This page describes the main functions of the Health Connect API.
CRUD operations on record and data synchronization
The platform provides standard insert, update, and delete functions for recorded data. Health Connect also includes functionality that allows client apps to synchronize data out of Health Connect. This produces a log of data changes that shows the developer and user whether certain data types have been inserted or deleted by other apps.
Basic aggregation functions
Clients can apply an aggregation function over underlying data, providing the following:
- The average, minimum or maximum values (for example, the minimum and maximum heart rate during an activity session).
- The sum total (for example, the total step count in a daily interval).
- A simple count of the number of underlying measurements (for example, the number of activity sessions in a given week).
- The total duration on supported data types (for example, time spent in deep sleep this week, or total duration of activity sessions today).
Availability checks
Health Connect is compatible with Android SDK version 28 (Pie) and higher. The SDK allows client apps to determine whether the Health Connect API is on the user's Android-powered device. If it isn't, Health Connect triggers an availability check to determine whether the user's device is compatible.
Permission checks
Health Connect requires you to request the user's permission to read and write their health and fitness data on a per-app basis. It also lets you see what permissions have already been granted or denied by the user.
Reading with Health Connect
Foreground reading
You can normally read data from Health Connect when your app is in the foreground. In these cases, you may consider using a foreground service to run this operation in case the user or system places your app in the background during a read operation.
For situations in which your app may expect an interruption, such as displaying a reading in your application, read directly from Health Connect to your client application.
For situations in which you prefer your app to run without interruptions, use a foreground service:
FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_HEALTH: Allows app to remain in the foreground to collect sensor data, such as a workout app that continues to collect data even when the user puts the app in the background.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_SHORT_SERVICE: A generic-type service that allows an app to continue to collect critical data for tasks that take less than three minutes, even if the user places the app in the background before it completes.
Background reading
You can request that your application run in the background and read data from Health Connect. If you request the Background Read permission, your user can grant your app access to read data in the background.