android accounts & sync
TRANSCRIPT
Przemek JakubczykSenior Android Developer
www.applause.com
Android Accounts & Sync
Why ?
● Storing credentials is problem for nearly every app
● Inventing another wheel?
● It’s simple, it’s easy
What do we have?
● File System
● Shared Preferences
● Database
● Account Manager
File System
● User credentials are stored in a simple file
● Requires boilerplate code for handling FS
● File format
Shared Preferences
● Easy API
● Fast
Database
● Big deal to store two values
● Usually the table has only one row
● Useful when DB queries requires a user
Account Manager
● Higher initial cost
● It’s recommended by Google
● Perfect place to share user credentials
● Authenticator provider
Sync service :)
What about security?
Sandbox System storage
File System
Shared Preferences
Database
Account Manager
Root meWarn user about possible security issues
EncryptionRequire encrypted File System
Let’s sync
● Most apps fetch data from servers
● Can’t block UI
● Triggered periodically
Sync Adapter
● Triggered by Android Service
ContentResolver.addPeriodicSync()
● Implicit and/or periodic run
ContentResolver.requestSync()
● If required can work as a separate process
<service android:process=":sync"/>
Authentication
● Perfect solution for application which share credentials:
- Enterprise
- Products of the same company
● Android proxies queries for authorization (package name)
● Sharing same certificates along apps allow access to credentials “Just Like
That”
Stop talkingKeep coding!
https://github.com/pjakubczyk/AndroidSyncAndAccounts