a9788cd98f
This change fixes some formatting artifacts that resulted from the export from
Sites, and also updates links to no longer point to Sites and use the standard
{@docRoot} idiom. Also contains a few content updates, and introduces a page
about branch management.
68 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
68 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
page.title=Android Compatibility
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doc.type=compatibility
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@jd:body
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<p>Android is an open source product, and anyone can use the source code to build
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devices. The purpose of the Android compatibility program is to help Android
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device implementations remain compatible with all apps.</p>
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<p>A device is considered compatible if existing and new third-party
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applications run correctly on it. Poor device implementations that change APIs
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or alter behaviors will break these apps and so are not compatible. The
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Android compatibility program's aim is to ensure that these APIs are
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consistently implemented across devices.</p>
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<p>The latest version of the Android source code and compatibility program is
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1.6, which roughly corresponded to the Donut branch. The compatibility
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program for Android 2.x (corresponding to Eclair) is coming soon.</p>
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<h2>Why build compatible Android devices?</h2>
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<h3>Users want a customizable device.</h3>
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<p>A mobile phone is a highly personal, always-on, always-present gateway to
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the Internet. We haven't met a user yet who didn't want to customize it by
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extending its functionality. That's why Android was designed as a robust
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platform for running after-market applications.</p>
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<h3>Developers outnumber us all.</h3>
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<p>No device manufacturer can hope to write all the software that anyone could
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conceivably need. We need third-party developers to write the apps users want,
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so the Android Open Source Project aims to make it as easy and open as
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possible for developers to build apps.</p>
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<h3>Everyone needs a common ecosystem.</h3>
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<p>Every line of code developers write to work around a particular phone's bug
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is a line of code that didn't add a new feature. The more compatible phones
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there are, the more apps there will be. By building a fully compatible Android
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device, you benefit from the huge pool of apps written for Android, while
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increasing the incentive for developers to build more of those apps.</p>
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<h2>Android compatibility is free, and it's easy.</h2>
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<p>If you are building a mobile device, you can follow these steps to make
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sure your device is compatible with Android. For more details about the
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Android compatibility program in general, see <a
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href="{@docRoot}compatibility/overview.html">the program overview</a>.</p>
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<p>Building a compatible device is a four-step process:</p>
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<ol>
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<li><b>Obtain the Android software stack source code</b><p>This is the
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<a href="{@docRoot}source/index.html">source code for the Android
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platform</a>, that you port to your hardware.</p></li>
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<li><b>Comply with Android Compatibility Definition Document</b><p>
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This document enumerates the software and the hardware features of
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a compatible Android device.</p></li>
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<li><b>Pass the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS)</b><p>You can use the CTS
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(included in the Android source code) as an ongoing aid to compatibility
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during the development process.</p></li>
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<li><b>Submit CTS report</b><p>[Optional] You can also submit your CTS report,
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so that it can be validated and recorded.</p><p><i>Note:
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the submission system is currently under construciton, and is not currently
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available.</i></p></li>
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</ol>
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<h2>Benefits of compatibility</h2>
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<p>By submitting a validated CTS report, you receive public recognition of
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your device's compatibility. This also opens up additional options you can
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pursue such as use of the Android branding, access to Android Market, and
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more.</p>
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<p>As a consequence of some legal quirks, we aren't able to offer automatic
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licensing of either the Android Market or branding. To actually obtain access
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to these programs, you will need to <a
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href="{@docRoot}compatibility/contact-us.html">contact us</a> to obtain a
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license.</p>
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