Intro to Workmanager

What is workmanager
What are it's advantages,
When to use it
How to implement it.

Transcript

1. Intro to Workmanager Edward Muturi Android Developer - eLimu @EdwardMuturi_em
2. Background Tasks in Android • Each app in android has a period of 5 sec to respond to user input • Any process that takes longer than that leads to bad user experience and possibly ANR error • We have several solutions for running background tasks in android: • Services: Background tasks that are not tied to UI • Loaders: Background tasks that are tied to the UI
3. Work Manager • A simple, flexible, compatible library for deferrable background work • Intended for tasks that require a guarantee that the system will run even when the app exits • It is the recommended task scheduler on android for deferrable work with execution guarantee • Part of android jetpack and architecture components • We can execute one off and periodic tasks • It provides a battery-friendly API.
4. Features
5. Advantages • Backward compatibility to API level14+ • Can execute one off and periodic tasks • Support chained tasks with input / output e.g sync data and use output as input for db operation • Define constraints on when to run task • Guarantees task execution even when the app is killed e.g device restart • Follows system health best practices
6. Battery optimizations in Android
7. Use cases • Fetching data periodically • Uploading files to a server • Data syncing between app and server • Uploading logs to a server
8. When to use workmanager
9. Components • Worker • Work Request • WorkManager
10. Worker • Defines a task with the function doWork() running synchronously on a background thread. • Extend the worker class to define a worker class
11. Work Request • Defines how and when work is done • We define if work is periodic or not. • If it is periodic we use PeriodicWorkRequestClass if not we use OneTimeWorkRequest
12. One Time Work Request • Used for non-repeating work • Can have initial delay • It could be part of a chain or graph of work
13. Periodic Work Request • Used for tasks that need to execute periodically • Minimum repeat interval is 15 min and cannot have initial delay • Before v2.1-alpha02, you cannot have it with an initial delay • It can’t be part of a chain or graph of work • Since it maintains system healthy practices, execution may be delayed because it is subject to battery optimizations such as doze mode
14. Work manager • Schedules and runs the work request • Schedules work request in a way that spreads out the load
15. Chaining Work • Can have constraints • A chain can have inputs and output • Can be one off or periodic
16. Chaining Example • The three filter-image WorkRequests execute in parallel • Once all three filter WorkRequests are finished (and only if all three finish), the compressWorkRequest happens, followed by the uploadWorkRequest.
17. Constraints • Defines how and when work should be done
18. Q & A Q & A
19. Resources • https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/workmanager-periodicity-ff3 5185ff006 • https://medium.com/androiddevelopers/introducing-workmanager-2 083bcfc4712 • https://developer.android.com/topic/libraries/architecture/workmana ger/how-to/define-work • https://proandroiddev.com/workout-your-tasks-with-workmanager-m ain-components-1c0c66317a3e • https://proandroiddev.com/workout-your-tasks-with-workmanager-in tro-db5aefe14d66 • https://codelabs.developers.google.com/codelabs/android-workman ager/#0 • https://proandroiddev.com/experiments-with-android-workmanager- our-new-reliable-assistant-for-deferrable-background-work-9baeb6b d7db3 • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe_yqM16hPQ&t=3s • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrKoBFLwTN0&t=247s