[Android General] Sushant Rohan:
You might be confused of many terms in Android if you are a new developer or new to android. Here I got some meanings of these terms. Please give me some thanks if this topic helps you.

i. Root - Talking root access means that you have gained the full control of your device. You have made the system directory as read/write. When you buy a device there may be some files which the manufacturer deter to modify or delete since doing this may hamper the working of your device. But by gaining root access you can have the control of your visuals and looks of your phone. It is somewhat similar to the Administrator of Windows OS.

ii. The bootloader is a line of code that is executed even before your Android operating system boots up. The bootloader’s code is specific for each make and model of the many Android devices. Bootloaders come “locked” because the device manufacturer doesn’t want you tinkering with the software that they worked so hard to optimize for that particular piece of hardware. Unlocking the bootloader allows you to tinker with the phone’s firmware, or even replace it with a custom firmware (aka: ROM). It is important to note that unlocking your bootloader will erase all data stored on your phone, essentially putting it back to a “factory reset” state, so you’ll want to save any pictures, music, or any other important files that are on your device.

iii. Recovery - Once your bootloader is unlocked and you have rooted your device, you will need a custom recovery. A recovery is a piece of software that is called up separate from the actual Android operating system. Its purpose is to make changes to the Android OS at a core level, such as delete user data, apply updates and more. The stock recovery is limited in function, so if you are planning on modifying/hacking/rooting your phone, you will need to install a “Custom Recovery” such as Clockwork Mod Recovery. A custom recovery will allow you to make backups, restore them, wipe partitions, install custom software and more.

iv. Backup / Nandroid - Once your custom recovery is installed, you will want to make a backup (also known as a Nandroid). A Nandroid is simply a complete and total backup of your phone. It will store all of your data, apps, settings, SMS messages, and more, basically allowing you to restore your phone to the exact state that it was in when you made the backup.

v. Wipe - Now that your backup is made, you don’t have to be afraid of making changes to your phone or losing data, since you can always restore it (just be sure to not delete the backup!). Now you can “wipe” your phone without worry. Wiping is deleting all the user data from your phone, essentially resetting it to its factory state. You can also wipe (ie: delete) other partitions of your phone like the cache partition. It is always recommended to wipe your phone before installing a custom ROM (we’ll get to that in a second). You can wipe your phone via the custom recovery you installed.

vi.Flashing - Flashing is the process of installing some sort of software or code via your custom recovery.

vii. Flashable ZIP - A flashable ZIP is the actual file that you install or “flash” via the custom recovery to make changes to your phone’s software. It is a normal .zip file that contains the lines of code to modify your software. These Flashable ZIPs can be used to flash a ROM, Kernel, Radio, mod, and more, which we will define below.

viii. ROM - A ROM is the main firmware or operating system that your phone runs. Just like Windows 7 runs on your PC, or Mac OSX runs on your Macbook, a ROM is the main software you interact with to use your phone. It includes all the system apps (messaging, email, phone), the launcher, the notification bar…everything really. Google’s Nexus line runs a “stock” Android ROM (meaning it’s unmodified) while manufacturers make significant changes to the look and feel of their ROMS before they ship them with your phone (for example: note the difference between the Samsung Galaxy S III’s software and the software on LG’s Nexus 4) . Code-savvy developers have taken the manufacturers’ code and created their own “Custom ROMs”. These ROMs can dramitically enhance the look and feel of your phone, and often add tons of useful features. Two very popular custom ROMs are CyanogenMod and MIUI. A ROM is made for a specific model phone and comes in a Flashable ZIP file that is installed (“flashed”) via your custom recovery.

ix. Kernel - Unlike a ROM the Kernel does not alter the look and feel of your phone, but is a “deeper” line of code that rests beneath the surface, so to speak. It tells the software how to interact with the hardware.