It is not an exaggeration to mention that Android is the undisputed leader in the domain of smartphones and laptops. According to the latest market estimates, it capitalizes more than 80 percent of the total industry. The popularity of the Android mobile operating system is mainly due to Google’s decision to keep it as an open source product and integrate with other tech giants from different spheres. The Open Handset Alliance, which includes companies like Samsung, LG, HTC, AT&T, provides Android with the latest technological benefits. However, unknown to most Android users, its real power comes from its core elements. Here’s a look at the basic components that the Android system is based on:
to. The Linux kernel: The stability and security that come with Android phones is due to its Linux foundation. Before the Ice-cream sandwich version of Android, Linux 2.6 was used to power its kernel. Since Linux is also essentially an open source product, Google made its own modifications to the architecture of the code to optimize it for mobile devices. However, the latest versions of Android use the improved version of Linux 3.0.
B. File system: Android follows the structure of a basic Unix file system, but has also made some architectural changes. Storage is divided into several categories based on different purposes. The “/ system” folder is for the exclusive use of the operating system and Android users do not have access to modify files in the folder. On the other hand, all application and user data is stored in the “/ data” folder. While other Linux distributions allow at least one user to have root access to the system, most Android phone manufacturers block root access for clients.
vs. Software Stack – A set of Android-specific runtime libraries and other frameworks overlap the Linux kernel. The application framework forms the third layer, which is a container for most of the applications that reside on the phone. The application framework includes contact manager, telephony manager, location manager, package manager, content providers, and other public service middleware interfaces. This particular layer has been extensively coded with the C programming language.
D. Applications: Android applications form the top layer of the Android architecture. These are of greater relevance to the user as it provides functions that the device owner can use directly. Internally, these applications communicate with the application framework to fulfill their purposes and provide functions to users.