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by allenskd 2441 days ago
I don't know how Qt & Android fare these days... I know it was quite a hassle to create background services when I first tried to get into it and there was no definitive answer as I think it was still on the roadmap to add it (perhaps?).

Qt is amazing and so is QML. I still found QML JavaScript engine utilizing a lot of memory back then as well and I don't know if it has been fine-tuned these days.

6 comments

Even with native Java/Kotlin on Android it's pretty hard to reliably run background service, if not to say impossible (most manufacturers make it impossible, and even on Google devices it's impossible on Marshmallow).
Qt6 will have faster and lower footprint QML because JavaScript will be optional.

Also QML will gain type checking.

Is there a timeline or target release date for Qt6 yet?
https://www.qt.io/blog/2019/08/07/technical-vision-qt-6

TL;DR : "we’re aiming to have Qt 6.0 ready for a first release by the end of 2020."

Thank you! I read that page, but I guess I didn't read it properly.
I had to create a Qt JNI app... That was entirely run as a background service. It was quite the wizardry, and did require a little bit of Cyanogen kernel hacking from a coworker.
If you want a background service you currently have to create the code for it in Java, and call that code with the JNI. You can register callbacks for communicating the other direction (towards native code). A pain, but possible.
Could you do a comparison of why using QT js instead of electron/ionic?
It's not a comparison I can do. I haven't used ionic extensively enough to put out a well-thought out comparison that can expose the layers of complexities and the pros and cons of how we can benefit from each technology.

I have yet to use electron tho... I haven't done a personal project in a long time to play with it.

> I know it was quite a hassle to create background services

I think I finally understand why everyone keeps saying that Qt on Android "isn't ready for prime time."