Thrift: language independent communication of Android to Linux box

Overview

This document describes programming language-independent, e.g.:

• Java to C++, 
• Java to Python, 
• Java to Java 

communication between Android and Linux server (i.e. Mac, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black).

Installing Thrift Compiler

On Debian Linux:

apt-get install thrift-compiler

On Mac:

$ brew install thrift
==> Installing thrift dependency: boost...==>
Summary /usr/local/Cellar/thrift/0.9.1: 89 files, 4.8M, built in 2.8 minutes

Creating Thrift Definition File

namespace java com.company.project.thrift
service MyService {
    bool enableMethod();
    bool disableMethod();
}

Generate Sources from Thrift Definition File

$ thrift --gen java -out gen ./src/main/thrift/definition_file.thrift

This line tells Thrift

• --gen java - generate Java files (change for C++, etc.)
• -out gen - put output files in "gen" folder
• ./src... .thrift - use this definition file