Android developers get native-code kit

A native application development kit has been released for Android developers, offering a way to create certain kinds of high-performing applications for handsets running the Google platform.

Android 1.5 apps from Google I/O--photos

Android applications run through the Dalvik virtual machine, which emulates a Java virtual machine. On Thursday, the Android Native Development Kit (NDK) was released, allowing coders to create parts of their Android 1.5 applications outside Dalvik, using native-code languages such as C and C++.

This approach would not ordinarily produce a massive performance boost, but it does allow developers to reuse existing C and C++ code for Android applications.

Android engineer David Turner wrote in a blog post that the NDK, which is an adjunct to the standard Android software development kit (SDK), could be used for writing higher-performing applications, but also had its drawbacks.

"Your application will be more complicated, have reduced compatibility, have no access to framework APIs, and be harder to debug," Turner wrote. "That said, some applications that have self-contained, CPU-intensive operations that don't allocate much memory may still benefit from increased performance and the ability to reuse existing code. Some examples are signal processing, intensive physics simulations, and some kinds of data processing."

David Meyer of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[Remo_Williams]

Yeah, good job disallowing access to framework APIs. Wouldn't want anyone doing real RMI and stealing commercial fart-noise software from the Market.<br /><br />Just a matter of time before Google really gets it and allows C/C++ developers a real shot at writing to the devices.<br /><br />--#

[EmbSysPro]

Agreed,<br />This move make little sense and is just a placebo. But a placebo for who is the question? As a developer this has almost no appeal to me.

[puterhead]

^ And the adventure begins

[El_Segfaulto]

I'm just hoping the next step is a usable NES/SNES emulator.

[LarsBloodbeard]

Reduced portability and functionality, but far better performance...<br />What does this mean? One word: Games.<br /><br />PS<br />"This approach would not ordinarily produce a massive performance boost"<br />If you don't know anything about a subject, you probably shouldn't make guesses, which turn out to be erroneous statements.

[hesiodsoftware]

Cool can't wait to start developing with it .<br />Maybe i will attach it to my own app &lt;a href="http://www.hesiodsoftware.com" title="Home"&gt;Premember&lt;/a&gt;