dex file is a file that is executed on the Dalvik VM.
Dalvik VM includes several features for performance optimization, verification, and monitoring, one of which is Dalvik Executable (DEX).
Java source code is compiled by the Java compiler into .class files. Then the dx (dexer) tool, part of the Android SDK processes the .class files into a file format called DEX that contains Dalvik byte code. The dx tool eliminates all the redundant information that is present in the classes. In DEX all the classes of the application are packed into one file. The following table provides comparison between code sizes for JVM jar files and the files processed by the dex tool.
The table compares code sizes for system libraries, web browser applications, and a general purpose application (alarm clock app). In all cases dex tool reduced size of the code by more than 50%.
In standard Java environments each class in Java code results in one .class file. That means, if the Java source code file has one public class and two anonymous classes, let’s say for event handling, then the java compiler will create total three .class files.
The compilation step is same on the Android platform, thus resulting in multiple .class files. But after .class files are generated, the “dx” tool is used to convert all .class files into a single .dex, or Dalvik Executable, file. It is the .dex file that is executed on the Dalvik VM. The .dex file has been optimized for memory usage and the design is primarily driven by sharing of data.