AndroidAsync
Asynchronous socket, http(s) (client+server) and websocket library for android. Based on nio, not threads.
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A type-safe HTTP client for Android and the JVM
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An asynchronous, callback-based Http client for Android built on top of Apache's HttpClient libraries.
Quick Overview
AndroidAsync is a low-level network protocol library for Android, designed to simplify asynchronous socket and HTTP operations. It provides a powerful and flexible API for handling various network tasks, including WebSockets, socket.io, and HTTP client/server implementations.
Pros
- Lightweight and efficient, with minimal overhead
- Supports both client and server-side operations
- Offers WebSocket and Socket.IO implementations
- Provides easy-to-use asynchronous APIs
Cons
- Limited documentation and examples
- Not actively maintained (last commit was in 2018)
- May require more setup compared to higher-level networking libraries
- Some reported issues with stability in certain scenarios
Code Examples
- Creating an HTTP GET request:
AsyncHttpClient client = AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance();
client.get("https://example.com", new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, String result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("Response: " + result);
}
});
- Setting up a WebSocket client:
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().websocket("wss://echo.websocket.org", null, new AsyncHttpClient.WebSocketConnectCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception ex, WebSocket webSocket) {
if (ex != null) {
ex.printStackTrace();
return;
}
webSocket.send("Hello, WebSocket!");
webSocket.setStringCallback(new WebSocket.StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onStringAvailable(String s) {
System.out.println("Received: " + s);
}
});
}
});
- Creating a simple HTTP server:
AsyncHttpServer server = new AsyncHttpServer();
server.get("/", new HttpServerRequestCallback() {
@Override
public void onRequest(AsyncHttpServerRequest request, AsyncHttpServerResponse response) {
response.send("Hello, World!");
}
});
server.listen(5000);
Getting Started
To use AndroidAsync in your Android project:
- Add the following to your app's
build.gradle
:
dependencies {
implementation 'com.koushikdutta.async:androidasync:2.2.1'
}
-
Sync your project with Gradle.
-
Import the necessary classes in your Java file:
import com.koushikdutta.async.http.AsyncHttpClient;
import com.koushikdutta.async.http.AsyncHttpGet;
import com.koushikdutta.async.http.AsyncHttpResponse;
- Use the AsyncHttpClient to make network requests as shown in the code examples above.
Competitor Comparisons
RxJava – Reactive Extensions for the JVM – a library for composing asynchronous and event-based programs using observable sequences for the Java VM.
Pros of RxJava
- More comprehensive and versatile, supporting a wide range of reactive programming patterns
- Better suited for complex asynchronous operations and event-driven programming
- Extensive ecosystem with additional libraries and integrations
Cons of RxJava
- Steeper learning curve due to its more complex API and concepts
- Can be overkill for simple asynchronous tasks
- Potential for memory leaks if not used correctly
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync:
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().get("http://example.com", new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse source, String result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("I got a string: " + result);
}
});
RxJava:
Observable.fromCallable(() -> {
return HttpClient.get("http://example.com");
})
.subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
.observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
.subscribe(
result -> System.out.println("I got a string: " + result),
error -> error.printStackTrace()
);
AndroidAsync offers a simpler API for basic asynchronous HTTP requests, while RxJava provides a more powerful and flexible approach for handling complex asynchronous operations and event streams. RxJava's code is more declarative and allows for easier composition of multiple operations, but it requires a deeper understanding of reactive programming concepts.
Square’s meticulous HTTP client for the JVM, Android, and GraalVM.
Pros of OkHttp
- More actively maintained with frequent updates and bug fixes
- Extensive documentation and community support
- Built-in support for HTTP/2 and WebSockets
Cons of OkHttp
- Larger library size compared to AndroidAsync
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- May require additional configuration for certain use cases
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync:
AsyncHttpClient client = new AsyncHttpClient();
client.get("https://example.com", new AsyncHttpResponseHandler() {
@Override
public void onSuccess(int statusCode, Header[] headers, byte[] responseBody) {
// Handle response
}
});
OkHttp:
OkHttpClient client = new OkHttpClient();
Request request = new Request.Builder()
.url("https://example.com")
.build();
client.newCall(request).enqueue(new Callback() {
@Override
public void onResponse(Call call, Response response) throws IOException {
// Handle response
}
});
Both libraries offer asynchronous HTTP requests, but OkHttp provides a more flexible and feature-rich API. AndroidAsync focuses on simplicity and ease of use, while OkHttp offers more advanced features and customization options. OkHttp's widespread adoption and active development make it a popular choice for Android developers, but AndroidAsync may be suitable for simpler projects or those requiring a lightweight solution.
A type-safe HTTP client for Android and the JVM
Pros of Retrofit
- Strongly typed API interfaces for easier development and maintenance
- Built-in support for popular serialization libraries (e.g., Gson, Moshi)
- Extensive documentation and large community support
Cons of Retrofit
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Requires more setup and configuration compared to AndroidAsync
- Limited support for non-REST APIs
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync:
AsyncHttpClient client = new AsyncHttpClient();
client.get("https://api.example.com/data", new AsyncHttpResponseHandler() {
@Override
public void onSuccess(int statusCode, Header[] headers, byte[] responseBody) {
// Handle response
}
});
Retrofit:
public interface ApiService {
@GET("data")
Call<Data> getData();
}
Retrofit retrofit = new Retrofit.Builder()
.baseUrl("https://api.example.com/")
.addConverterFactory(GsonConverterFactory.create())
.build();
ApiService service = retrofit.create(ApiService.class);
Call<Data> call = service.getData();
call.enqueue(new Callback<Data>() {
@Override
public void onResponse(Call<Data> call, Response<Data> response) {
// Handle response
}
});
AndroidAsync offers a simpler API for quick implementation, while Retrofit provides a more structured approach with type-safe interfaces. Retrofit's code is more verbose but offers better maintainability and scalability for larger projects.
An image loading and caching library for Android focused on smooth scrolling
Pros of Glide
- Specialized for image loading and caching, offering better performance for image-related tasks
- Extensive customization options for image transformations and placeholders
- Larger community and more frequent updates
Cons of Glide
- Limited to image-related tasks, not suitable for general networking operations
- Steeper learning curve due to more complex API
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync (basic HTTP request):
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().get("http://example.com", new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, String result) {
// Handle response
}
});
Glide (basic image loading):
Glide.with(context)
.load("http://example.com/image.jpg")
.into(imageView);
Summary
AndroidAsync is a general-purpose asynchronous networking library, while Glide focuses specifically on image loading and caching. Glide excels in image-related tasks with better performance and more features, but is limited to that domain. AndroidAsync offers more flexibility for various networking operations but may not be as optimized for image handling. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of your project.
Pros of Volley
- Developed and maintained by Google, ensuring high-quality and long-term support
- Integrated request prioritization and cancellation
- Built-in support for request queueing and caching
Cons of Volley
- Larger library size compared to AndroidAsync
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Less flexibility for custom implementations
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync:
AsyncHttpClient client = new AsyncHttpClient();
client.get("https://example.com/api", new AsyncHttpResponseHandler() {
@Override
public void onSuccess(int statusCode, Header[] headers, byte[] responseBody) {
// Handle success
}
});
Volley:
RequestQueue queue = Volley.newRequestQueue(this);
StringRequest stringRequest = new StringRequest(Request.Method.GET, "https://example.com/api",
new Response.Listener<String>() {
@Override
public void onResponse(String response) {
// Handle response
}
}, new Response.ErrorListener() {
@Override
public void onErrorResponse(VolleyError error) {
// Handle error
}
});
queue.add(stringRequest);
Both libraries offer asynchronous HTTP requests, but Volley provides a more structured approach with its RequestQueue system. AndroidAsync has a simpler API, making it easier for quick implementations. Volley's additional features like request prioritization and caching make it more suitable for complex applications, while AndroidAsync's lightweight nature may be preferable for simpler projects or when minimizing app size is crucial.
An asynchronous, callback-based Http client for Android built on top of Apache's HttpClient libraries.
Pros of android-async-http
- More comprehensive documentation and examples
- Better support for handling cookies and sessions
- Wider adoption and community support
Cons of android-async-http
- Larger library size, potentially impacting app size
- Less flexible for advanced customization
- Slower performance in some scenarios
Code Comparison
AndroidAsync:
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().getString("http://example.com", new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse source, String result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("I got a string: " + result);
}
});
android-async-http:
AsyncHttpClient client = new AsyncHttpClient();
client.get("http://example.com", new AsyncHttpResponseHandler() {
@Override
public void onSuccess(int statusCode, Header[] headers, byte[] responseBody) {
System.out.println("I got a response: " + new String(responseBody));
}
@Override
public void onFailure(int statusCode, Header[] headers, byte[] responseBody, Throwable error) {
error.printStackTrace();
}
});
Both libraries offer similar functionality for making asynchronous HTTP requests in Android applications. AndroidAsync provides a more streamlined API with fewer lines of code, while android-async-http offers more detailed control over the response handling. The choice between the two depends on specific project requirements, such as performance needs, library size constraints, and desired level of customization.
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AndroidAsync
AndroidAsync is a low level network protocol library. If you are looking for an easy to use, higher level, Android aware, http request library, check out Ion (it is built on top of AndroidAsync). The typical Android app developer would probably be more interested in Ion.
But if you're looking for a raw Socket, HTTP(s) client/server, and WebSocket library for Android, AndroidAsync is it.
Features
- Based on NIO. Single threaded and callback driven.
- All operations return a Future that can be cancelled
- Socket client + socket server
- HTTP client + server
- WebSocket client + server
Download
Download the latest JAR or grab via Maven:
<dependency>
<groupId>com.koushikdutta.async</groupId>
<artifactId>androidasync</artifactId>
<version>(insert latest version)</version>
</dependency>
Gradle:
dependencies {
compile 'com.koushikdutta.async:androidasync:2.+'
}
Download a url to a String
// url is the URL to download.
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().getString(url, new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback() {
// Callback is invoked with any exceptions/errors, and the result, if available.
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, String result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("I got a string: " + result);
}
});
Download JSON from a url
// url is the URL to download.
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().getJSONObject(url, new AsyncHttpClient.JSONObjectCallback() {
// Callback is invoked with any exceptions/errors, and the result, if available.
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, JSONObject result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("I got a JSONObject: " + result);
}
});
Or for JSONArrays...
// url is the URL to download.
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().getJSONArray(url, new AsyncHttpClient.JSONArrayCallback() {
// Callback is invoked with any exceptions/errors, and the result, if available.
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, JSONArray result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("I got a JSONArray: " + result);
}
});
Download a url to a file
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().getFile(url, filename, new AsyncHttpClient.FileCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, AsyncHttpResponse response, File result) {
if (e != null) {
e.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("my file is available at: " + result.getAbsolutePath());
}
});
Caching is supported too
// arguments are the http client, the directory to store cache files,
// and the size of the cache in bytes
ResponseCacheMiddleware.addCache(AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance(),
getFileStreamPath("asynccache"),
1024 * 1024 * 10);
Need to do multipart/form-data uploads? That works too.
AsyncHttpPost post = new AsyncHttpPost("http://myservercom/postform.html");
MultipartFormDataBody body = new MultipartFormDataBody();
body.addFilePart("my-file", new File("/path/to/file.txt");
body.addStringPart("foo", "bar");
post.setBody(body);
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().executeString(post, new AsyncHttpClient.StringCallback(){
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception ex, AsyncHttpResponse source, String result) {
if (ex != null) {
ex.printStackTrace();
return;
}
System.out.println("Server says: " + result);
}
});
Can also create web sockets:
AsyncHttpClient.getDefaultInstance().websocket(get, "my-protocol", new WebSocketConnectCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception ex, WebSocket webSocket) {
if (ex != null) {
ex.printStackTrace();
return;
}
webSocket.send("a string");
webSocket.send(new byte[10]);
webSocket.setStringCallback(new StringCallback() {
public void onStringAvailable(String s) {
System.out.println("I got a string: " + s);
}
});
webSocket.setDataCallback(new DataCallback() {
public void onDataAvailable(DataEmitter emitter, ByteBufferList byteBufferList) {
System.out.println("I got some bytes!");
// note that this data has been read
byteBufferList.recycle();
}
});
}
});
AndroidAsync also let's you create simple HTTP servers:
AsyncHttpServer server = new AsyncHttpServer();
List<WebSocket> _sockets = new ArrayList<WebSocket>();
server.get("/", new HttpServerRequestCallback() {
@Override
public void onRequest(AsyncHttpServerRequest request, AsyncHttpServerResponse response) {
response.send("Hello!!!");
}
});
// listen on port 5000
server.listen(5000);
// browsing http://localhost:5000 will return Hello!!!
And WebSocket Servers:
AsyncHttpServer httpServer = new AsyncHttpServer();
httpServer.listen(AsyncServer.getDefault(), port);
httpServer.websocket("/live", new AsyncHttpServer.WebSocketRequestCallback() {
@Override
public void onConnected(final WebSocket webSocket, AsyncHttpServerRequest request) {
_sockets.add(webSocket);
//Use this to clean up any references to your websocket
webSocket.setClosedCallback(new CompletedCallback() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception ex) {
try {
if (ex != null)
Log.e("WebSocket", "An error occurred", ex);
} finally {
_sockets.remove(webSocket);
}
}
});
webSocket.setStringCallback(new StringCallback() {
@Override
public void onStringAvailable(String s) {
if ("Hello Server".equals(s))
webSocket.send("Welcome Client!");
}
});
}
});
//..Sometime later, broadcast!
for (WebSocket socket : _sockets)
socket.send("Fireball!");
Futures
All the API calls return Futures.
Future<String> string = client.getString("http://foo.com/hello.txt");
// this will block, and may also throw if there was an error!
String value = string.get();
Futures can also have callbacks...
Future<String> string = client.getString("http://foo.com/hello.txt");
string.setCallback(new FutureCallback<String>() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, String result) {
System.out.println(result);
}
});
For brevity...
client.getString("http://foo.com/hello.txt")
.setCallback(new FutureCallback<String>() {
@Override
public void onCompleted(Exception e, String result) {
System.out.println(result);
}
});
Top Related Projects
RxJava – Reactive Extensions for the JVM – a library for composing asynchronous and event-based programs using observable sequences for the Java VM.
Square’s meticulous HTTP client for the JVM, Android, and GraalVM.
A type-safe HTTP client for Android and the JVM
An image loading and caching library for Android focused on smooth scrolling
An asynchronous, callback-based Http client for Android built on top of Apache's HttpClient libraries.
Convert
designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot