The foundation of every reliable and effective mobile application is background processing. Due to its versatility, Android provides a number of methods for managing tasks in the background.

Android's background processing capabilities make sure that user experiences aren't disrupted when big files are downloaded, the UI is updated, or complex computations are performed. For this reason, you should give careful thought to an Android developer's experience in these domains when hiring them.

We will examine three essential mechanisms in this blog post: AsyncTask, Handlers, and Threads. The skill set of any competent Android developer includes these tools. Developers can design applications that are responsive, effective, and-above all-user-friendly by learning how to use these tools.

So, knowing these background processing techniques for android apps is essential whether you're an aspiring developer or hiring Android developers.

achieving 25% boost: advanced android background processing techniques

Background Processing Techniques

Background Processing Techniques

Threads

The smallest processing unit that an operating system can schedule is called a thread. Threads are essential to the seamless operation of an application in Android.

  • Working with Threads in Android

By default, an Android application launches on a single thread, which is referred to as the "main thread" or "UI thread."However, carrying out laborious or time-consuming operations on the main thread may cause the user interface to become unresponsive and result in an "Application Not Responding" (ANR) error.

To avoid this, we use worker threads, which operate in the background and perform laborious tasks. This allows the main thread to be free for UI updates.

Threads are useful tools, but they're not without limitations. The most prominent is the incapacity to update the user interface from a background thread.

Because Android prohibits UI updates from non-UI threads, handlers are yet another essential tool.

Handlers

A Handler is an extremely useful component that can be used to schedule code to execute at a later time, postpone actions, and even perform lengthy computations without interfering with the user interface thread.

  • Working with Handlers in Android

Handlers make inter-thread communication possible, but they must be carefully managed to prevent memory leaks and crashes.

The AsyncTask enters the picture here.

AsyncTask

A helper class called AsyncTask makes using Threads and Handlers easier. Without modifying threads or handlers, it enables you to carry out background operations and publish results on the UI thread.

  • Working with AsyncTask in Android

The `doing background ()` method is used to carry out background operations, such as file downloads. When the background process is finished, you can update the user interface by overriding the `onPostExecute()` method.

It's a tidy and efficient method of managing background processes.

Also Read: Push Notification Best Practices: Android Development - 300% Uptick

Android Background Handling: WorkManager, AlarmManager, and Services

Android Background Handling: WorkManager, AlarmManager, and Services

When developing Android apps, effectively handling background tasks is essential to delivering a seamless user experience and making the most use of device resources.

Android provides a number of background task management mechanisms, such as WorkManager, AlarmManager, and Services. We'll look at these choices and their applications in this blog.

Services

An essential part of Android for background task execution is services.

They are made to function for extended periods without a user interface. Various kinds of services exist, such as:

Foreground Service

Even when the app is not in the foreground, foreground services have a high priority and operate in the foreground.

They are perfect for things like music playing, GPS navigation, or continuous notifications-tasks that the user engages with and should keep going. A persistent notification is necessary for foreground services in order to inform the user of the ongoing task.

  • In order to play music even when the user is not interacting with the app, a music player application may make use of a foreground service.

Background Service

General-purpose services for background operations that don't need foreground priority are known as background services.

They are appropriate for background tasks that don't require immediate user attention, such as data syncing and periodic checks. However, because of more stringent restrictions on background execution, using background services has become more difficult as of Android version 26 (Oreo).

Therefore, WorkManager is recommended for background tasks by developers.

  • A photo backup app may use a background service to upload images to the cloud in the background.

Bound Service

Activities and other components can bind to bound services and communicate with them via a clearly defined interface.

They are helpful for integrating client-server architectures into applications so that different parts can talk to the service at the same time.

  • A location tracking app may use a bound service to give the activity or fragment access to the user's current location.

WorkManager

WorkManager, included in the Android Architecture Components, is a contemporary and suggested method of managing background tasks.

It offers a dependable and adaptable method for planning and carrying out postponed tasks. WorkManager is perfect in situations where tasks can be postponed, must be retried in the event of a failure, or must adhere to system battery optimizations.

It makes managing background tasks easier and works with older Android versions.

Why Use WorkManager

WorkManager is a reliable option for background tasks because it is made to handle a variety of Android background execution constraints and adhere to system policies.

It makes the scheduling of recurring and postponed tasks easier.

It functions well with Android Jetpack libraries and is compatible with Android versions all the way down to API level 14 (Ice Cream Sandwich).

AlarmManager

With AlarmManager, future tasks, like sending notifications, starting updates, or executing particular tasks at predetermined intervals, can be scheduled.

Even though it's a strong tool, you should use it sparingly because it can wake the device from sleep, which will reduce battery life. AlarmManager can be used for recurring tasks and is appropriate when exact timing is needed. Still, developers should be aware of the potential impact it may have on device resources.

When to Use AlarmManager

When is AlarmManager a good option?

  • Accurate time is crucial for your background work.
  • Tasks must be scheduled for specified times or intervals.
  • It would help if you had something to be executed right away or on a regular basis at a precise time.
  • Your application is designed for Android versions below Oreo (API level 26), which have less stringent background service limitations.

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Android Background Work Guidelines

Android Background Work Guidelines

condense the rules for selecting the best method for your Android app's background operation. These guidelines assume that your application runs on a device running Android 14 and targets Android 14 (API 34).

Since Android 14 was still in late beta at the time of writing, its power and performance-related features will be frozen.

Background Work in Real Time

You require a Foreground Service if your application carries out crucial real-time tasks that must run without interruption, even in the background.

GPS navigation, video calls, and media playback are a few instances of this kind of work.

Please see my Foreground Service tutorial for further information on this component, including why it is called "foreground," even though it is a background execution mechanism.

Future Background Research Not Needing Precise Timing

Use WorkManager when you need to plan a background task to run at a later time where the task's execution time accuracy isn't very important.

You typically don't care about the precise timing of the syncs; instead, you want to make sure that a sync will occur within a reasonable amount of time, for instance, if your app supports full offline work by caching data locally and then syncing with the server at a later time. This is the perfect application for WorkManager.

WorkManager is the Android background work solution that uses the least battery life. This framework helps you plan repeating tasks, specify execution restrictions, arrange tasks into conditional chains, and do much more.

Moreover, work scheduled with WorkManager endures device reboots.

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Conclusion

Android offers strong background processing capabilities, which are essential for developing responsive applications that guarantee a smooth user experience.

A solid understanding of Threads, Handlers, and Asynctasks is crucial when hiring Android developers because it enables them to handle background tasks efficiently without crashing the user interface or generating ANR errors.

But it's important to remember that each of these instruments has specific advantages and disadvantages. Despite their power, threads cannot update the UI.

Handlers can fill this gap, but they must be handled carefully. While AsyncTask makes the process simpler, it does not provide the same flexibility as using Threads and Handlers directly.

When hiring Android developers, keep in mind that AsyncTask has been deprecated since API level 30. For background work, the Android team now supports alternative solutions like WorkManager, Coroutines, and LiveData.

Still very relevant and widely used, though, are the tools covered in this post for simpler tasks or for maintaining legacy apps.

Paul
Full Stack Developer

Paul is a highly skilled Full Stack Developer with a solid educational background that includes a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's degree in Software Engineering, as well as a decade of hands-on experience. Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, and Agile Scrum Master bolster his knowledge. Paul's excellent contributions to the software development industry have garnered him a slew of prizes and accolades, cementing his status as a top-tier professional. Aside from coding, he finds relief in her interests, which include hiking through beautiful landscapes, finding creative outlets through painting, and giving back to the community by participating in local tech education programmer.