CM Wiki上的解释:
The dalvik-cache directory holds all of the pre-compiled .dex files created from the .apk and .jar files in your phone. These files are generated whenever the Dalvik virtual machine detects that the existing .dex files were made with an older version, typically whenever you install/upgrade CM. (This is why first boot of an upgrade takes longer than a normal boot.)
Deleting the dalvik-cache directory can fix some bugs like apps starting and crashing (not necessarily force closing). However, there is no reason to ‘clear the dalvik-cache’ like you would clear the browser cache. Once generated these files are static and only added to if you install new apps.
Cyanogen在xda的回答:
When Android starts up, the DalvikVM looks thru all of your applications (.apk files) and frameworks, and builds a tree of dependencies. It uses this dependency tree to optimize the bytecode for every application and stores it in the Dalvik cache. The applications are then run using the optimized bytecode. This is why when you install a new ROM, sometimes it takes a very long time to boot for the first time. Any time an application (or framework library) changes, it’s reoptimized and the cache is updated.
通过dalvik cache是什么东西啊?wipe它有什么影响吗? – HTC Hero G3 论坛 – 机锋论坛gfan.com.