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I have a SyncAdapter overloading onPerformSync. In that method, I'd like to access sharedpreferences to get and put settings. As I understand it, for that I need access to a context. The SyncAdapter onPerformSync has a bundle argument, and maybe I could send the context that way.

In a similar problem, I have another base class (not a service or activity) for which I'm also interested in using sharedPreferences. For this, I would either need to pass the context to a method in the class, or instantiate it with the context that is then saved as a private member.

In both of these cases, I understand that keeping and using a context beyond the lifecycle of the activity or service associated with the context can lead to memory leaks.

In my case, my application can begin with either a broadcastreceiver or the main activity. The broadcast receiver starts a background process, and the main activity just starts the main activity. Whichever opens first registers periodic SyncAdapter updates and opens the other class. So if I were to pass the context of the calling activity or service, what happens if either one of them then closes? The SyncAdapter or base class would use an outdated context, and...memory leak? Or would the context revert to whatever remains running?

I also saw the solution to this: (Static way to get 'Context' on Android?), but would that fix anything? I'd then have an activity context, an application context, and a service context. Same problem right? The SyncAdapter may end up holding on to a context that has closed, no?

Based on the first answer here (SharedPreferences application context vs activity context) I'm tempted to go with the application singleton listed in the previous link, but I want to make sure. Thanks

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james proctor
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I think what you want to do is to create a Service to manage the SyncAdapter like mentioned here. That way, the Context passed to the Service should be valid while the SyncAdapter is running.

The link shows that you would pass Service.getApplicationContext() to the SyncAdapter constructor. Then you could store that Context as a field in the SyncAdapter and use it when you need to. That Context should be valid for as long as you need it.

When the app and / or the SyncAdapter get GC'd, they should build a new SyncAdapter with a new Context the next time you need it.

Leo Landau
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