Building an Android Started Service

Android

1 Create the Service Class

First, create MyService.java. This class handles the background work. Because a service runs on the main UI thread by default, heavy operations should be offloaded to a separate Thread here.

package com.example.android_service;

import android.app.Service;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.IBinder;
import android.util.Log;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class MyService extends Service {
    private static final String TAG = "MyService";

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        Log.d(TAG, "Service Created");
    }

    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
        Log.d(TAG, "Service Started");
        Toast.makeText(this, "Service is running...", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        return START_STICKY; 
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        Log.d(TAG, "Service Destroyed");
        Toast.makeText(this, "Service stopped.", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }

    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null; // Not a bound service
    }
}

2 Register in Manifest

Android components must be declared. Add the <service> tag inside your AndroidManifest.xml.

<!-- Inside your app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml -->
<application
    android:allowBackup="true"
    android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
    android:label="@string/app_name"
    android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
    android:supportsRtl="true"
    android:theme="@style/Theme.Android_service">
    
    <activity
        android:name=".MainActivity"
        android:exported="true">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>

    <!-- Add your service here -->
    <service android:name=".MyService" android:exported="false" />

</application>

3 Update the Layout

Add “Start” and “Stop” buttons to your activity_main.xml layout file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:id="@+id/main"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".MainActivity">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btnStartService"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Start Service"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toTopOf="@+id/btnStopService"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintVertical_chainStyle="packed" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btnStopService"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
        android:text="Stop Service"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/btnStartService" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

4 Wire it up in MainActivity

Finally, trigger the service using Intents in your MainActivity.java file.

package com.example.android_service;

import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.Button;
import androidx.activity.EdgeToEdge;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import androidx.core.graphics.Insets;
import androidx.core.view.ViewCompat;
import androidx.core.view.WindowInsetsCompat;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        EdgeToEdge.enable(this);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        
        ViewCompat.setOnApplyWindowInsetsListener(findViewById(R.id.main), (v, insets) -> {
            Insets systemBars = insets.getInsets(WindowInsetsCompat.Type.systemBars());
            v.setPadding(systemBars.left, systemBars.top, systemBars.right, systemBars.bottom);
            return insets;
        });

        Button btnStart = findViewById(R.id.btnStartService);
        Button btnStop = findViewById(R.id.btnStopService);

        btnStart.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(this, MyService.class);
            startService(serviceIntent);
        });

        btnStop.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(this, MyService.class);
            stopService(serviceIntent);
        });
     }
}

Application Outcome

START SERVICE
STOP SERVICE
Service running…