Mono forAndroid Development

Monday Presentation by Codrin Dițu

Topics• Basics• Overview• Architecture • API• Demos• Myths• Benefits• Conclusions

CODRIN DIȚU

Basics

Overview

Architecture

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Myths Benefits

What is Mono?

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Mono?

Mono• is an

open source implementation of .NET Framework based on the ECMA standards

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Mono• is an

open source implementation of .NET Framework based on the ECMA standards

• aims to be theleading choice for development of Linux applications

CODRIN DIȚU

Basics

Overview

Architecture

API Demos

Myths Benefits

Mono• is an

open source implementation of .NET Framework based on the ECMA standards

• aims to be theleading choice for development of Linux applications

• allows developers to easily create cross platform applications

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What is Android?

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Android?

What is Android?• world’s most popular mobile platform

(48,6 US market share, January 2012)

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What is Android?• 1st release in October 2008, 5th this fall

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What is Android?

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What is Android?• full software stack, based on Linux 2.6

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What is Android?• apps typically are written in Java

(SDK provides tools and Java API)

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What is Android?• apps typically are written in Java

(SDK provides tools and Java API)

CODRIN DIȚU

Basics

Overview

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API Demos

Myths Benefits

Android architecture

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Android key components• Activities

single screen with an UI

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Android key components• Activities

single screen with an UI• Services

background running long operations

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Android key components• Activities

single screen with an UI• Services

background running long operations• Content Providers

organized mechanism for data sharing

CODRIN DIȚU

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Android key components• Activities

single screen with an UI• Services

background running long operations• Content Providers

organized mechanism for data sharing• Broadcast receivers

respond to system-wide announcements

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What is Monodroid?

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Monodroid?

Mono for Android

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Mono for Android

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Commercial Productdevelop native Android apps using .NET

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Mono for Android

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Commercial Productdevelop native Android apps using .NET

Mono Runtimeuse .NET standards LINQ, GC, lambas etc

Basics

Overview

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API Demos

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Mono for Android

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Commercial Productdevelop native Android apps using .NET

Mono Runtimeuse .NET standards LINQ, GC, lambas etc

Linkerreduces app size by static analysis of your application

Basics

Overview

Architecture

API Demos

Myths Benefits

Mono for Android

CODRIN DIȚU

Complete

binding for Java / Android

API

Commercial Productdevelop native Android apps using .NET

Mono Runtimeuse .NET standards LINQ, GC, lambas etc

Linkerreduces app size by static analysis of your application

Monodroid Architecture

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• Android/Managed Callable Wrappers(JNI bridges to do the talking)

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Monodroid API

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• .NET events replace listener interfaces

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Monodroid API

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• .NET events replace listener interfaces

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Monodroid API

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• Action replaces Runnable

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public delegate void Action<in T>( T obj )

Example: Search(string query, Action<IEnumerable<Tweet>> callback)

Monodroid API

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• Action replaces Runnable

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Monodroid API

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• Enumerations• Properties• Attributes and tooling generate configuration• OpenTK• Uses standard Android resources

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Code

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• MonoDevelop or Visual Studio 2010• tutorials on android.xamarin.com

•DEMOs

C# Code (Mono for android)

HelloWord native Android

Application

Java Code (the standard way)

HelloWord native Android

Application

Why bother with Mono after all?• Mith #1: the build apps are not native

Uses the exact same libraries as native apps

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Why bother with Mono after all?• Mith #1: the build apps are not native• Mith #2: it is for the lazy ones

You have to learn the native framework

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Why bother with Mono after all?• Mith #1: the build apps are not native• Mith #2: it is for the lazy ones• Mith #3: the build apps are slower

C# on Mono VMJava on Dalvik VM

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Why bother with Mono after all?• Mith #1: the build apps are not native• Mith #2: it is for the lazy ones• Mith #3: the build apps are slower• Mith #4: it is a hard approach

Java and C# are … similar, plus you have support from support from Xamarin (and google, stackoverflow, etc.)

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Why bother with Mono after all?• Mith #1: the build apps are not native• Mith #2: it is for the lazy ones• Mith #3: the build apps are slower• Mith #4: it is a hard approach• Mith #5: no reason

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Benefits• Benefit#1: cross platform (except GUI code)

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Benefits

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Benefits• Benefit#2: less code less bugs

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Benefits• Benefit#3: C#

o LINQ + org.xml.sax.XmlReadero Lamdas

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Drawbacks• Works Slow in Debugging

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Drawbacks• Android UI designer does not exist

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Drawbacks• It is a commercial product, so it costs!

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Conclusions• Monodroid is a good approach when

developing from scratch a cross-platform native mobile app

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References• http://tnw.co/usmobilemarketshare2012• http://xamarin.com/monoforandroid• http://www.infoq.com/presentations/

Android-Development-Using-NET-and-Mono• http://www.slideshare.net/conceptdev/

crossplatform-mobile-dev-with-mono• http://www.slideshare.net/klmcmahon/

mono-for-android

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Thank you!Questions?

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Question!

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