Concurrent Programming with Android: Threads, Workers, and Kotlin Coroutines

Take a deep dive into concurrent programming for Android. Learn about the techniques and components available for running tasks in the background.

Introduction

• Concurrency matters in Android apps
• What you should know

1. Getting Started

• Choices for concurrency in Android apps
• Explore the starting application

2. Using Handlers, Runnables, and Threads

• Define and run a Runnable object
• Delay execution of a Runnable object
• Manage background tasks with threads
• Send a message to the UI from a background thread
• Challenge: Run multiple background tasks with threads
• Solution: Run multiple background tasks with threads

3. Manage Concurrent Tasks with Kotlin Coroutines

• Define and run a simple coroutine
• Switch between foreground and background threads
• Run coroutines in a ViewModel class
• Cancel coroutines with a job reference
• Challenge: Run multiple coroutines in a ViewModel
• Solution: Run multiple coroutines in a ViewModel

4. Manage Background and Deferrable Tasks

• Run background tasks with IntentService
• Upgrade IntentService to JobIntentService
• Send results from JobIntentService to the UI
• Manage deferrable tasks with WorkManager
• Set work request constraints
• Get results from a background worker
• Send progress updates from a background worker

5. Create and Manage Long-Running Services

• Create and run a bound service
• Started services and background processing limits
• Play audio in a service with MediaPlayer
• Run a service in the foreground
• Send intents from a foreground notification
• Style a foreground notification

Conclusion

• Next steps