What is BusyBox? (in English)

[redishbrown]

What is BusyBox and why do I need it? The definition doesn't make sense. Programmer jargon... would like to understand with proper English

 

[jboxer]

What is BusyBox and why do I need it? The definition doesn't make sense. Programmer jargon... would like to understand with proper English

Busybox allows you or programs to perform actions on your phone using Linux (copied from Unix) commands. Android is basically a specialized Linux OS with a Java compatible (Dalvik) machine for running programs. The Android kernel is a modified version of the Linux kernel (that is why the Android kernel must always be open source). Busybox gives functionality to your phone that it does not have without it. Many programs, especially root programs such as Titanium Backup, require busybox to perform the functions of the program. Without busybox installed your phone is much more limited in what it can do.

 

[moeahmad1995]

I made sure I thanked you. Always been wondering what busy box is. Just wondering u need busy box for root right?

Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

 

[Dr. Bogenbroom]

From Busybox.net

BusyBox: The Swiss Army Knife of Embedded Linux

BusyBox combines tiny versions of many common UNIX utilities into a single small executable. It provides replacements for most of the utilities you usually find in GNU fileutils, shellutils, etc. The utilities in BusyBox generally have fewer options than their full-featured GNU cousins; however, the options that are included provide the expected functionality and behave very much like their GNU counterparts. BusyBox provides a fairly complete environment for any small or embedded system.

That's pretty plain English there. If you don't get the gist of it from that and jbox's explanation then you need to spend some time in Linux and a shell environment.

 

[eagle1967]

no

I made sure I thanked you. Always been wondering what busy box is. Just wondering u need busy box for root right?

Sent from my LG-P999 using xda premium

you do not need busy box to have root.
But many root apps as well as settings in custom roms use busybox to run the scripts that make them work. so while you can root without busybox you are very limited as to what you can do with it.
so while you dont need it to have the phone rooted. its still prety much needed to take advantage of that rooting

 

[namklak]

Wow, I learned more in this thread than in many others combined. Thanx!

 

[jboxer]

you do not need busy box to have root.
But many root apps as well as settings in custom roms use busybox to run the scripts that make them work. so while you can root without busybox you are very limited as to what you can do with it.
so while you dont need it to have the phone rooted. its still prety much needed to take advantage of that rooting

You beat me to it. Well put.

 

[blestsol]

From Busybox.net

BusyBox: The Swiss Army Knife of Embedded Linux



That's pretty plain English there. If you don't get the gist of it from that and jbox's explanation then you need to spend some time in Linux and a shell environment.

Always somebody that has to say something like this.
"If you cant possibly understand the simplicity of greatness then this isnt for you."

 

[Dr. Bogenbroom]

Always somebody that has to say something like this.
"If you cant possibly understand the simplicity of greatness then this isnt for you."

Didn't quite say it wasn't for them now did I? In order to understand something you aren't familiar with you have to be taught no? Self or otherwise. What's wrong with suggesting some shell time in order to better understand...shell-like ideas?

Many people learn best by doing. Reading all that you can read from another's perspective won't have the same impact as simple trial and error for the majority of people.

 

[DMD567]

What can you do with busy box?

 

[Pain-N-Panic]

You can resurrect 2-year old threads with a question that can be answered with a quick google or XDA search. It's awesome.

 

[biliskner]

You can resurrect 2-year old threads with a question that can be answered with a quick google or XDA search. It's awesome.

It's even worse when the question he asked was answered 3 years ago in the same thread!

 

[Mohdcochin1997]

Confused

I still can't follow what is the meaning and use of busy box. Can anyone just tell me in simple words what it can do???

 

[Bl4ckr4v3n]

As already earlier stated in the thread, Busybox is light like a Swiss army knife, on the other hand you have a heavy toolbox full of tools with one tool for one job.
If you don't need full options, Busybox fits your needs. If you want full options from a utility, make sure you have that utility installed.

 

[Atharkhan101]

As already earlier stated in the thread, Busybox is light like a Swiss army knife, on the other hand you have a heavy toolbox full of tools with one tool for one job.
If you don't need full options, Busybox fits your needs. If you want full options from a utility, make sure you have that utility installed.

Could you please tell me the top 3 thing which i can modify or useful functions of busybox. Its hard to understand what does it actually do.

 

[rjbweb]

busybox Is in the back ground?

As already earlier stated in the thread, Busybox is light like a Swiss army knife, on the other hand you have a heavy toolbox full of tools with one tool for one job.
If you don't need full options, Busybox fits your needs. If you want full options from a utility, make sure you have that utility installed.

Am I correct in assuming that Busybox works in the background and that no normal intervention from the user is required?

 

[shailesh178]

Busybox allows you or programs to perform actions on your phone using Linux (copied from Unix) commands. Android is basically a specialized Linux OS with a Java compatible (Dalvik) machine for running programs. The Android kernel is a modified version of the Linux kernel (that is why the Android kernel must always be open source). Busybox gives functionality to your phone that it does not have without it. Many programs, especially root programs such as Titanium Backup, require busybox to perform the functions of the program. Without busybox installed your phone is much more limited in what it can do.

Is busybox also need some battery to run.., ??

 

[zigonneux]

You can resurrect 2-year old threads with a question that can be answered with a quick google or XDA search. It's awesome.

ROFL, that is the best joke in the whole forum :laugh:

 

[Gawd]

Let me put some life in this thread.

In the most simplest words, BusyBox doesn't provide a UX(visual appearance) but works inside and makes your phone more compatible for root Apps. It increases the functionality in simple words. So install BusyBox if you have root, even if you don't know what it does. The Apps you would use in the future may require it. It has no harms (am I correct?)

 

[noparts]

OK, I get it; however, I am wondering if I should consider it normal for BusyBox to be running random scripts in my router? I'm no IT, but some of the logs I am seeing look kind of odd. Is this SOP for - say Android on TMobile?