When using EventBus, we first need to register EventBus:

EventBus.getDefault().register(this);

So let's use this code as an entry to explore the secrets of EventBus step by step!

Let's first look at the getDefault() method:

static volatile EventBus defaultInstance;

public static EventBus getDefault() {
        if (defaultInstance == null) {
            synchronized (EventBus.class) {
                if (defaultInstance == null) {
                    defaultInstance = new EventBus();
                }
            }
        }
        return defaultInstance;
}

Obviously, the design mode of single case is adopted.

Enter the register() method to view:

 public void register(Object subscriber) {
        //Through reflection, get this class
        Class<?> subscriberClass = subscriber.getClass();
        //Through this class, get all the methods annotated by subcriber and return them to a collection
        List<SubscriberMethod> subscriberMethods = subscriberMethodFinder
        .findSubscriberMethods(subscriberClass);
        synchronized (this) {
            for (SubscriberMethod subscriberMethod : subscriberMethods) {
                subscribe(subscriber, subscriberMethod);
            }
        }
 }

Let's look at the findSubscriberMethods method:

List<SubscriberMethod> findSubscriberMethods(Class<?> subscriberClass) {
        //If there is a cache, take it from the cache
        List<SubscriberMethod> subscriberMethods = METHOD_CACHE.get(subscriberClass);
        if (subscriberMethods != null) {
            return subscriberMethods;
        }
        //Default false
        if (ignoreGeneratedIndex) {
            subscriberMethods = findUsingReflection(subscriberClass);
        } else {
            subscriberMethods = findUsingInfo(subscriberClass);
        }
        if (subscriberMethods.isEmpty()) {
            throw new EventBusException("Subscriber " + subscriberClass
                    + " and its super classes have no public methods with the @Subscribe annotation");
        } else {
            METHOD_CACHE.put(subscriberClass, subscriberMethods);
            return subscriberMethods;
        }
}

Next, look at the findUsingInfo method:

 private List<SubscriberMethod> findUsingInfo(Class<?> subscriberClass) {
        FindState findState = prepareFindState();
        findState.initForSubscriber(subscriberClass);
        while (findState.clazz != null) {
            findState.subscriberInfo = getSubscriberInfo(findState);
            //findState.subscriberInfo == null
            if (findState.subscriberInfo != null) {
                SubscriberMethod[] array = findState.subscriberInfo.getSubscriberMethods();
                for (SubscriberMethod subscriberMethod : array) {
                    if (findState.checkAdd(subscriberMethod.method, subscriberMethod.eventType)) {
                        findState.subscriberMethods.add(subscriberMethod);
                    }
                }
            } else {
                //Go else
                findUsingReflectionInSingleClass(findState);
            }
            findState.moveToSuperclass();
        }
        return getMethodsAndRelease(findState);
 }

We don't know what a FindState is. For the convenience of understanding, let's first look at what a FindState is.

static class FindState {
        //Hold the list of subscriberMethods
        final List<SubscriberMethod> subscriberMethods = new ArrayList<>();
        final Map<Class, Object> anyMethodByEventType = new HashMap<>();
        final Map<String, Class> subscriberClassByMethodKey = new HashMap<>();
        final StringBuilder methodKeyBuilder = new StringBuilder(128);

        Class<?> subscriberClass;
        Class<?> clazz;
        boolean skipSuperClasses;
        SubscriberInfo subscriberInfo;

        void initForSubscriber(Class<?> subscriberClass) {
            this.subscriberClass = clazz = subscriberClass;
            skipSuperClasses = false;
            //null at first
            subscriberInfo = null;
        }

        //Freeing objects, memory optimization
        void recycle() {
            subscriberMethods.clear();
            anyMethodByEventType.clear();
            subscriberClassByMethodKey.clear();
            methodKeyBuilder.setLength(0);
            subscriberClass = null;
            clazz = null;
            skipSuperClasses = false;
            subscriberInfo = null;
        }

        boolean checkAdd(Method method, Class<?> eventType) {
            // 2 level check: 1st level with event type only (fast), 2nd level with complete signature when required.
            // Usually a subscriber doesn't have methods listening to the same event type.
            Object existing = anyMethodByEventType.put(eventType, method);
            if (existing == null) {
                return true;
            } else {
                if (existing instanceof Method) {
                    if (!checkAddWithMethodSignature((Method) existing, eventType)) {
                        // Paranoia check
                        throw new IllegalStateException();
                    }
                    // Put any non-Method object to "consume" the existing Method
                    anyMethodByEventType.put(eventType, this);
                }
                return checkAddWithMethodSignature(method, eventType);
            }
        }

        private boolean checkAddWithMethodSignature(Method method, Class<?> eventType) {
            methodKeyBuilder.setLength(0);
            methodKeyBuilder.append(method.getName());
            methodKeyBuilder.append('>').append(eventType.getName());

            String methodKey = methodKeyBuilder.toString();
            Class<?> methodClass = method.getDeclaringClass();
            Class<?> methodClassOld = subscriberClassByMethodKey.put(methodKey, methodClass);
            if (methodClassOld == null || methodClassOld.isAssignableFrom(methodClass)) {
                // Only add if not already found in a sub class
                return true;
            } else {
                // Revert the put, old class is further down the class hierarchy
                subscriberClassByMethodKey.put(methodKey, methodClassOld);
                return false;
            }
        }

        void moveToSuperclass() {
            if (skipSuperClasses) {
                clazz = null;
            } else {
                clazz = clazz.getSuperclass();
                String clazzName = clazz.getName();
                /** Skip system classes, this just degrades performance. */
                if (clazzName.startsWith("java.") || clazzName.startsWith("javax.") || clazzName.startsWith("android.")) {
                    clazz = null;
                }
            }
        }
}

It can be seen that FindState is a static internal Class of SubscriberMethodFinder. The annotated Class is assigned to findState.clazz.

During initialization, findState.subscriberInfo == null, so let's take a look at findUsingReflectionInSingleClass(findState):

private void findUsingReflectionInSingleClass(FindState findState) {
        Method[] methods;
        try {
            // This is faster than getMethods, especially when subscribers are fat classes like Activities
            //Get all the methods of the registration class
            methods = findState.clazz.getDeclaredMethods();
        } catch (Throwable th) {
            // Workaround for java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError, see https://github.com/greenrobot/EventBus/issues/149
            methods = findState.clazz.getMethods();
            findState.skipSuperClasses = true;
        }
        //traversal method
        for (Method method : methods) {
            //Get method modifiers by reflection
            int modifiers = method.getModifiers();
            //If it is public, enter if
            if ((modifiers & Modifier.PUBLIC) != 0 && (modifiers & MODIFIERS_IGNORE) == 0) {
                //Get method parameter type
                Class<?>[] parameterTypes = method.getParameterTypes();
                //Judge whether the parameter length is 1
                if (parameterTypes.length == 1) {
                    //Get annotation Subscriber
                    Subscribe subscribeAnnotation = method.getAnnotation(Subscribe.class);
                    //If the comment is not empty
                    if (subscribeAnnotation != null) {
                        Class<?> eventType = parameterTypes[0];
                        //Judge whether it has been added
                        if (findState.checkAdd(method, eventType)) {
                            //Get thread
                            ThreadMode threadMode = subscribeAnnotation
    .threadMode();
                            //Add methods, parameter types, threads, priorities, etc. to the SubscriberMethods class
                            findState.subscriberMethods
    .add(new SubscriberMethod(method, eventType, threadMode,
                                    subscribeAnnotation.priority(), subscribeAnnotation.sticky()));
                        }
                    }
                } else if (strictMethodVerification && method.isAnnotationPresent(Subscribe.class)) {
                    String methodName = method.getDeclaringClass().getName() + "." + method.getName();
                    throw new EventBusException("@Subscribe method " + methodName +
                            "must have exactly 1 parameter but has " + parameterTypes.length);
                }
            } else if (strictMethodVerification && method.isAnnotationPresent(Subscribe.class)) {
                String methodName = method.getDeclaringClass().getName() + "." + method.getName();
                throw new EventBusException(methodName +
                        " is a illegal @Subscribe method: must be public, non-static, and non-abstract");
            }
        }
}

Finally, let's look at the getMethodsAndRelease method:

private List<SubscriberMethod> getMethodsAndRelease(FindState findState) {
        List<SubscriberMethod> subscriberMethods = new ArrayList<>(findState.subscriberMethods);
        findState.recycle();
        synchronized (FIND_STATE_POOL) {
            for (int i = 0; i < POOL_SIZE; i++) {
                if (FIND_STATE_POOL[i] == null) {
                    FIND_STATE_POOL[i] = findState;
                    break;
                }
            }
        }
        return subscriberMethods;
}

First assign the set held by findState, and then release findState.

Let's summarize what the code EventBus.getDefault().register(this) has done. In fact, it's very simple. Find all classes registered with bus, find all the methods annotated by Subcriber of the class, and save the methods in a List.

Let's move on:

 synchronized (this) {
            for (SubscriberMethod subscriberMethod : subscriberMethods) {
                subscribe(subscriber, subscriberMethod);
            }
 }

The above code means to loop the List we save, and execute the following methods as parameters together with the subscriber (Activity, Fragment) and corresponding methods.

private void subscribe(Object subscriber, SubscriberMethod subscriberMethod) {
        //Method parameter type MessageEvent
        Class<?> eventType = subscriberMethod.eventType;
        //A encapsulated object encapsulates the Subscriber and Subscriber annotation methods
        Subscription newSubscription = new Subscription(subscriber, subscriberMethod);
        //What's in the collection? See analysis 1
        CopyOnWriteArrayList<Subscription> subscriptions = subscriptionsByEventType.get(eventType);
        if (subscriptions == null) {
            subscriptions = new CopyOnWriteArrayList<>();
            subscriptionsByEventType.put(eventType, subscriptions);
        } else {
            if (subscriptions.contains(newSubscription)) {
                throw new EventBusException("Subscriber " + subscriber.getClass() + " already registered to event "
                        + eventType);
            }
        }

        //The number of list s is actually 0
        int size = subscriptions.size();
        //Add the list according to the priority. This algorithm is very ingenious
        for (int i = 0; i <= size; i++) {
            if (i == size || subscriberMethod.priority > subscriptions.get(i).subscriberMethod.priority) {
                subscriptions.add(i, newSubscription);
                break;
            }
        }

        //Subscriber as key, annotation method parameter type as value
        List<Class<?>> subscribedEvents = typesBySubscriber.get(subscriber);
        if (subscribedEvents == null) {
            subscribedEvents = new ArrayList<>();
            typesBySubscriber.put(subscriber, subscribedEvents);
        }
        //Add parameter type to list
        subscribedEvents.add(eventType);

        //Don't understand for the time being
        if (subscriberMethod.sticky) {
            if (eventInheritance) {
                // Existing sticky events of all subclasses of eventType have to be considered.
                // Note: Iterating over all events may be inefficient with lots of sticky events,
                // thus data structure should be changed to allow a more efficient lookup
                // (e.g. an additional map storing sub classes of super classes: Class -> List<Class>).
                Set<Map.Entry<Class<?>, Object>> entries = stickyEvents.entrySet();
                for (Map.Entry<Class<?>, Object> entry : entries) {
                    Class<?> candidateEventType = entry.getKey();
                    if (eventType.isAssignableFrom(candidateEventType)) {
                        Object stickyEvent = entry.getValue();
                        checkPostStickyEventToSubscription(newSubscription, stickyEvent);
                    }
                }
            } else {
                Object stickyEvent = stickyEvents.get(eventType);
                checkPostStickyEventToSubscription(newSubscription, stickyEvent);
            }
        }
}

Analysis 1: what is the subscriptionsByEventType?

private final Map<Class<?>, CopyOnWriteArrayList<Subscription>> subscriptionsByEventType;

First, this is a Map. key is the type class of annotation method parameter. value is a List with subscription. Subscription encapsulates the subscriber and annotation methods.

Let's take a look at the release source code of the time:

EventBus.getDefault().post(new MessageEvent(hospitalList
                        .get(currentPos).getCompanyName(),hospitalList.get(currentPos)
                        .getCompanyID()+""));

Enter post source code:

public void post(Object event) {
        PostingThreadState postingState = currentPostingThreadState.get();
        List<Object> eventQueue = postingState.eventQueue;
        eventQueue.add(event);

        if (!postingState.isPosting) {
            //Is it the main thread
            postingState.isMainThread = Looper.getMainLooper() == Looper.myLooper();
            postingState.isPosting = true;
            if (postingState.canceled) {
                throw new EventBusException("Internal error. Abort state was not reset");
            }
            try {
                while (!eventQueue.isEmpty()) {
                    postSingleEvent(eventQueue.remove(0), postingState);
                }
            } finally {
                postingState.isPosting = false;
                postingState.isMainThread = false;
            }
        }
}

private void postSingleEvent(Object event, PostingThreadState postingState) throws Error {
        //post method parameter type
        Class<?> eventClass = event.getClass();
        boolean subscriptionFound = false;
        if (eventInheritance) {
            List<Class<?>> eventTypes = lookupAllEventTypes(eventClass);
            int countTypes = eventTypes.size();
            for (int h = 0; h < countTypes; h++) {
                Class<?> clazz = eventTypes.get(h);
                subscriptionFound |= postSingleEventForEventType(event, postingState, clazz);
            }
        } else {
            subscriptionFound = postSingleEventForEventType(event, postingState, eventClass);
        }
        if (!subscriptionFound) {
            if (logNoSubscriberMessages) {
                Log.d(TAG, "No subscribers registered for event " + eventClass);
            }
            if (sendNoSubscriberEvent && eventClass != NoSubscriberEvent.class &&
                    eventClass != SubscriberExceptionEvent.class) {
                post(new NoSubscriberEvent(this, event));
            }
        }
}

Enter the post core method:

private boolean postSingleEventForEventType(Object event, PostingThreadState postingState, 
Class<?> eventClass) {
        CopyOnWriteArrayList<Subscription> subscriptions;
        synchronized (this) {
            //Get set from Map
            subscriptions = subscriptionsByEventType.get(eventClass);
        }
        if (subscriptions != null && !subscriptions.isEmpty()) {
            for (Subscription subscription : subscriptions) {
                postingState.event = event;
                postingState.subscription = subscription;
                boolean aborted = false;
                try {
                    //Core method
                    postToSubscription(subscription, event, postingState.isMainThread);
                    aborted = postingState.canceled;
                } finally {
                    postingState.event = null;
                    postingState.subscription = null;
                    postingState.canceled = false;
                }
                if (aborted) {
                    break;
                }
            }
            return true;
        }
        return false;
}

Let's look at the following:

private void postToSubscription(Subscription subscription, Object event, boolean isMainThread) {
        switch (subscription.subscriberMethod.threadMode) {
            case POSTING:
                invokeSubscriber(subscription, event);
                break;
            case MAIN:
                if (isMainThread) {
                    invokeSubscriber(subscription, event);
                } else {
                    mainThreadPoster.enqueue(subscription, event);
                }
                break;
            case BACKGROUND:
                if (isMainThread) {
                    backgroundPoster.enqueue(subscription, event);
                } else {
                    invokeSubscriber(subscription, event);
                }
                break;
            case ASYNC:
                asyncPoster.enqueue(subscription, event);
                break;
            default:
                throw new IllegalStateException("Unknown thread mode: " + subscription.subscriberMethod.threadMode);
        }
}

Let's take one part of the above code for analysis, and the same for others:

 case MAIN:
                if (isMainThread) {
                    invokeSubscriber(subscription, event);
                } else {
                    mainThreadPoster.enqueue(subscription, event);
                }
                break;

void invokeSubscriber(Subscription subscription, Object event) {
        try {
            subscription.subscriberMethod.method.invoke(subscription.subscriber, event);
        } catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
            handleSubscriberException(subscription, event, e.getCause());
        } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
            throw new IllegalStateException("Unexpected exception", e);
        }
}

subscription.subscriberMethod.method.invoke(subscription.subscriber, event);

Finally, use invoke reflection to execute the method!