How to use the Android NDK to build ArmNN

Introduction

These are step by step instructions for using the Android NDK to build ArmNN. They have been tested on a clean install of Ubuntu 18.04, and should also work with other OS versions. The instructions show how to build the ArmNN core library and the optional TensorFlow parser. All downloaded or generated files will be saved inside the ~/armnn-devenv directory.

Download the Android NDK and make a standalone toolchain

  • Download the Android NDK from the official website:

    mkdir -p ~/armnn-devenv/toolchains
    cd ~/armnn-devenv/toolchains
    # For Mac OS, change the NDK download link accordingly.
    wget https://dl.google.com/android/repository/android-ndk-r20b-linux-x86_64.zip
    unzip android-ndk-r20b-linux-x86_64.zip
    export NDK=~/armnn-devenv/android-ndk-r20b
    export NDK_TOOLCHAIN_ROOT=$NDK/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64
    export PATH=$NDK_TOOLCHAIN_ROOT/bin/:$PATH
    

    You may want to append the above export variables commands to your ~/.bashrc (or ~/.bash_profile in Mac OS).

  • With the android ndk-20b, you don‘t need to use the make_standalone_toolchain script to create a toolchain for a specific version of android. Android’s current preference is for you to just specify the architecture and operating system while setting the compiler and just use the ndk directory.

Build the Boost C++ libraries

  • Download Boost version 1.64:

    mkdir ~/armnn-devenv/boost
    cd ~/armnn-devenv/boost
    wget https://dl.bintray.com/boostorg/release/1.64.0/source/boost_1_64_0.tar.bz2
    tar xvf boost_1_64_0.tar.bz2
    
  • Build:

    (Requires clang if not previously installed: sudo apt-get install clang)

    	echo "using clang : arm : aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang++ ;" > $HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/user-config.jam
    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/boost/boost_1_64_0
    	./bootstrap.sh --prefix=$HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/install
    	./b2 install --user-config=$HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/user-config.jam \
     toolset=clang-arm link=static cxxflags=-fPIC \
    	 --with-test --with-log --with-program_options -j16
    

Note: You can specify the ‘Android_API’ version you want. For example, if your ANDROID_API is 27 then the compiler will be aarch64-linux-android27-clang++.

Build the Compute Library

  • Clone the Compute Library:

    (Requires Git if not previously installed: sudo apt install git)

    	cd ~/armnn-devenv
    	git clone https://github.com/ARM-software/ComputeLibrary.git
    
  • Checkout ComputeLibrary branch: bash cd ComputeLibrary git checkout <branch_name> git pull For example, if you want to checkout release branch of 20.02: bash git checkout branches/arm_compute_20_02 git pull

  • Build:

    (Requires SCons if not previously installed: sudo apt install scons)

    	scons arch=arm64-v8a neon=1 opencl=1 embed_kernels=1 extra_cxx_flags="-fPIC" \
    	 benchmark_tests=0 validation_tests=0 os=android -j16
    

Build Google's Protobuf library

  • Clone protobuf:

    	mkdir ~/armnn-devenv/google
    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/google
    	git clone https://github.com/google/protobuf.git
    	cd protobuf
    	git checkout -b v3.5.2 v3.5.2
    
  • Build a native (x86) version of the protobuf libraries and compiler (protoc):

    (Requires cUrl, autoconf, llibtool, and other build dependencies if not previously installed: sudo apt install curl autoconf libtool build-essential g++)

    	./autogen.sh
    	mkdir x86_build
    	cd x86_build
    	../configure --prefix=$HOME/armnn-devenv/google/x86_pb_install
    	make install -j16
    	cd ..
    
  • Build the arm64 version of the protobuf libraries:

    	mkdir arm64_build
    	cd arm64_build
    	CC=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang \
    	CXX=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang++ \
    	CFLAGS="-fPIE -fPIC" \
         LDFLAGS="-llog -lz -lc++_static" \
        ../configure --host=aarch64-linux-android \
        --prefix=$HOME/armnn-devenv/google/arm64_pb_install \
        --enable-cross-compile \
        --with-protoc=$HOME/armnn-devenv/google/x86_pb_install/bin/protoc
    	make install -j16
    	cd ..
    

Download TensorFlow

  • Clone TensorFlow source code:

    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/google/
    	git clone https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow.git
        cd tensorflow/
        git checkout 590d6eef7e91a6a7392c8ffffb7b58f2e0c8bc6b
    

    You need tensorflow/contrib/makefile/tf_proto_files.txt from TensorFlow to generate TensorFlow protobuf definitions. This file is not available in TensorFlow master branch.

Build ArmNN

  • Clone ArmNN source code:

    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/
    	git clone https://github.com/ARM-software/armnn.git
    
  • Checkout ArmNN branch:

      ```bash
      cd armnn
      git checkout <branch_name>
      git pull
      ```
    
      For example, if you want to checkout release branch of 20.02:
      ```bash
      git checkout branches/armnn_20_02
      git pull
      ```
    
  • Generate TensorFlow protobuf definitions:

    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/google/tensorflow
    	~/armnn-devenv/armnn/scripts/generate_tensorflow_protobuf.sh \
    	 $HOME/armnn-devenv/google/tf_pb $HOME/armnn-devenv/google/x86_pb_install
    
  • Build ArmNN:

    (Requires CMake if not previously installed: sudo apt install cmake)

    	mkdir ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build
    	cd ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build
    	CXX=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang++ \
    	CC=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang \
    	CXX_FLAGS="-fPIE -fPIC" \
    	cmake .. \
        -DCMAKE_ANDROID_NDK=$NDK \
        -DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Android \
        -DCMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION=<Android_API> \
        -DCMAKE_ANDROID_ARCH_ABI=arm64-v8a \
        -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS="-pie -llog -lz" \
        -DARMCOMPUTE_ROOT=$HOME/armnn-devenv/ComputeLibrary/ \
        -DARMCOMPUTE_BUILD_DIR=$HOME/armnn-devenv/ComputeLibrary/build \
        -DBOOST_ROOT=$HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/install/ \
        -DARMCOMPUTENEON=1 -DARMCOMPUTECL=1 -DARMNNREF=1 \
        -DTF_GENERATED_SOURCES=$HOME/armnn-devenv/google/tf_pb/ -DBUILD_TF_PARSER=1 \
        -DPROTOBUF_ROOT=$HOME/armnn-devenv/google/arm64_pb_install/
    

    To include standalone sample dynamic backend tests, add the argument to enable the tests and the dynamic backend path to the CMake command:

    -DSAMPLE_DYNAMIC_BACKEND=1 \
    -DDYNAMIC_BACKEND_PATHS=$SAMPLE_DYNAMIC_BACKEND_PATH
    

    Where $SAMPLE_DYNAMIC_BACKEND_PATH is the path where libArm_SampleDynamic_backend.so library file is pushed

  • Run the build

    make -j16
    

Build Standalone Sample Dynamic Backend

  • The sample dynamic backend is located in armnn/src/dynamic/sample

    mkdir build
    cd build
    
  • Use CMake to configure the build environment, update the following script and run it from the armnn/src/dynamic/sample/build directory to set up the armNN build:

    #!/bin/bash
    CXX=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang++ \
    CC=aarch64-linux-android<Android_API>-clang \
    CXX_FLAGS="-fPIE -fPIC" \
    cmake \
    -DCMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME=Android \
    -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS=--std=c++14 \
    -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS="-pie -llog" \
    -DCMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS="-llog" \
    -DBOOST_ROOT=$HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/install \
    -DBoost_SYSTEM_LIBRARY=$HOME/armnn-devenv/boost/install/lib/libboost_system.a \
    -DARMNN_PATH=$HOME/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/libarmnn.so ..
    
  • Run the build

    make
    

Run the ArmNN unit tests on an Android device

  • Push the build results to an Android device and make symbolic links for shared libraries: Currently adb version we have used for testing is 1.0.41.

    	adb push libarmnnTfParser.so /data/local/tmp/
    	adb push libarmnn.so /data/local/tmp/
        adb push libtimelineDecoder.so /data/local/tmp/
    	adb push UnitTests /data/local/tmp/
    	adb push $NDK/sources/cxx-stl/llvm-libc++/libs/arm64-v8a/libc++_shared.so /data/local/tmp/
    	adb push $HOME/armnn-devenv/google/arm64_pb_install/lib/libprotobuf.so /data/local/tmp/libprotobuf.so.15.0.1
    	adb shell 'ln -s libprotobuf.so.15.0.1 /data/local/tmp/libprotobuf.so.15'
    	adb shell 'ln -s libprotobuf.so.15.0.1 /data/local/tmp/libprotobuf.so'
    
  • Push the files needed for the unit tests (they are a mix of files, directories and symbolic links):

    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testSharedObject
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testSharedObject/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testSharedObject/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testDynamicBackend
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testDynamicBackend/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/testDynamicBackend/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath1
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath1/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath1/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/
    	adb shell ln -s Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so.1
    	adb shell ln -s Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so.1 /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so.1.2
    	adb shell ln -s Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so.1.2 /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_CpuAcc_backend.so.1.2.3
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_GpuAcc_backend.so /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/
    	adb shell ln -s nothing /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath2/Arm_no_backend.so
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath3
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath5
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath5/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath5/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath6
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath6/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath6/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath7
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath9
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath9/* /data/local/tmp/src/backends/backendsCommon/test/backendsTestPath9/
    
    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/src/backends/dynamic/reference
    	adb push -p ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/src/backends/dynamic/reference/Arm_CpuRef_backend.so /data/local/tmp/src/backends/dynamic/reference/
    

    If the standalone sample dynamic tests are enabled, also push libArm_SampleDynamic_backend.so library file to the folder specified as $SAMPLE_DYNAMIC_BACKEND_PATH when ArmNN is built. This is the example when $SAMPLE_DYNAMIC_BACKEND_PATH is specified as /data/local/tmp/dynamic/sample/:

    	adb shell mkdir -p /data/local/tmp/dynamic/sample/
    	adb push -p ${WORKING_DIR}/armnn/src/dynamic/sample/build/libArm_SampleDynamic_backend.so /data/local/tmp/dynamic/sample/
    
  • Run ArmNN unit tests:

    	adb shell 'LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/data/local/tmp:/vendor/lib64:/vendor/lib64/egl /data/local/tmp/UnitTests'
    

    If libarmnnUtils.a is present in ~/armnn-devenv/armnn/build/ and the unit tests run without failure then the build was successful.