preview/features/background-optimization.jd

page.title=Background Optimizations
page.metaDescription=New restrictions to implicit broadcasts.
page.keywords="android N", "implicit broadcasts", "job scheduler"
page.image=images/cards/card-nyc_2x.jpg

@jd:body

<div id="qv-wrapper">
  <div id="qv">
    <h2>
      In this document
    </h2>

    <ol>
      <li>
        <a href="#connectivity-action">Restrictions on CONNECTIVITY_ACTION</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#sched-jobs">Scheduling Network Jobs on Unmetered
        Connections</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#monitor-conn">Monitoring Network Connectivity While the App
        is Running</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#media-broadcasts">Restrictions on NEW_PICTURE and
        NEW_VIDEO</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#new-jobinfo">New JobInfo methods</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#new-jobparam">New JobParameter Methods</a>
      </li>

      <li>
        <a href="#further-optimization">Further Optimizing Your App</a>
      </li>
    </ol>
  </div>
</div>

<p>
  Background processes can be memory- and battery-intensive. For example, an
  implicit broadcast may start many background processes that have registered
  to listen for it, even if those processes may not do much work. This can have
  a substantial impact on both device performance and user experience.
</p>

<p>
  To alleviate this issue, Android N applies the following
  restrictions:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>Apps targeting the Preview do not receive {@link
  android.net.ConnectivityManager#CONNECTIVITY_ACTION} broadcasts if they
  register to receive them in their manifest. Apps that are running can still
  listen for {@code CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE} on their main thread by registering a
  {@link android.content.BroadcastReceiver} with {@link
  android.content.Context#registerReceiver Context.registerReceiver()}.
  </li>

  <li>Apps cannot send or receive {@link
  android.hardware.Camera#ACTION_NEW_PICTURE} or {@link
  android.hardware.Camera#ACTION_NEW_VIDEO} broadcasts. This optimization
  affects all apps, not only those targeting the Preview.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  If your app uses any of these intents, you should remove dependencies on
  them as soon as possible so that you can target Android N devices properly.
  The Android framework provides several solutions to mitigate the need for
  these implicit broadcasts. For example, {@link android.app.job.JobScheduler}
  and <a href=
  "https://developers.google.com/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/gcm/GcmNetworkManager">
  {@code GcmNetworkManager}</a> provide robust mechanisms to schedule network
  operations when specified conditions, such as a connection to an unmetered
  network, are met. You can now also use {@link android.app.job.JobScheduler}
  to react to changes to content providers. {@link android.app.job.JobInfo}
  objects encapsulate the parameters that {@link android.app.job.JobScheduler}
  uses to schedule your job. When the conditions of the job are met, the system
  executes this job on your app's {@link android.app.job.JobService}.
</p>

<p>
  In this document, we will learn how to use alternative methods, such as
  {@link android.app.job.JobScheduler}, to adapt your app to these new
  restrictions.
</p>

<h2 id="connectivity-action">
  Restrictions on CONNECTIVITY_ACTION
</h2>

<p>
  Apps targeting the Android N do not receive {@link
  android.net.ConnectivityManager#CONNECTIVITY_ACTION} broadcasts if they
  register to receive them in their manifest, and processes that depend on this
  broadcast will not start. This could pose a problem for apps that want
  to listen for network changes or perform bulk network activities when the
  device connects to an unmetered network. Several solutions to get around this
  restriction already exist in the Android framework, but choosing the right
  one depends on what you want your app to accomplish.
</p>

<p class="note">
  <strong>Note:</strong> A {@link android.content.BroadcastReceiver} registered with
  {@link android.content.Context#registerReceiver Context.registerReceiver()}
  continues to receive these broadcasts while the app is running.
</p>

<h3 id="sched-jobs">
  Scheduling Network Jobs on Unmetered Connections
</h3>

<p>
  When using the {@link android.app.job.JobInfo.Builder JobInfo.Builder} class
  to build your {@link android.app.job.JobInfo} object, apply the {@link
  android.app.job.JobInfo.Builder#setRequiredNetworkType
  setRequiredNetworkType()} method and pass {@link android.app.job.JobInfo
  JobInfo.NETWORK_TYPE_UNMETERED} as a job parameter. The following code sample
  schedules a service to run when the device connects to an unmetered
  network and is charging:
</p>

<pre>
public static final int MY_BACKGROUND_JOB = 0;
...
public static void scheduleJob(Context context) {
  JobScheduler js =
      (JobScheduler) context.getSystemService(Context.JOB_SCHEDULER_SERVICE);
  JobInfo job = new JobInfo.Builder(
    MY_BACKGROUND_JOB,
    new ComponentName(context, MyJobService.class))
      .setRequiredNetworkType(JobInfo.NETWORK_TYPE_UNMETERED)
      .setRequiresCharging(true)
      .build();
  js.schedule(job);
}
</pre>

<p>
  When the conditions for your job are met, your app receives a callback to run
  the {@link android.app.job.JobService#onStartJob onStartJob()} method in the
  specified {@code JobService.class}. To see more examples of {@link
  android.app.job.JobScheduler} implementation, see the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}samples/JobScheduler/index.html">JobScheduler sample app</a>.
</p>

<p>
  Applications that use GMSCore services, and target Android 5.0 (API level 21)
  or lower, can use <a href=
  "https://developers.google.com/android/reference/com/google/android/gms/gcm/GcmNetworkManager">
  {@code GcmNetworkManager}</a> and specify {@code Task.NETWORK_STATE_UNMETERED}.
</p>

<h3 id="monitor-conn">
  Monitoring Network Connectivity While the App is Running
</h3>

<p>
  Apps that are running can still listen for {@code CONNECTIVITY_CHANGE} with a
  registered {@link android.content.BroadcastReceiver}. However, the {@link
  android.net.ConnectivityManager} API provides a more robust method to request
  a callback only when specified network conditions are met.
</p>

<p>
  {@link android.net.NetworkRequest} objects define the parameters of the
  network callback in terms of {@link android.net.NetworkCapabilities}. You
  create {@link android.net.NetworkRequest} objects with the {@link
  android.net.NetworkRequest.Builder NetworkRequest.Builder} class. {@link
  android.net.ConnectivityManager#registerNetworkCallback(android.net.NetworkRequest,
  android.net.ConnectivityManager.NetworkCallback) registerNetworkCallback()}
  then passes the {@link android.net.NetworkRequest} object to the system. When
  the network conditions are met, the app receives a callback to execute the
  {@link android.net.ConnectivityManager.NetworkCallback#onAvailable
  onAvailable()} method defined in its {@link
  android.net.ConnectivityManager.NetworkCallback} class.
</p>

<p>
  The app continues to receive callbacks until either the app exits or it calls
  {@link android.net.ConnectivityManager#unregisterNetworkCallback
  unregisterNetworkCallback()}.
</p>

<h2 id="media-broadcasts">
  Restrictions on NEW_PICTURE and NEW_VIDEO
</h2>

<p>
  In the Android N, apps are not able to send or receive {@link
  android.hardware.Camera#ACTION_NEW_PICTURE} or {@link
  android.hardware.Camera#ACTION_NEW_VIDEO} broadcasts. This restriction helps
  alleviate the performance and user experience impacts when several apps must
  wake up in order to process a new image or video. Android N
  extends {@link android.app.job.JobInfo} and {@link
  android.app.job.JobParameters} to provide an alternative solution.
</p>

<h3 id="new-jobinfo">
  New JobInfo methods
</h3>

<p>
  To trigger jobs on content URI changes, Android N extends
  the {@link android.app.job.JobInfo} API with the following methods:
</p>

<dl>
  <dt>
    {@code JobInfo.TriggerContentUri()}
  </dt>

  <dd>
    Encapsulates parameters required to trigger a job on content URI changes.
  </dd>

  <dt>
    {@code JobInfo.Builder.addTriggerContentUri()}
  </dt>

  <dd>
    Passes a {@code TriggerContentUri} object to {@link
    android.app.job.JobInfo}. A {@link android.database.ContentObserver}
    monitors the encapsulated content URI. If there are multiple {@code
    TriggerContentUri} objects associated with a job, the system provides a
    callback even if it reports a change in only one of the content URIs.
  </dd>

  <dd>
    Add the {@code TriggerContentUri.FLAG_NOTIFY_FOR_DESCENDANTS} flag to
    trigger the job if any descendants of the given URI change. This flag
    corresponds to the {@code notifyForDescendants} parameter passed to {@link
    android.content.ContentResolver#registerContentObserver
    registerContentObserver()}.
  </dd>
</dl>

<p class="note">
  <strong>Note:</strong> {@code TriggerContentUri()} cannot be used in
  combination with {@link android.app.job.JobInfo.Builder#setPeriodic
  setPeriodic()} or {@link android.app.job.JobInfo.Builder#setPersisted
  setPersisted()}. To continually monitor for content changes, schedule a new
  {@link android.app.job.JobInfo} before the app’s {@link
  android.app.job.JobService} finishes handling the most recent callback.
</p>

<p>
  The following sample code schedules a job to trigger when the system reports
  a change to the content URI, {@code MEDIA_URI}:
</p>

<pre>
public static final int MY_BACKGROUND_JOB = 0;
...
public static void scheduleJob(Context context) {
  JobScheduler js =
          (JobScheduler) context.getSystemService(Context.JOB_SCHEDULER_SERVICE);
  JobInfo.Builder builder = new JobInfo.Builder(
          MY_BACKGROUND_JOB,
          new ComponentName(context, MediaContentJob.class));
  builder.addTriggerContentUri(
          new JobInfo.TriggerContentUri(MediaStore.Images.Media.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI,
          JobInfo.TriggerContentUri.FLAG_NOTIFY_FOR_DESCENDANTS));
  js.schedule(builder.build());
}
</pre>
<p>
  When the system reports a change in the specified content URI(s), your app
  receives a callback and a {@link android.app.job.JobParameters} object is
  passed to the {@link android.app.job.JobService#onStartJob onStartJob()}
  method in {@code MediaContentJob.class}.
</p>

<h3 id="new-jobparam">
  New JobParameter Methods
</h3>

<p>
  Android N also extends {@link android.app.job.JobParameters} to
  allow your app to receive useful information about what content authorities
  and URIs triggered the job:
</p>

<dl>
  <dt>
    {@code Uri[] getTriggeredContentUris()}
  </dt>

  <dd>
    Returns an array of URIs that have triggered the job. This will be {@code
    null} if either no URIs have triggered the job (for example, the job was
    triggered due to a deadline or some other reason), or the number of changed
    URIs is greater than 50.
  </dd>

  <dt>
    {@code String[] getTriggeredContentAuthorities()}
  </dt>

  <dd>
    Returns a string array of content authorities that have triggered the job.
    If the returned array is not {@code null}, use {@code getTriggeredContentUris()}
    to retrieve the details of which URIs have changed.
  </dd>
</dl>

<p>
  The following sample code overrides the {@link
  android.app.job.JobService#onStartJob JobService.onStartJob()} method and
  records the content authorities and URIs that have triggered the job:
</p>

<pre>
&#64;Override
public boolean onStartJob(JobParameters params) {
  StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
  sb.append("Media content has changed:\n");
  if (params.getTriggeredContentAuthorities() != null) {
      sb.append("Authorities: ");
      boolean first = true;
      for (String auth :
          params.getTriggeredContentAuthorities()) {
          if (first) {
              first = false;
          } else {
             sb.append(", ");
          }
           sb.append(auth);
      }
      if (params.getTriggeredContentUris() != null) {
          for (Uri uri : params.getTriggeredContentUris()) {
              sb.append("\n");
              sb.append(uri);
          }
      }
  } else {
      sb.append("(No content)");
  }
  Log.i(TAG, sb.toString());
  return true;
}
</pre>

<h2 id="further-optimization">
  Further Optimizing Your App
</h2>

<p>
  Optimizing your apps to run on low-memory devices, or in low-memory
  conditions, can improve performance and user experience. Removing
  dependencies on background services and statically-registered implicit
  broadcast receivers can help your app run better on such devices. Although
  Android N takes steps to reduce some of these issues, it is
  recommended that you optimize your app to run without the use of these
  background processes entirely.
</p>

<p>
  Android N introduces some additional <a href=
  "{@docRoot}tools/help/adb.html">Android Debug Bridge (ADB)</a> commands that
  you can use to test app behavior with those background processes disabled:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>To simulate conditions where implicit broadcasts and background services
  are unavailable, enter the following command:
  </li>

  <li style="list-style: none; display: inline">
<pre class="no-pretty-print">
{@code $ adb shell cmd appops set &lt;package_name&gt; RUN_IN_BACKGROUND ignore}
</pre>
  </li>

  <li>To re-enable implicit broadcasts and background services, enter the
  following command:
  </li>

  <li style="list-style: none; display: inline">
<pre class="no-pretty-print">
{@code $ adb shell cmd appops set &lt;package_name&gt; RUN_IN_BACKGROUND allow}
</pre>
  </li>
</ul>