AOSP 15 Learning RoadMap

AOSP 15 Learning Roadmap

BEGINNER

• Android Architecture Overview
  Learn Android layers: Apps, Framework, HAL, Kernel
  Resource: Android Developer Guide
  Difficulty: ⭐ | Est. Time: 2–3 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Focus on the role of the Linux kernel in Android.
  • Understand the separation between app and framework layers.
  • Draw architecture diagrams to visualize interactions.
• Setting Up AOSP Build Environment
  Install Ubuntu 22.04, dependencies, repo tool, and sync source
  Resource: AOSP Setup Guide
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 3–5 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Allocate at least 200 GB disk space for source and build output.
  • Set up ccache to speed up rebuilds.
  • Keep a record of all environment variables for reproducibility.
• Building AOSP for Emulator
  Lunch, build, and run with launch_cvd (Cuttlefish)
  Resource: Cuttlefish Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 3–6 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Use `m` for partial builds during iterative testing.
  • Verify `/dev/kvm` for virtualization support.
  • Document build flags and options for consistency.

INTERMEDIATE

• Understanding System Services
  Explore Binder, HAL, and native services
  Resource: System Architecture Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 4–6 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Start with Binder communication basics between processes.
  • Experiment with modifying a simple HAL module.
  • Log service outputs to trace behavior.
• Modifying Framework Code
  Add a simple feature or tweak system UI
  Resource: Framework Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 6–8 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Use `repo sync` carefully to avoid overwriting changes.
  • Build specific modules to save time.
  • Keep a separate branch for experiments.
• Running and Debugging Emulator
  Use adb, logcat, and device monitor
  Resource: Logcat Guide
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 3–4 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Set filters to focus on your module logs.
  • Use `adb shell` for direct device inspection.
  • Monitor CPU, memory, and storage usage for performance tuning.

ADVANCED

• Custom ROM Modifications
  Change build.prop, system apps, or add new APKs
  Resource: Build Customization Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 5–8 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Always back up your AOSP build before making changes.
  • Test on emulator first before real device deployment.
  • Keep track of commit history to revert if needed.
• Integrating Hardware Drivers
  Add or update HAL for custom device components
  Resource: Hardware Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 6–10 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Check kernel compatibility before adding drivers.
  • Compile drivers separately for testing.
  • Use logs to confirm proper hardware initialization.

EXPERT

• Android Internals & Security
  SELinux policies, system security, and low-level debugging
  Resource: Security Docs
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 8–12 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Understand SELinux modes: permissive vs enforcing.
  • Trace system calls for security analysis.
  • Keep a separate test environment for risky experiments.
• Performance Tuning & Profiling
  Optimize CPU, memory, storage, and app performance
  Resource: Profiling Guide
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: 6–10 hrs
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Use `systrace` and `perfetto` for deep performance metrics.
  • Benchmark before and after changes.
  • Profile both emulator and real devices for comparison.
• Contributing to AOSP
  Submit patches, participate in code reviews, maintain modules
  Resource: Contributing Guide
  Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Est. Time: Variable
  💡 Tips & Notes

  • Follow AOSP commit and review guidelines strictly.
  • Start with small bug fixes or documentation improvements.
  • Maintain a clean Git history for your contributions.

AOSP 15 Setup on ThinkBook 16p G5 IRX – Part 2

System Update & Essentials

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install git curl wget unzip build-essential openjdk-11-jdk ccache -y
sudo apt install htop iotop ncdu gnome-disk-utility -y

System Refresh Script

#!/bin/bash
echo "============================================="
echo "🕒 System refresh started at: $(date)"
echo "============================================="
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt autoremove -y
sudo apt autoclean
echo "---------------------------------------------"
echo "✅ Last refresh completed: $(date)"
echo "---------------------------------------------"

AOSP Repository Setup

repo init -u https://android.googlesource.com/platform/manifest -b vanilla-ice-cream
repo sync -c -j$(nproc)
cd ~/aosp15
source build/envsetup.sh
lunch aosp_cf_x86_64_phone-eng

Emulator Scripts

#!/bin/bash
case "$1" in
  start)
    emulator &
    ;;
  stop)
    pkill -f emulator
    ;;
  status)
    ps aux | grep -E 'emulator|qemu' 
    ;;
  clean)
    rm -rf ~/.android/avd/*
    ;;
  *)
    echo "Usage: $0 {start|stop|status|clean}"
    ;;
esac

Dual Monitor Script

#!/bin/bash
INTERNAL="eDP-1"
EXTERNAL="HDMI-1-0"

if xrandr | grep "^$EXTERNAL connected" >/dev/null; then
    xrandr --output $INTERNAL --auto --primary --output $EXTERNAL --mode 3840x2160 --scale 2x2
    echo "Dual monitor setup applied: $INTERNAL + $EXTERNAL"
else
    xrandr --output $INTERNAL --auto --primary
    echo "External monitor not detected. Using internal display only."
fi

Automated Monitor Detection

#!/bin/bash
EXT_MON=$(xrandr | grep " connected " | grep -v "eDP" | cut -d' ' -f1)
if [ -z "$EXT_MON" ]; then
    xrandr --output eDP-1 --auto --scale 1x1 --primary
else
    xrandr --output eDP-1 --off \
           --output "$EXT_MON" --auto --scale 2x2 --primary
fi

Collapsible Tips & Warnings

• Run sysrefresh before building AOSP.
• Use ncdu or df -h for disk monitoring.
• Check emulator status with run_aosp_emulator.sh status.
• Ensure external monitor is connected before running monitor scripts.
• Keep script backups in ~/scripts/.

• Do not run multiple monitor automation scripts simultaneously.
• Wayland may not reliably support external monitors; use Xorg if needed.
• Java 11 must be installed and active for AOSP builds.
• Do not modify scripts in /usr/local/bin without proper permissions.

Building Android from Source (AOSP 15) on Lenovo ThinkBook 16p G5 IRX

🚀 Building Android from Source (AOSP 15) on Lenovo ThinkBook 16p G5 IRX

Author: Porfy Vidal
Platform: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Target: AOSP 15 (Vanilla Ice Cream, Cuttlefish Emulator)

---

🧩 1. System Overview

After multiple rebuilds and optimizations, this guide shows the complete setup for a working AOSP 15 development environment on the Lenovo ThinkBook 16p G5 IRX with Ubuntu 22.04.

Key goals:

• Compile AOSP 15 from source
• Run Cuttlefish emulator (x86_64 phone)
• Enable ADB access and app installation
• Automate system maintenance tasks

---

⚙️ 2. Preparing Ubuntu 22.04

Install the essentials and developer tools:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \

  openjdk-17-jdk python3 git-core gnupg flex bison gperf build-essential \

  zip curl zlib1g-dev libc6-dev libncurses5-dev libncurses5 \

  x11proto-core-dev libx11-dev libgl1-mesa-dev libxml2-utils xsltproc unzip \

  fontconfig repo ccache

Optional (but useful) developer tools:

sudo apt install -y htop nvtop iotop baobab gnome-disk-utility gparted \

  vim nano gnome-tweaks filezilla qbittorrent chrome-gnome-shell

---

🧰 3. Set Up the AOSP Source Tree

mkdir ~/aosp15

cd ~/aosp15

repo init -u https://android.googlesource.com/platform/manifest -b aosp-main

To sync specific components only (faster iteration):

repo sync -j1 --fail-fast external/ComputeLibrary external/apache-harmony \

external/aws-sdk-java-v2 prebuilts/remoteexecution-client prebuilts/tools

Expected output:

repo sync has finished successfully.

---

🧱 4. Build Configuration

cd ~/aosp15

source build/envsetup.sh

Choose the target build:

lunch aosp_cf_x86_64_phone-trunk_staging-userdebug

---

🖥️ 5. Installing Cuttlefish Emulator Packages

Download the following from the official AOSP Cuttlefish build server:

cvd-host_package.tar.gz

aosp_cf_x86_64_only_phone-img-14253210.zip

Extract them:

mkdir ~/cuttlefish

tar -xzf ~/Downloads/cvd-host_package.tar.gz -C ~/cuttlefish

unzip ~/Downloads/aosp_cf_x86_64_only_phone-img-14253210.zip -d ~/cuttlefish

Verify images exist:

ls ~/cuttlefish | grep img

You should see:

boot.img

init_boot.img

super.img

userdata.img

vendor_boot.img

...

---

🧪 6. Launching the Emulator

cd ~/cuttlefish/bin

./launch_cvd

Once launched, check ADB connectivity:

adb devices

Expected:

List of devices attached

0.0.0.0:6520	device

Open an interactive shell:

adb shell

---

📦 7. Installing Apps via ADB

To install an APK:

adb install MyApp.apk

For .xapk packages:

1. Unzip the .xapk.
2. Find the contained .apk file.
3. Install it:

adb install app.apk

---

🧼 8. System Maintenance Automation

Create /usr/local/bin/sysrefresh to automate updates and cleanup:

#!/bin/bash

echo "============================================="

echo "🕒 System refresh started at: $(date)"

echo "============================================="



echo "🔄 Checking for package updates..."

UPDATES=$(apt list --upgradable 2>/dev/null | grep -v Listing | wc -l)

if [ "$UPDATES" -eq 0 ]; then

  echo "☑️  No updates were needed. System is already up to date."

else

  echo "🛠️  Installing updates..."

  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

fi



echo "🧹 Performing cleanup..."

sudo apt autoremove -y

sudo apt autoclean -y



echo "🧠 Disk space usage summary:"

df -h | grep -E '^/dev/nvme|Filesystem'

echo "---------------------------------------------"

echo "✅ Last refresh completed: $(date)"

echo "---------------------------------------------"

echo "🟢 sysrefresh complete."

Make it executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/sysrefresh

Run it any time:

sysrefresh

---

🖥️ 9. Display Configuration

Switching to Xorg restored full dual-monitor support.

Current setup:

• Internal display: eDP-1 (3200×2000)
• External monitor: HDMI-1-0 (3840×2160)

Dual display:

xrandr --output eDP-1 --primary --mode 3200x2000 --pos 0x0

xrandr --output HDMI-1-0 --mode 3840x2160 --right-of eDP-1 --scale 0.5x0.5

External only:

xrandr --output eDP-1 --off --output HDMI-1-0 --auto

Internal only:

xrandr --output HDMI-1-0 --off --output eDP-1 --auto

---

🧩 10. Summary of Achievements

• ✅ AOSP 15 environment successfully built
• ✅ Cuttlefish emulator running smoothly
• ✅ ADB functional for app install and testing
• ✅ Automated maintenance script (sysrefresh)
• ✅ Dual-display working under Xorg
• ✅ Optimized Ubuntu 22.04 for development

---

💡 Final Thoughts

This setup transforms the ThinkBook 16p G5 IRX into a powerful Android development workstation. While the process takes patience, once configured, the environment is stable and production-ready.

“Building Android from source isn’t just about compiling code — it’s about understanding the entire ecosystem.”

Guidance provided with the help of ChatGPT (OpenAI) 

Till then!