Migrating From Foreground Services To WorkManager
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The document discusses the transition from foreground services to WorkManager for managing background tasks in Android development. It outlines the limitations of foreground services in newer Android versions and presents WorkManager as the recommended API for background processing due to its simplicity and compatibility with constraints. Additionally, it details the capabilities of WorkManager in scheduling and executing tasks while managing device resources efficiently.
Migrating From Foreground Services To WorkManager
- 1. Aayush Gupta Migrating from Foreground Service to WorkManager
- 3. • Independent Contractor • Android Developer @ The Calyx Institute, working on CalyxOS • Senior Sta ff Member, DevRel @ XDA Developers (Forums) • FOSS Developer & Contributor About Me 3
- 4. Index • Running background tasks in Android • Introduction to WorkManager • WorkManager in action 4
- 6. Golden Days of Background Tasks • Simple & easy, no need for noti fi cations or permission • Deprecated from Android 8.0+, will crash app if used • System apps can still run background services (not- recommended) Service 6
- 7. This is Was The Way • The de-facto way to run background tasks now, backwards compatible too • Needs an ongoing noti fi cation and bunch of permissions • Android 12 blocks starting FGS from background unless a permitted use case Foreground Service 7
- 8. Foreground Service It’s Still Relevant Though • Since Android 14, Foreground Service types are required as well as a dedicated permission for the speci fi c type • Additionally, Android 14 recommends migrating to WorkManager for data- sync related jobs • Android 15 will impose 6 hour time limit on data-sync type services • Other than data-sync related jobs, Foreground Services are still the preferred way to run background jobs 8
- 10. WorkManager The Cool Kid in the Block • The primary recommended API for background processing • Built-upon the Job Scheduler, Foreground Service, and more APIs • Simple to use and manage • Compatible with both Java and Kotlin, no dependency upon play services • Allows to specify multiple constraints to the work as well • One time and periodic are some of the most used work types 10
- 11. Expedited Work Right Now, Hopefully • Expedited work runs immediately on triggering • Requires specifying setExpedited() method while building work • A ff ected by App Standby Quotas and Doze restrictions • Choice to drop work or run as non-expedited on quota exhaustion • Periodic work cannot be expedited 11
- 12. Long-Running Work 10 Minutes Not Enough? • Works are allowed a time-limit of 10 minutes by the OS • Long-running work should be considered in case more time is required • Requires calling setForeground() and overriding getForegroundInfo() methods • Delegated to FGS above Android 12 • A ff ected by FGS restrictions too (permissions, constraints, etc) 12
- 14. Constraints Work, But When? • WorkManager allows specifying several constraints for works • Build with Constraints.Builder() and apply using setConstraints() method • Developers can restrict running works based on metered/unmetered data, battery levels, device activity and more • Fine-grained network control coming in WorkManager 2.10 • Possible to update existing work constraints too 14
- 15. private const val TAG = "UpdateWorker" private const val UPDATE_WORKER = "UPDATE_WORKER" fun scheduleAutomatedCheck(context: Context) { Log.i(TAG,"Scheduling periodic app updates!") WorkManager.getInstance(context) .enqueueUniquePeriodicWork(UPDATE_WORKER, KEEP, buildUpdateWork(context)) } private fun buildUpdateWork(context: Context): PeriodicWorkRequest { val updateCheckInterval = Preferences.getInteger( context, PREFERENCE_UPDATES_CHECK_INTERVAL, 3 ).toLong() val constraints = Constraints.Builder() .setRequiredNetworkType(NetworkType.UNMETERED) .setRequiresBatteryNotLow(true) if (isMAndAbove()) constraints.setRequiresDeviceIdle(true) return PeriodicWorkRequestBuilder<UpdateWorker>( repeatInterval = updateCheckInterval, repeatIntervalTimeUnit = HOURS, flexTimeInterval = 30, flexTimeIntervalUnit = MINUTES ).setConstraints(constraints.build()).build() }
- 16. Working The Time is Now • Developers can do their task in the doWork() method • Automatically ran in background thread • Returns a Result in the end 16
- 17. override suspend fun doWork(): Result { Log.i(TAG, "Cleaning cache") PathUtil.getOldDownloadDirectories(appContext).forEach { downloadDir -> // Downloads Log.i(TAG, "Deleting old unused download directory: $downloadDir") downloadDir.deleteRecursively() } PathUtil.getDownloadDirectory(appContext).listFiles()?.forEach { download -> // com.example.app // Delete if the download directory is empty if (download.listFiles().isNullOrEmpty()) { Log.i(TAG, "Removing empty download directory for ${download.name}") download.deleteRecursively(); return@forEach } download.listFiles()!!.forEach { versionCode -> // 20240325 if (versionCode.listFiles().isNullOrEmpty()) { // Purge empty non-accessible directory Log.i(TAG, "Removing empty directory for ${download.name}, ${versionCode.name}") versionCode.deleteRecursively() } else { versionCode.deleteIfOld() } } } return Result.success() }
- 18. Sharing Data with/from Workers This and That • Possible to share data with Workers using setInputData() method • Also possible to share data from Workers using setProgress() method • Shared data can be observed from the UI using LiveData or Kotlin Flows • Data can be built with Data.Builder() 18
- 19. private fun trigger(download: Download) { val inputData = Data.Builder() .putString(DOWNLOAD_DATA, gson.toJson(download)) .build() val work = OneTimeWorkRequestBuilder<DownloadWorker>() .addTag(DOWNLOAD_WORKER) .addTag("$PACKAGE_NAME:${download.packageName}") .addTag("$VERSION_CODE:${download.versionCode}") .addTag(if (download.isInstalled) DOWNLOAD_UPDATE else DOWNLOAD_APP) .setExpedited(OutOfQuotaPolicy.DROP_WORK_REQUEST) .setInputData(inputData) .build() // Ensure all app downloads are unique to preserve individual records WorkManager.getInstance(context) .enqueueUniqueWork( "${DOWNLOAD_WORKER}/${download.packageName}", ExistingWorkPolicy.KEEP, work ) }
- 20. Final Thoughts Work or Not? • Good but not perfect replacement for FGS with data-sync tasks • Just another yearly migration 20
- 21. Thank You!