The document explains the concept of intents in Android development, differentiating between explicit and implicit intents used to start components and share data. It provides examples of how to create an implicit intent for sending text messages and how to receive intents using intent filters. Additionally, it discusses intent resolution criteria including action, data URI, and category.

1. INTENT
Google meaning - intention or purpose.
StackOverFlow - a messaging object you can use to request an action from another
app component

2. TYPES
Explicit Intents -
You will provide
fully qualified name
of component to
start
-Within your app
01
Implicit Intents –
You will provide
action to perform
system starts the
action.
02

3. INTENT USAGES
• To start components.
• To share data.

4. EXAMPLES
Implicit Intent
• // Create the text message with a string
• Intent sendIntent = new Intent();
• sendIntent.setAction(Intent.ACTION_SEND);
• sendIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TEXT, textMessage);
• sendIntent.setType("text/plain");
• //sendIntent.setType("text/plain");
• // Verify that the intent will resolve to an activity
• if (sendIntent.resolveActivity(getPackageManager()) != null) {
• startActivity(sendIntent);
• }
Explicit Intent
• startActivity(new
Intent(Mainactivity.this,SecondActivity.class));

5. HOW TO RECEIVE INTENTS
• Using intent-filters. <intent-filter/>
• To receive plain text :
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="android.intent.action.SEND" />
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
<data android:mimeType="text/plain" />
</intent-filter>

6. HANDLING INCOMING INTENTS
onCreate (Bundle savedInstanceState) {
...
// Get intent, action and MIME type
Intent intent = getIntent();
String action = intent.getAction();
String type = intent.getType();
if (Intent.ACTION_SEND.equals(action) && type != null) {
if ("text/plain".equals(type)) {
handleSendText(intent); // Handle text being sent
} else if (type.startsWith("image/")) {
handleSendImage(intent); // Handle single image being sent
}
}
}

7. INTENT RESOLUTION
• Action.
• Data (both URI and data type).
• Category.