Android Content Providers are components that manage access to structured data sets, enabling data sharing between different applications. They encapsulate the data and provide mechanisms for defining data security through CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, Delete). Applications can request data from or modify data in a content provider using ContentResolver objects.
Content providers use URIs as identifiers for specific data elements, allowing apps to interact with them without knowing their underlying structure. This abstraction promotes modularity and separation of concerns. Additionally, they support multiple data formats like SQLite databases, XML files, or even remote servers.
To create a custom content provider, extend the ContentProvider class, implement required methods, and declare it in the AndroidManifest.xml file. Other applications can then access the data by requesting permissions and utilizing the ContentResolver API.
