When I embarked on my journey into Android development, I quickly realized that a significant portion of example code and tutorials relied heavily on XML for designing user interfaces. As a newcomer, this initially felt overwhelming, especially when trying to adapt these XML-based examples to modern development practices. However, I discovered that Jetpack Compose has become the standard for Android UI development, offering a more streamlined and intuitive approach. In this post, I’ll share my experience of migrating from XML layouts to Jetpack Compose with Material3, highlighting the benefits and providing practical steps to ease the transition.
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Embracing Jetpack Compose as the Standard
Jetpack Compose has firmly established itself as the standard for building Android UIs. Unlike the traditional XML-based approach, Compose adopts a declarative paradigm, allowing developers to describe the UI in Kotlin code. This shift not only simplifies the development process but also enhances the flexibility and maintainability of applications. With Compose, UI components are more intuitive to create and manage, making it easier to implement dynamic and responsive interfaces.
The adoption of Jetpack Compose aligns with modern development practices, leveraging Kotlin’s expressive syntax and powerful features. This integration facilitates more concise code, reducing boilerplate and improving overall code quality. As a result, developers can focus more on building features rather than wrestling with complex XML configurations.
Setting Up Your Project for Jetpack Compose with Material3
Starting with Jetpack Compose is straightforward, especially if you’re using the latest version of Android Studio, which comes with built-in support for Compose. When creating a new project, selecting a Compose template will automatically configure the necessary dependencies and settings. However, if you’re converting an existing project, you’ll need to add Compose and Material3 dependencies manually.
Here’s how you can set up your build.gradle file to include Jetpack Compose and Material3 using a version catalog:
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dependencies {
implementation(libs.androidx.ui)
implementation(libs.androidx.material3)
implementation(libs.androidx.ui.tooling.preview)
implementation(libs.androidx.constraintlayout.compose)
// Other dependencies...
}
Ensure you have a version catalog (libs.versions.toml) set up in your project, where you define the aliases like libs.androidx.ui, libs.androidx.material3, etc. This approach centralizes dependency management, making it easier to update and maintain your libraries.
For example, your libs.versions.toml might include:
[versions]
compose = "1.3.0"
constraintlayout = "1.0.1"
[libraries]
androidx.ui = { group = "androidx.compose.ui", name = "ui", version.ref = "compose" } androidx.material3 = { group = "androidx.compose.material3", name = "material3" } androidx.ui.tooling.preview = { group = "androidx.compose.ui", name = "ui-tooling-preview", version.ref = "compose" } androidx.constraintlayout.compose = { group = "androidx.constraintlayout", name = "constraintlayout-compose", version.ref = "constraintlayout" }Sync your project after setting up these dependencies to ensure everything is configured correctly. This setup provides the foundational libraries needed to start building UIs with Jetpack Compose and Material3.
Converting XML Layouts to Compose with Material3
Transitioning from XML to Jetpack Compose involves reimagining your UI components within the Kotlin-based declarative framework. Let’s walk through the process of converting a traditional XML layout to a Compose-based layout using Material3.
Imagine you have an XML layout that includes a camera preview and two buttons for capturing photos and videos. The layout is organized using ConstraintLayout, which positions the elements relative to each other and to guidelines.
1. Replacing ConstraintLayout with Compose’s ConstraintLayout
Jetpack Compose offers its own ConstraintLayout through the constraintlayout-compose library, allowing you to maintain similar layout structures within Compose. Additionally, by integrating Material3, you can enhance the visual appeal and consistency of your UI components.
Here’s how you can recreate the XML layout in Compose with Material3:
import androidx.camera.view.PreviewView
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
import androidx.compose.material3.Button
import androidx.compose.material3.Text
import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
import androidx.compose.ui.res.stringResource
import androidx.constraintlayout.compose.ConstraintLayout
import androidx.constraintlayout.compose.Dimension
import androidx.compose.ui.viewinterop.AndroidView
import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
@Composable
fun CameraScreen(
onTakePhotoClick: () -> Unit,
onStartCaptureClick: () -> Unit
) {
ConstraintLayout(
modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()
) {
val (viewFinder, captureButton, videoButton) = createRefs()
val verticalCenterline = createGuidelineFromStart(0.5f)
// PreviewView for camera
AndroidView(
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(viewFinder) {
top.linkTo(parent.top)
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom)
start.linkTo(parent.start)
end.linkTo(parent.end)
width = Dimension.fillToConstraints
height = Dimension.fillToConstraints
},
factory = { context ->
PreviewView(context).apply {
// Configure PreviewView if necessary
}
}
)
// Image Capture Button
Button(
onClick = onTakePhotoClick,
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(captureButton) {
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom, margin = 50.dp)
end.linkTo(verticalCenterline, margin = 50.dp)
}
) {
Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.take_photo))
}
// Video Capture Button
Button(
onClick = onStartCaptureClick,
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(videoButton) {
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom, margin = 50.dp)
start.linkTo(verticalCenterline, margin = 50.dp)
}
) {
Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.start_capture))
}
}
}
In this Compose version, the ConstraintLayout functions similarly to its XML counterpart. The AndroidView composable integrates the traditional PreviewView within the Compose layout, ensuring that existing Android Views can coexist seamlessly with Compose components. The buttons are styled using Material3’s Button and Text, providing a modern and consistent look.
2. Integrating the Compose UI into Your Activity with Material3
With the Compose UI defined, the next step is to integrate it into your MainActivity. Replace the traditional setContentView method with Compose’s setContent to render the CameraScreen composable within a Material3 theme.
import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
import androidx.compose.material3.Surface
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier
class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
setContent {
MaterialTheme {
Surface(
modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.background
) {
CameraScreen(
onTakePhotoClick = {
// Handle photo capture
},
onStartCaptureClick = {
// Handle video capture
}
)
}
}
}
}
}
Here, MaterialTheme from Material3 applies theming to your Compose components, ensuring a consistent and modern appearance. The Surface composable provides a container that respects the theme’s color scheme, enhancing the overall visual coherence of the app. The CameraScreen composable is supplied with lambda functions to handle button clicks, maintaining interactivity and responsiveness within the UI.
3. Managing State and Interactions with Compose
One of the standout features of Jetpack Compose is its robust state management. Unlike the imperative approach in XML-based layouts, Compose allows you to manage UI state declaratively, resulting in cleaner and more maintainable code.
For instance, to manage the state of a button click, you can use remember and mutableStateOf:
import androidx.compose.runtime.*
import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp
import androidx.compose.material3.Button
import androidx.compose.material3.Text
@Composable
fun CameraScreen(
onTakePhotoClick: () -> Unit,
onStartCaptureClick: () -> Unit
) {
var isCapturing by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
ConstraintLayout(
modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize()
) {
val (viewFinder, captureButton, videoButton) = createRefs()
val verticalCenterline = createGuidelineFromStart(0.5f)
AndroidView(
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(viewFinder) {
top.linkTo(parent.top)
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom)
start.linkTo(parent.start)
end.linkTo(parent.end)
width = Dimension.fillToConstraints
height = Dimension.fillToConstraints
},
factory = { context ->
PreviewView(context).apply {
// Configure PreviewView
}
}
)
Button(
onClick = {
isCapturing = true
onTakePhotoClick()
},
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(captureButton) {
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom, margin = 50.dp)
end.linkTo(verticalCenterline, margin = 50.dp)
}
) {
Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.take_photo))
}
Button(
onClick = {
isCapturing = false
onStartCaptureClick()
},
modifier = Modifier.constrainAs(videoButton) {
bottom.linkTo(parent.bottom, margin = 50.dp)
start.linkTo(verticalCenterline, margin = 50.dp)
}
) {
Text(text = stringResource(id = R.string.start_capture))
}
}
}
In this example, the isCapturing state variable determines whether the app is in photo or video capture mode. Clicking the buttons updates this state and triggers the respective actions, demonstrating how Compose simplifies state management and interactions within your UI.
Benefits of Using Jetpack Compose with Material3
Transitioning to Jetpack Compose with Material3 offers numerous advantages that enhance the development experience and the quality of your applications. Here are some key benefits I’ve observed:
1. Reduced Boilerplate Code: Compose eliminates much of the repetitive code required in XML-based layouts. This leads to a cleaner codebase, making it easier to read and maintain.
2. Enhanced Readability: The declarative nature of Compose allows UI components to be described in a straightforward manner. This clarity improves the overall readability of the code, making it easier to understand and modify.
3. Seamless Integration with Kotlin: Compose leverages Kotlin’s powerful features, including extensions and coroutines. This integration results in more expressive and concise code, enhancing developer productivity.
4. Modern Theming with Material3: Material3 provides advanced theming capabilities, allowing for consistent and customizable UI designs. This flexibility makes it easier to implement modern and visually appealing interfaces that adhere to the latest design standards.
5. Powerful Tooling Support: Android Studio provides robust tooling for Compose, including live previews and real-time updates. These features enable rapid development and instant feedback, accelerating the design process.
6. Better State Management: Compose’s declarative approach to state management simplifies the handling of UI states. This results in more predictable and manageable interactions within your application.
Final Thoughts
Migrating from XML to Jetpack Compose with Material3 was a transformative experience in my Android development journey. While the initial transition required a shift in mindset, the benefits of Compose quickly became evident. The declarative approach, combined with Kotlin’s expressive syntax and Material3’s modern theming, resulted in a more efficient and enjoyable development process. Additionally, the enhanced state management and powerful tooling support significantly improved the quality and maintainability of my applications.
Jetpack Compose with Material3 is not just an alternative to XML; it is the new standard for Android UI development. Embracing Compose has future-proofed my projects and aligned them with the evolving landscape of Android technology. For anyone starting out or looking to modernize their Android development practices, adopting Jetpack Compose with Material3 is a step towards building more dynamic, responsive, and maintainable applications.
