Android Development Essential Training: The User Interface with Kotlin

1h 53mBeginner2019-03-18

Authors

David Gassner

Author of 60+ video-based training courses for software developers

Course details

A stylish, compelling user interface can quickly turn new users into fans. In this installment of the Android Development Essential Training series, jump-start your Android development journey by learning how to design a simple user interface in a native Android application. Android developer and instructor David Gassner shares tips and tricks he picked up in his own career, covering how to define screens with layout files, use ViewGroup components, and define visual styles and themes. Plus, he shares a variety of techniques you can leverage to display images, ensure that your app looks great on a variety of different devices, and more.

Learning objectives
Defining screens with layout files
Using ViewGroup components
Displaying views programmatically
Defining and using string resources
Displaying images
Creating icons in Android Studio
Defining visual styles and themes
Supporting styles on older devices
Supporting multiple devices and screens

Skills covered

Android DevelopmentAndroidMobile DevelopmentGoogleDeep Dive (X:Y)

Concepts

Introduction

Elements of an Android user interface
What you should know
Configure Android Studio for this course

Define Screens with Layout Files

Load an XML layout file at runtime
View and ViewGroup components
Display View components in a ViewGroup
Convert a project to AndroidX packages
Units of measurement in Android

Using ViewGroup Components

Position views with LinearLayout
Manage view positions with constraints
Distribute views with constraint chains
Display views programmatically
Get view references with findViewById()

Display and Collect Text

Manage string values as resources
Manage data entry with EditText
Manage data entry with TextInputLayout
Use string resources with placeholders
Display Snackbar messages

Display Images

Display image resources
Load image resources at runtime
Reduce file size with WebP images
Display images from the assets directory
Use XML-based VectorDrawable images
Create icons in Android Studio

Create Themes and Styles

Define visual styles and themes
Support styles on older devices
Configure Material Design theme colors

Support Multiple Devices and Screens

Create alternative resource directories
Create alternative bitmap resources

Conclusion

Next steps