Xref Aosp ❲2026❳

When you run xref with a specific symbol as an argument, it uses a pre-built index of the AOSP codebase to quickly identify all the files that reference that symbol. This index is generated during the build process, so you need to have a local AOSP build environment set up to use xref .

xref is a command-line tool that comes with the Android build system. It's short for "cross-reference" and allows you to search for references to a specific symbol, such as a function, variable, or macro, across the entire AOSP codebase. Think of it like a super-powered grep that can find references to a symbol in any file, not just the ones you're currently looking at. xref aosp

The Android Open Source Project (AOSP) is a massive, sprawling codebase that underpins the Android operating system. With thousands of files and millions of lines of code, it's a daunting task to navigate and understand the intricate relationships between different components. One powerful tool that can help developers and researchers alike is xref , a utility that allows you to quickly identify cross-references between different parts of the AOSP codebase. When you run xref with a specific symbol

Here's an example of how to use xref :

In this blog post, we'll take a deep dive into the world of xref and explore how it can help uncover hidden dependencies and relationships within AOSP. It's short for "cross-reference" and allows you to

In this blog post, we've explored the powerful xref utility that comes with AOSP. By using xref , developers and researchers can quickly identify cross-references between different parts of the AOSP codebase, uncovering hidden dependencies and relationships. Whether you're trying to understand the implementation of a specific API, track changes to a symbol, or identify similar implementations, xref is an indispensable tool in your toolkit.

$ xref find -symbol android::IBinder This command will show you a list of files that reference the android::IBinder symbol, along with the line numbers and a brief description of the reference.