1page.title=Content Providers 2@jd:body 3<div id="qv-wrapper"> 4<div id="qv"> 5 6 7<!-- In this document --> 8<h2>Topics</h2> 9<ol> 10 <li> 11 <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/content-provider-basics.html"> 12 Content Provider Basics</a> 13 </li> 14 <li> 15 <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/content-provider-creating.html"> 16 Creating a Content Provider</a> 17 </li> 18 <li> 19 <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/calendar-provider.html">Calendar Provider</a> 20 </li> 21 <li> 22 <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/contacts-provider.html">Contacts Provider</a> 23 </li> 24</ol> 25 26 <!-- Related Samples --> 27<h2>Related Samples</h2> 28 <ol> 29 <li> 30 <a href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/ContactManager/index.html"> 31 Contact Manager</a> application 32 </li> 33 <li> 34 <a 35 href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/ApiDemos/src/com/example/android/apis/view/List2.html"> 36 "Cursor (People)" 37 </a> 38 </li> 39 <li> 40 <a 41 href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/ApiDemos/src/com/example/android/apis/view/List7.html"> 42 "Cursor (Phones)"</a> 43 </li> 44 <li> 45 <a href="{@docRoot}resources/samples/SampleSyncAdapter/index.html"> 46 Sample Sync Adapter</a> 47 </li> 48 </ol> 49</div> 50</div> 51<p> 52 Content providers manage access to a structured set of data. They encapsulate the 53 data, and provide mechanisms for defining data security. Content providers are the standard 54 interface that connects data in one process with code running in another process. 55</p> 56<p> 57 When you want to access data in a content provider, you use the 58 {@link android.content.ContentResolver} object in your 59 application's {@link android.content.Context} to communicate with the provider as a client. 60 The {@link android.content.ContentResolver} object communicates with the provider object, an 61 instance of a class that implements {@link android.content.ContentProvider}. The provider 62 object receives data requests from clients, performs the requested action, and 63 returns the results. 64</p> 65<p> 66 You don't need to develop your own provider if you don't intend to share your data with 67 other applications. However, you do need your own provider to provide custom search 68 suggestions in your own application. You also need your own provider if you want to copy and 69 paste complex data or files from your application to other applications. 70</p> 71<p> 72 Android itself includes content providers that manage data such as audio, video, images, and 73 personal contact information. You can see some of them listed in the reference 74 documentation for the 75 <code><a href="{@docRoot}reference/android/provider/package-summary.html">android.provider</a> 76 </code> package. With some restrictions, these providers are accessible to any Android 77 application. 78</p><p> 79 The following topics describe content providers in more detail: 80</p> 81<dl> 82 <dt> 83 <strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/content-provider-basics.html"> 84 Content Provider Basics</a></strong> 85 </dt> 86 <dd> 87 How to access data in a content provider when the data is organized in tables. 88 </dd> 89 <dt> 90 <strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/content-provider-creating.html"> 91 Creating a Content Provider</a></strong> 92 </dt> 93 <dd> 94 How to create your own content provider. 95 </dd> 96 <dt> 97 <strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/calendar-provider.html"> 98 Calendar Provider</a></strong> 99 </dt> 100 <dd> 101 How to access the Calendar Provider that is part of the Android platform. 102 </dd> 103 <dt> 104 <strong><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/providers/contacts-provider.html"> 105 Contacts Provider</a></strong> 106 </dt> 107 <dd> 108 How to access the Contacts Provider that is part of the Android platform. 109 </dd> 110</dl> 111