A brief overview of Layout XML in Android. Part 2

Continuation of the article Brief overview of Layout XML in Android. Part 1

1. ScrollView and HorizontalScrollView

scrollview And Horizontal ScrollView are two markups that allow you to scroll content in the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively.

Allows you to view content that does not fit on the screen without scrolling.
Adds a scrollbar when the content exceeds the screen size of the device.
Can contain only one child element or container ViewGroup.

Generally, scrollview And Horizontal ScrollView easy enough to use and designed for small lists or blocks of text that don’t need to be repeated many times. If you have a large amount of data, then it is better to use RecyclerViewwhich allows you to create more optimized lists.

More: ScrollView and HorizontalScrollView – Alexander Klimov

2. FlexboxLayout

FlexboxLayout is a library that helps you create layouts with responsive behavior. It is based on the Flexbox model, similar to that used in CSS. FlexboxLayout is useful in the following cases:

Placing items in a grid or list view where you want to control the placement of items based on screen size or orientation.
Creating an adaptive design that allows elements to change their size and position depending on different conditions.
Development of custom controls, such as drop-down lists, buttons or radio buttons, where you need to control the arrangement of elements depending on the selected options.

Among the advantages it is also worth noting:

Animation support: FlexboxLayout supports various animation properties, such as changing the size, position, transparency and color of elements, as well as the ability to use custom animations.
Cross platform: FlexboxLayout is available not only in Android, but also in other platforms such as React Native, iOS, Web, etc., which ensures uniformity in the development of user interfaces across platforms.

More: Library on GitHub, Geeksforgeeks.

3. DrawerLayout

DrawerLayout is used to create a side menu (Navigation Drawer) that can slide out from the left or right side of the screen using user gestures or by clicking on a button in the ActionBar.

Gesture support: DrawerLayout supports standard Android gestures such as swipe to open the sidebar, making it convenient and intuitive for users.
Flexible setting: DrawerLayout allows you to customize the behavior of the sidebar depending on the needs of the application. For example, you can set the panel to close when you click the back button or when you click outside the panel.

DrawerLayout also has a number of properties for customizing the appearance and behavior of the side menu, such as the width and dimming of the main content when the menu is opened.

More: Medium.com, code.tutsplus.com

4.MotionLayout

MotionLayout expands ConstraintLayout and provides many possibilities for creating complex animations: resizing, rotating and moving elements, scaling, changing transparency and other effects.

Flexibility in customization: a wide range of options and methods for customizing animations, such as duration, delay, and looping.
Visual editor: Android Studio provides a visual editor that allows you to create and edit animations without writing code. This greatly simplifies the process of creating and debugging animations.
Material Design support allows you to easily implement many visual effects – moving, changing the size and shape of elements, transitions between screens. This simplifies the process of creating a Material Design app and provides a consistent and modern experience.