “cook” your custom ROM. By the end of the book, you'll be able to build customized Android open source projects by developing your own set of features.

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Table of Contents (15 chapters)
Learning Embedded Android N Programming
Learning Embedded Android N Programming
Credits
Credits
About the Authors
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Understanding the Architecture
Understanding the Architecture
An overview of the Android system
Android compatibility
Beyond Java
From Dalvik to ART runtime
Meeting the Compatibility Test Suite
Diving deeper with CTS Verifier
Summary
2
Obtaining the Source Code – Structure and Philosophy
Obtaining the Source Code – Structure and Philosophy
The Android philosophy
Setting up the environment
Installing the required tools
Getting ready
A look inside AOSP
Summary
3
Set up and Build – the Emulator Way
Set up and Build – the Emulator Way
Preparing the host system
The Android build system
Creating a custom device
From zero to the screenlock
Summary
4
Moving to Real-World Hardware
Moving to Real-World Hardware
Debugging tools
Choosing our hardware
Compiling Android for a real-world device
Bootloader mode
Flashing Android images
Summary
5
Customizing Kernel and Boot Sequence
Customizing Kernel and Boot Sequence
An overview of the Linux kernel
Setting up the toolchain
Preparing the host system
Configuring the kernel
Compiling the kernel
Working with non-Google devices
Driver management
Altering the CPU frequency
Customizing the boot image
Android boot sequence
Summary
6
"Cooking" Your First ROM
"Cooking" Your First ROM
History of custom ROMs
An overview of Android recovery
Device permissions
Chef toolkit
Cooking our first ROM
Flashing our custom ROM
Summary
7
Tailoring Your Personal Android System
Tailoring Your Personal Android System
Receiving over the air updates – OTA
Creating over the air updates
Advanced ROM customization
Hacking the Android framework
Enhancing the system performance
Advanced Linux kernel modding
Looking forward
Summary
8
Beyond the Smartphone
Beyond the Smartphone
Meeting Arduino
Exploring the possibilities of the Internet of Things
Domotics
Can a green droid entertain you?
Summary
Index
Index

An overview of the Linux kernel

In Chapter 1, Understanding the Architecture, we learned how Android has been designed and built around the Linux kernel. One of the reasons to choose the Linux kernel was its unquestioned flexibility and the infinite possibilities to adjust it to any specific scenario and requirement. These are the features that have made Linux the most popular kernel in the embedded industry.

Linux kernel comes with a GPL license. This particular license allowed Google to contribute to the project since the early stages of Android. Google provided bug fixing and new features, helping Linux to overcome a few obstacles and limitations of the 2.6 version. In the beginning, Linux 2.6.32 was the most popular version for the most part of the Android device market. Nowadays, we see more and more devices shipping with the new 3.x versions.

The following screenshot shows the current build for the official Google Motorola Nexus 6, with kernel 3.10.40:

The Android version we created in...

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End of Section 2
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