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DroidPlugin is a new Plugin Framework developed and maintained by the Android app-store team at Qihoo 360 (NYSE:QIHU). It enables the host app run any third-party apk without installation, modification and repackage, which benefit a lot for collaborative development on Android.

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Problems to be solved:

1. Unable to send Notification with custom Resources，eg：

   a. Notification with custom RemoteLayout, which means Notification's contentView，tickerView， bigContentView and headsUpContentView must be null.

   b. Notification with icon customized by R.drawable.XXX. The framework will transform it to Bitmap instead.

2. Unable to define specified Intent Filter for the plugged app's Service、Activity、BroadcastReceiver and ContentProvider. So the plugged app is invisible for the outside system and app.

3. Lack of Hook to the Native layer, thus apk (e.g. a majority of game apps) with native code cannot be loaded as plugin.

Features：

1. Compatible to Android 2.3 and later versions
2. Given its .apk file, the plugged app could be run either independently or as plugin of the host, NO source code needed.
3. Unnecessary to register the plugged app's Service、Activity、BroadcastReceiver、ContentProvider in the host.
4. The plugged app are recognized as Installed by the host and other plugged apps
5. Very low level of code invasion, in deed just one line code to integrate DroidPlugin into the host app.
6. Complete code level separation between host and plugged apps, only system level message passing method provide by Android allowed.
7. All system API supported
8. Resources management are also completely separated between host and plugged apps.
9. Process management for plugged apps, idle processed of the plugged app will be timely recycled to guarantee minimum memory usage.
10. Static broadcast of plugged app will be treated as dynamic, thus the static broadcasting will never be trigger if the plugged app are not activated.

Usage：

Integrate with the host apps

It is very simple integrate Droid Plugin to your proejct：

1. Import Droid Plugin project to your project as a lib.

2. Include following attributes in host's AndroidManifest.xml：

    <application android:name="com.morgoo.droidplugin.PluginApplication" 
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher" >
   

1. Or, if you use customized Application，add following code in the methods onCreate and attachBaseContext:

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        PluginHelper.getInstance().applicationOnCreate(getBaseContext()); //must behind super.onCreate()
    }
   
    @Override
    protected void attachBaseContext(Context base) {
        PluginHelper.getInstance().applicationAttachBaseContext(base);
        super.attachBaseContext(base);
    }
   

2. All provider's authorities value in DroidPlugin's Libraries\DroidPlugin\AndroidManifest.xml default to be com.morgoo.droidplugin_stub_P00, e.g. :

   <provider
           android:name="com.morgoo.droidplugin.stub.ContentProviderStub$StubP00"
           android:authorities="com.morgoo.droidplugin_stub_P00"
           android:exported="false"
           android:label="@string/stub_name_povider" />
   

   You'd better change it to avoid conflict with other instances, e.g.:

   <provider
           android:name="com.morgoo.droidplugin.stub.ContentProviderStub$StubP00"
           android:authorities="com.example.droidplugin_stub_P00"
           android:exported="false"
           android:label="@string/stub_name_povider" />
   

   and change PluginManager.STUB_AUTHORITY_NAME to your value:

   PluginManager.STUB_AUTHORITY_NAME="com.example.droidplugin_stub"
   

Install、Uninstall or Upgrade the plugged app：

1. Install/Upgrade, use this method：

    int PluginManager.getInstance().installPackage(String filepath, int flags);
   

   For installation, filepath set to path of the .apk file, and flags set to 0.

   For upgrade, filepath set to path of the .apk file, and flags set to PackageManagerCompat.INSTALL_REPLACE_EXISTING.

1. Uninstall, use this method：

    int PluginManager.getInstance().deletePackage(String packageName,int flags);
   

   packageName is package name of the plugged app，flags = 0。

2. Activate

   Just use android's API, same for communication between components.

FAQ

FAQ

Remark：

Please feel free to report bugs or ask for help via email. QQ Group:318901026

Who is using Droid Plugin?

360 App Store

Thanks：

Translated by Ming Song（gnosoir@hotmail.com）