Call C++ library from Java in Android

Question

Is it possible to call a C++ library from an Android app? If yes, how?

I have zero experience in Android programming (some Java programming experience though) but I would still like to know if this is possible. Given the number of great C++ libraries out there, I would be surprised if it were not possible to call a C++ library from an Android app.

Solution 1

Yes, it's possible. You need to build your C++ library using the Android NDK. The new link https://developer.android.com/ndk/index.html

Solution 2

You need to write an Java Native Interface(JNI) to be able to call the native(c/c++) libraries from Android Java code.
The hierarchy is like:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++        
|     Android Application         |        
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++        


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
|  Android Application Framework  |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++    
|     Java Native Interface       |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
|      C/C++ Native Libraries     |
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Solution 3

Yes you can. As previous posters mentioned you build your C++ library using the NDK and use JNI to call it from Java

If you're planning to make several C++ classes accessible you can use SWIG to automatically generate the JNI layer for you

http://www.swig.org/index.php

Comments

[Ela782]

What if my C++ library is a header-only library? (i.e. there's nothing to build)?

[Mitch]

Can the JNI call C++ directly or does it call C that calls C++?

[somebody4]

for reference....just create an empty cpp and include the header