Android Lifecycles Masterclass from Udemy

Lifecycles are central topic in Android app development because all main Android components, such as Activities, Fragments, and ViewModels, have unique Lifecycles. That's why a deep understanding of Android Lifecycles is essential for becoming a good Android developer and building reliable and responsive Android applications.

Furthermore, many Android job interviews include questions about Lifecycles, underscoring their fundamental importance.

Unfortunately, there are many different Lifecycles in Android and even small mistakes in their handling can lead to tricky bugs. These bugs often appear in real-world Android applications and require extensive effort to investigate and resolve.

In this course, you'll master Android Lifecycles. From foundational concepts to advanced strategies, we'll cover everything you need to know about this important topic.

You will learn:

Why Android components need lifecycles.
The lifecycles of the main Android components:
- Process
- Application
- Activity
- Fragment
- ViewModel
- Service
Overlapping vs non-overlapping lifecycles.
Multi-resume feature.
How to handle Configuration Changes.
How to handle Process Death.
Best practices for efficient Lifecycle management.
Hacks and ad hoc solutions for unique Lifecycle-related challenges.
Common pitfalls and gotchas to avoid in your projects.

The tutorial code for this course is available in an open-source, real Android application. This application will demonstrate all the material taught in the lectures, and allow you to test tricky lifecycle behaviors when working on your own projects.

So, whether you're a newcomer to Android, or a seasoned Android developer, you'll find a wealth of new information in this course. Enroll now, and join me on this epic journey into the depths of Android lifecycles.

What's inside

Learning objectives

Discover the central role of lifecycles in android app development
Master the lifecycles of the main android components: application, activity, fragment, viewmodel and service
Prevent bugs and crashes due to configuration changes and process death
Detect when android app transitions between the foreground and the background

Handle multi-resume to support split screen and picture-in-picture features
Hack android lifecycles to implement special requirements
Prepare to answer questions about android lifecycles in job interviews

Discover the central role of lifecycles in android app development
Master the lifecycles of the main android components: application, activity, fragment, viewmodel and service
Prevent bugs and crashes due to configuration changes and process death
Detect when android app transitions between the foreground and the background
Handle multi-resume to support split screen and picture-in-picture features
Hack android lifecycles to implement special requirements
Prepare to answer questions about android lifecycles in job interviews

Syllabus

Tutorial Application

Application Lifecycle

Introduction

Course Introduction

Application

Review System

Process

Process Lifecycle

Application Class

Global Objects

Application.onCreate()

Application Lifecycle Summary

Activity Lifecycle

Activity as Context

Activity onCreate() and onDestroy()

Activities Back Stack

Activity onStart() and onStop()

Activity onResume() and onPause()

Overlapping vs Non-Overlapping Lifecycle States

Multi-Resume

Memory Leaks

Activity Lifecycle Callbacks

Activity Lifecycle Summary

Fragment Lifecycle

Fragment Code Review

Fragment onCreateView() and onDestroyView()

Fragment onViewCreated()

Fragment onCreate(), onStart() and onResume()

Fragment Lifecycle Demonstration

Fragments Back Stack

Activity - Fragment Lifecycle Coupling

Fragment View Lifecycle

Fragment View Recreation Optimization

Fragment onAttach() and onDetach()

Fragment Lifecycle Callbacks

Fragment Navigation Libraries

Fragment Lifecycle Summary

Configuration Changes

Configuration Changes Demonstration

Configuration Changes Mechanics

Fixing Background Detection Code

FragmentManager During Configuration Changes

Views During Configuration Changes

Custom State During Configuration Changes

Custom State During Configuration Changes - Part 2

Manual Handling of Configuration Changes

Deprecated APIs

Configuration Changes Summary

ViewModel Lifecycle

ViewModel Demonstraion

Observable ViewModel

LiveData

ViewModel onCleared()

ViewModel Lifecycle Summary

Save & Restore (Process Death)

Memory Management in Android

Testing Save & Restore Scenario

Background Process Limit

Stopping Cached Process

Killing a Process From ADB

Save & Restore in Activities

Save & Restore in Fragments

Save & Restore in ViewModel

Save & Restore in Global Objects

How to Support Save & Restore in Global Objects

Save & Restore and Mutable Static State

Save & Restore vs Configuration Changes

Save & Restore (Process Death) Summary

Service Lifecycle

Service Demonstration

Background Work Restrictions

Foreground Service Demonstration

Service During Configuration Changes

Service During Save & Restore

Fixing Service Lifecycle Bug

Service Lifecycle Summary

Course Summary

Bonus Lecture

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Covers the lifecycles of key Android components like Activities, Fragments, and ViewModels, which is essential for building robust and responsive applications

Explores handling configuration changes and process death, which are common sources of bugs in Android applications and can lead to improved app stability

Includes a tutorial application demonstrating the concepts taught, allowing learners to test lifecycle behaviors and apply their knowledge in a practical context

Discusses best practices for efficient lifecycle management, which can help developers write cleaner, more maintainable code and optimize app performance

Addresses multi-resume functionality for split-screen and picture-in-picture modes, which is relevant for modern Android development and user experience

Examines deprecated APIs related to configuration changes, which may require learners to research current best practices for handling these changes

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Android Lifecycles Masterclass with these activities:

Review Java Fundamentals

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of Java fundamentals, as Android development relies heavily on Java. This will make grasping the lifecycle concepts easier.

Show steps

Review basic syntax and data types.
Practice object-oriented programming concepts.
Work through basic Java tutorials.

Review "Head First Android Development"

Show steps

Gain a broader understanding of Android development to contextualize the importance of lifecycles.

View Head First Android Development on Amazon

Show steps

Read the chapters covering Activities and Fragments.
Pay attention to the diagrams illustrating lifecycle states.
Complete the exercises and examples in the book.

Implement Lifecycle Callbacks

Show steps

Practice implementing lifecycle callbacks in Activities and Fragments to solidify your understanding of the different states and transitions.

Show steps

Create a simple Android app with multiple Activities and Fragments.
Override all lifecycle methods (onCreate, onStart, onResume, etc.).
Log messages in each method to track the lifecycle flow.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Create a Lifecycle Diagram

Show steps

Visualize the Android lifecycle by creating a diagram that illustrates the different states and transitions of Activities and Fragments.

Show steps

Research the lifecycle diagrams for Activities and Fragments.
Use a drawing tool or whiteboard to create your own diagram.
Label each state and transition clearly.

Build a Lifecycle-Aware Component

Show steps

Develop a custom component that observes and reacts to Activity or Fragment lifecycles using LifecycleObserver.

Show steps

Create a class that implements LifecycleObserver.
Annotate methods with @OnLifecycleEvent to listen for specific events.
Register your observer with an Activity or Fragment's Lifecycle.

Debug Lifecycle Issues

Show steps

Practice debugging common lifecycle-related issues, such as memory leaks and incorrect state management, to improve your troubleshooting skills.

Show steps

Introduce lifecycle-related bugs into your test app.
Use Android Studio's debugger and memory profiler to identify the issues.
Implement fixes to resolve the bugs.

Answer Questions on Stack Overflow

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding by helping other developers with their Android lifecycle questions on Stack Overflow.

Show steps

Search for questions tagged with 'android-lifecycle'.
Provide clear and concise answers based on your knowledge.
Explain the reasoning behind your solutions.

Career center

Learners who complete Android Lifecycles Masterclass will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Android Developer

An Android Developer creates applications for devices running the Android operating system; this can include mobile phones, tablets, and embedded systems. This course is helpful to an aspiring Android developer because it provides a deep understanding of Android lifecycles, a central topic in Android app development. Understanding these lifecycles is crucial for building reliable and responsive Android applications and will ensure the Android Developer understands potential bugs and crashes when building software. The course teaches the lifecycle of Android components, such as Activities, Fragments, and ViewModels, and how to handle configuration changes and process death, which prepares the Android developer to write better code.

See salaries and explore the career path for Android Developer

Mobile Application Developer

A Mobile Application Developer designs, develops, and maintains mobile applications, with a focus on either Android or iOS. This course will greatly benefit a mobile application developer who has an interest in Android because it covers the core principles of Android application lifecycles. The course teaches how to handle the lifecycle of the components such as Activities and Fragments and how lifecycles change with configuration changes and process death; the Mobile Application Developer will be prepared to build more stable applications. Those wanting to become a mobile application developer that focuses on Android would obtain the knowledge necessary to avoid common pitfalls.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Application Developer

Mobile Software Architect

A Mobile Software Architect is responsible for designing the overall structure of mobile applications. This course is very much applicable to a mobile software architect because it teaches important fundamental concepts about Android lifecycles, which are critical to designing robust applications. The mobile software architect will be better equipped to build stable applications. The course examines handling configuration changes and process death and provides best practices for lifecycle management. The mobile software architect that understands these mechanics improves the reliability of the Android app.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Software Architect

Technical Lead

A Technical Lead manages a team developing a product or service. When that team builds an Android application, the technical lead must understand Android development to adequately guide the team. This course provides a deep dive into Android lifecycles, which is key to prevent bugs and build better applications. The technical lead can use their knowledge of activity lifecycles, fragment lifecycles, and other fundamental components, and implement best practices. The Technical Lead can greatly benefit from this android focused course.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Lead

Mobile Team Manager

A Mobile Team Manager leads a team of mobile app developers, guiding the direction of the project. If the team works on Android applications then the manager must understand fundamental concepts of the Android operating system. This course is helpful because it provides a solid base of knowledge regarding Android lifecycles, which is a central concept in Android. Furthermore, a mobile team manager needs to understand concepts such as multi-resume, configuration changes, and process death. The mobile team manager should take this course to ensure that their team is successfully producing reliable applications.

See salaries and explore the career path for Mobile Team Manager

Software Engineer

A Software Engineer designs, develops, and tests software applications, often working on various systems and platforms. This course may be useful to a software engineer who is working on a mobile application that runs on Android because it focuses on Android Lifecycles. It discusses lifecycles of components and how to manage them effectively. The course goes into detail about how to handle configuration changes and process death, which can lead to bugs. This is useful knowledge for the Software Engineer. A software engineer can use the knowledge from this course to improve app quality. This course may help build a foundation for Android focused software engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Application Architect

An Application Architect designs the structure and components of software applications. For an application architect looking to lead development of Android applications, this course may be useful because it focuses on Android lifecycles. The course helps build a base of knowledge about lifecycles of activities and fragments, handling configuration changes, and process death, which are all crucial when developing larger-scale Android apps. An application architect must understand the mechanics of these systems; and this course can prepare them for Android development. The content of the course allows the Application Architect to have a better understanding of how to prevent bugs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Application Architect

Software Development Manager

A Software Development Manager leads teams of software developers and is often involved with strategic decisions. Understanding how to build better applications is fundamental to this role. This course may help a software development manager who leads a team that develops for the Android operating system. The course covers the Android lifecycle and how to prevent issues. A Software Development Manager, after taking this course, can guide their team to build more reliable applications. The concepts of configuration changes, process death, and multi-resume are all useful for the Software Development Manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Development Manager

Quality Assurance Engineer

A Quality Assurance Engineer is responsible for testing software and ensuring it meets quality standards. This course may be helpful for a quality assurance engineer that needs to test Android applications because a deep understanding of Android lifecycles is necessary to properly evaluate app behavior. The Quality Assurance Engineer will learn about the lifecycles of Android components and how to identify bugs related to configuration changes and process death. The course will help the quality assurance engineer find and prevent bugs that commonly occur due to the mechanics of the Android operating system. The Quality Assurance Engineer will be able to identify crashes and other issues.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quality Assurance Engineer

Test Engineer

A Test Engineer designs and executes tests on software applications to ensure they meet requirements. This course may help the test engineer who works on Android applications because it discusses Android Lifecycles in depth. The course explores the lifecycles of core components, and how to handle configuration changes and process death, which are potential areas for application failure. By learning about Android Lifecycles from this course, a test engineer can learn to better test Android apps, and find bugs more effectively. A Test Engineer can use this knowledge to create more thorough and targeted tests.

See salaries and explore the career path for Test Engineer

Embedded Systems Engineer

An Embedded Systems Engineer designs and develops software for embedded systems, such as those found in mobile devices and other hardware. While this role is more broad than just Android, knowing the Android lifecycles is fundamental to building an Android system. This course may be useful for an Embedded Systems Engineer working with Android since it focuses on the specific lifecycles of Android. The course explores the lifecycles of various Android components, as well as how to handle configuration changes and process death. The Embedded Systems Engineer can use this information to build robust Android software. This knowledge is relevant to creating solid and responsive software for embedded devices.

See salaries and explore the career path for Embedded Systems Engineer

Mobile Product Manager

A Mobile Product Manager is responsible for the strategy and roadmap of mobile applications. This course could be useful for a mobile product manager who is working on an Android product because it discusses the central topic of Android Lifecycles. The course discusses the lifecycles of the core components of the Android operating system, including fragments and view models. While the Mobile Product Manager does not directly work with code, they need to have some understanding of the mechanics of app development. This course can help a Mobile Product Manager better understand the technical considerations related to development.

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UI Developer

A User Interface Developer designs and implements user interfaces for software applications. This course may be useful if a UI developer also works with the Android operating system. While this course focuses on lifecycles, it may help the UI developer understand better how the UI interacts with Android lifecycles. The course delves into the lifecycles of components such as activities and fragments. By having a better understanding how these components behave, the UI developer can better understand how the UI is built. For a UI developer that works on Android, this course may have useful information.

See salaries and explore the career path for UI Developer

UX Designer

A User Experience Designer focuses on the overall experience of a user interacting with a product. This course may be useful if the UX designer is working on an Android application. While this course focuses on Android lifecycles, it can help a UX Designer appreciate the inner mechanics of an Android operating system. This course may be helpful as it provides deeper knowledge about how various application components behave in the Android operating system; particularly, the lifecycle of Activities and Fragments. This course can help the UX designer design for the Android platform more effectively.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates technical documentation such as user guides and tutorials. This course may be useful for a technical writer working in the Android space because it provides a detailed look into Android Lifecycles. The course teaches the lifecycles of key components of the Android system, and how to solve issues related to configuration changes, and process death. The Technical Writer can use this information to document these systems more accurately. A Technical Writer working with Android will find this course helpful in understanding the operating system in more detail.

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Android Lifecycles Masterclass

What's inside

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Syllabus

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