DalvikDEX
DalvikDEX is a term commonly used in discussions to denote the Dalvik Executable format, the bytecode form used by the Dalvik virtual machine in early Android versions. It typically refers to the .dex files packaged inside Android applications and the tooling that generates and manages them. While not an official separate technology, DalvikDEX appears in documentation as shorthand for the Dalvik-based execution stack, including the process of converting Java class files to Dalvik bytecode and loading these bytecode units at runtime.
Origins and design: Dalvik was introduced to run Android apps on devices with limited resources. The .dex
Structure and mechanics: A .dex file comprises a header, and sections for string identifiers, type identifiers,
Tools, runtime, and evolution: The Android toolchain has evolved to include d8 as a modern replacement for