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Learning Embedded Android N Programming

By : Morgillo

2.8 (5)

Learning Embedded Android N Programming

2.8 (5)

By: 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.

Preface

Preface

What this book covers

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Free Chapter

1. Understanding the Architecture

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. "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

7. 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

8. Beyond the Smartphone

Meeting Arduino

Exploring the possibilities of the Internet of Things

Domotics

Can a green droid entertain you?

Summary

Index

Index

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Debugging tools

Debugging tools are some of the tools that no developer can live without. With embedded systems such as Android systems they are even more important. Android provides lots of debugging tools to facilitate complex or boring tasks. The two most important tools are definitely adb and fastboot.

Introducing ADB

ADB stands for Android Debug Bridge and it's a toolkit made of two crucial parts:

Adb server running on the device
Adb client running on the PC

Usually, adb is considered a command-line tool, but you can find a few graphical frontends online if you prefer to use it in a more graphical way. Android Studio, the official IDE by Google for Android development, uses adb to communicate with every device and provide cool tools such as Android Device Monitor. Using the graphical interface, we can analyze logs coming from the device or even take a screenshot for debugging purposes.

The following screenshot shows how the Android Device Monitor can be used to retrieve huge amounts of information...

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