What is Android??

Android is the first open source mobile application platform that has the potential to make significant inroads in many markets. When examining Android there are a number of technical and market related dimensions to consider. Primarily a product of Google, Android is a software environment built for mobile devices. It includes Linux Kernel-based OS, a rich UI, end user applications, code libraries, application frameworks, multimedia support and much more and of course telephone functionality is included. The components of the underlying OS are written in C or C++, user applications are built for Android in Java. Practically there is no difference between the built in applications and the application developed using SDK as number of built in applications are also written in Java. This makes Java a very powerful programming language as far as Android App development is concerned. It gives you full access to every feature of Android OS while developing any Android App.


Components of Android Platform/OS
The Android Platform includes an impressive array of features for mobile applications. In fact, looking at the architecture alone, without the context of Android being a platform designed for mobile environments, it is easy to confuse Android with a general computing environment. All of the major components of a computing environment are here and read like a Who's Who of the open source community. Below if quick run down of some of the prominent components of the Android Stack:




Linux Kernel
It provides foundation of hardware abstraction layer as well as core services such as process, memory and file system management. The kernel is where hardware-specific drivers are implemented- capabilities like WiFi and Bluetooth are found here. It helps enabling some features like Touch Screen, Cameras, GPS Receivers and Accelerometers.

Code Libraries
Includes the following libraries

• Browser technology from WebKit- the same open source engine powering Mac's Safari and the iPhone's Mobile Safari browser.
• Database support via SQLite an easy to use SQL database.
• Advanced graphics support including 2D, 3D, animation from SGL, and OpenGL ES.
• Audio and Video media support from packet Video's OpenCore.
• SSL Capabilities from the Apche project.

An Array of Managers Providing Services for:

• Activities and Views
• Telephony
• Windows
• Resources
• Location based services

Android Runtime Provides

• Core Java packages for nearly full featured Java programming environment.
• The Dalvik virtual machine employs services of the Linux-based kernel to provide an environment to host Android Applications

Android Platform/OS is no different from rest of the Operating Systems. The special features related to mobile and hand handled devices makes Android the most favored platform for SMART phones and other devices. For developing Android Apps Java language is something which is must to have learnt programming language.