Preface

Android NDK is all about injecting high performance and portable code into your mobile apps by exploiting the maximum speed of these mobile devices. Android NDK allows you to write fast code for intensive tasks and port existing code to Android and non-Android platforms. Alternatively, if you have an application with multiple lines of C code, using NDK can considerably reduce the project development process. This is one of the most efficient operating systems for multimedia and games.

This Beginner's Guide will show you how to create applications enabled by C/C++ and integrate them with Java. By using this practical step-by-step guide, and gradually practicing your new skills using the tutorials, tips, and tricks, you will learn how to run C/C++ code embedded in a Java application or in a standalone application.

The books starts by teaching you how to access native API and port libraries used in some of the most successful Android applications. Next, you will move on to create a real native application project through the complete implementation of a native API and porting existing third-party libraries. As we progress through the chapters, you will gain a detailed understanding of rendering graphics and playing sound with OpenGL ES and OpenSL ES, which are becoming the new standard in mobility. Moving forward, you will learn how to access the keyboard and input peripherals, and read accelerometer or orientation sensors. Finally, you will dive into more advanced topics, such as RenderScript.

By the end of the book, you will be familiar enough with the key elements to start exploiting the power and portability of native code.