Google is dropping the Dalvik runtime for ART, which will make the Android system work faster and become more energy efficient.
The runtime handles the decompilation of all Android apps in real time. Google introduced the experimental Android runtime, or ART, in Android KitKat 4.4, with the company explicitly stating that it will soon replace the old Dalvik runtime.
Tweaks to the open source code of Android that indicated the runtime change was spotted by developers. The Dalvik was previously the default runtime option with the ART as an alternative. The next Android update will likely have the ART as the default option.
Since the announcement of the runtime, Google has been dropping hints that ART will be replacing Dalvik as the default Android runtime in code commits and comments. However, code commits 98553 and 98618 confirm the pending change.
The code commits even came with comments of "Dalvik is dead, long live Dalvik!" With these comments, it looks like ART is going full steam ahead in replacing Dalvik.
ART will increase the speed and efficiency of apps on Android phones. However, it will use up a bit more space on a user's mobile phone, along with longer install times. ART is also said to be able to give a slight improvement on a phone's battery life.
While ART will be faster and provide a better Android experience than Dalvik, it came with compatibility issues with some apps and services during its preview stage, including WhatsApp and several games. The apps were easily fixed to be compatible with ART, though Google did say that they wanted to make ART backwards compatible so that developers are not forced to make changes in their existing apps.
Whether Dalvik will be relegated to an alternative runtime in the next major Android update or be removed from the operating system completely is still unknown. Keeping the Dalvik as an option will make it possible for non-compatible apps with ART to still run, but if the fix is easy for developers, then perhaps removing it completely will allow Google to push ART into a solo spot in the limelight.
Google already made ART as a default runtime in a source code change for the Android Open Source Project, with Dalvik remaining as an alternative.
The Google I/O Conference will be held next week, and there will most probably be some major announcements regarding the future of ART in replacing the Dalvik.