What is callback in Android? [duplicate]

Here is a nice tutorial, which describes callbacks and the use-case well.

The concept of callbacks is to inform a class synchronous / asynchronous if some work in another class is done. Some call it the Hollywood principle: “Don’t call us we call you”.

Here’s a example:

class A implements ICallback {
     MyObject o;
     B b = new B(this, someParameter);

     @Override
     public void callback(MyObject o){
           this.o = o;
     }
}

class B {
     ICallback ic;
     B(ICallback ic, someParameter){
         this.ic = ic;
     }

    new Thread(new Runnable(){
         public void run(){
             // some calculation
             ic.callback(myObject)
         }
    }).start(); 
}

interface ICallback{
    public void callback(MyObject o);
}

Class A calls Class B to get some work done in a Thread. If the Thread finished the work, it will inform Class A over the callback and provide the results. So there is no need for polling or something. You will get the results as soon as they are available.

In Android Callbacks are used f.e. between Activities and Fragments. Because Fragments should be modular you can define a callback in the Fragment to call methods in the Activity.