Android Patterns

http://www.androidpatterns.com/

by mcgin • 15 years ago

147 42 15 years ago

I was looking for something like this the other day, thanks.

ry0ohki• 15 years ago

This is amazing. Google's UI guidelines are severely lacking, so far I've just been looking at other Android apps for some guidance, and many of them are just kind of loosely based on existing iPhone apps. Hope this site continues to improve!

tunaslut• 15 years ago

it's like the HIG for android - cool....linking these to code samples for each pattern could render a very cool manual for android development :)

ashbrahma• 15 years ago

Looks like this was done using Balsamiq. Definitely a handy tool for any designer!

rickleroy2• 15 years ago

No not Balsamiq.

Actually we used Mike Clarke's stencils (http://graffletopia.com/stencils/578) as a valuable base. We added a little and converted it to a 'stencil' for FireWorks.

You can downlaod the toolkit for free at the site. Use it as you like. And of course we will be extremely happy if you add / shareone new android pattern ;-).

OoTheNigerian• 15 years ago

Wonderfully done. Thanks!

daemon• 15 years ago

Awesome. I'm developing my first Android app and this should prove to be very helpful.

Lewisham2• 15 years ago

I just got an Android with that great Virgin Mobile deal, and I was surprised at just how much the Back button is used in almost all contexts. It's severely overloaded: want to get out of an on-screen keyboard? Back. Want to move back a screen? Back, except when it's Google Reader that opened a Browser window, in which case it takes you back to the previous page that Browser had. Back through a menu? Back. Back to a previous page in Browser? Back.

It's as if people just substituted the button for any instance in human language where "back" was used.

What's somewhat interesting is that I found myself wishing that I could just swipe left in order to achieve the same functionality, if I am going to be forced to do it so much. Then I realized Windows Phone 7 uses swipe left as "back" in some contexts. Sometimes you do have to give Microsoft credit :)

tomjen32• 15 years ago

I love the back button, and I love how easy it is to get out of whatever I am doing.

gcb• 15 years ago

"Back" to some random place most of the time.

1. receive email notification for two messages.

2. click notification bar

3. go to gmail app.

4. open first message and click a link.

5. you are now in the browser. (clicking back will close the window, but you want to read it later!)

6. you long press HOME button (hoping to select gmail and read the other message)

7. gmail is not in the open app list (WTH?!)\

8. you curse, click home, find the gmail app, click it.

9. now you are on the message with the link

10. press BACK

11. now you are on the message list (aha! not you home screen you came from!)

12. click the 2nd message and read it

(edit: how do you make new lines without being forced to make paragraphs?)

sp3322• 15 years ago

I gradually realized that I treat the Back button as a game. I have no idea where it will take me, so whenever I don't like what's on the screen and want to be "somewhere else", I just push the back button until I see something better, or I'm on the home screen. It's kinda fun, but very bad design :-)

TheSOB882• 15 years ago

Why is it bad design? Have you ever expected it to do something, and it didn't?

technomancy• 15 years ago

> Back, except when it's Google Reader that opened a Browser window, in which case it takes you back to the previous page that Browser had.

Normally apps like Google Reader open new browser windows when links are clicked. When an application's link opens a new window, back closes the window and goes back to the previous application.

However, the browser has a limit of how many windows it can open, so sometimes applications can't open new windows and have to re-use existing ones. In this case, the history of the window is preserved, so back takes you through the timeline.

It's a bit annoying, but the alternative is either (a) delete browser windows without user confirmation or (b) let the browser grow out of control, consuming more and more resources. There are third-party browsers that choose to do (b) but also warn the user and ask them to close tabs themselves, which is probably a better solution.

tl;dr: close your unused browser windows.

mark_h• 15 years ago

The back button was also the most jarring thing for me when I first got an android phone, from memory. The main irritation was when you hit back several times to "close" apps in a chain... until you got the browser, when suddenly it starts going back through your page history. Maddeningly inconsistent.

I do like the (otherwise) universality of it now though.

radu_floricica• 15 years ago

Or it could close windows but save their history and revive them as needed.

sjs• 15 years ago

The Palm Pre uses a left swipe for the back gesture. I'm unsure if that in turn was based on something else.

SkyMarshal3• 15 years ago

I've had a Nexus S for a few now and find myself thinking the same. It feels like Android needs a good alt-tab like task switcher, which would reduce reliance on Back for a lot of things. Haven't found one in the app market so far.

Lewisham2• 15 years ago

You mean aside from the press-and-hold on the Home button?

FiddlerClamp2• 15 years ago

Back is great, but I wish there was a soft back.

Currently if you press home enough, you'll leave the app and probably go to the home screen. That's not friendly.

My idea for default behaviour would be the soft back: Takes you back through the app you're using, but won't leave the app. If you press back when you're as far back in the app as possible, you'd get a notification (vibration, LED flash, beep). Press back one more time (or twice) and you'd leave the app to whatever app you were on earlier.

Or simply disable backing out of an app and let the user press Home to return to the home screen, or hold down Home to bring up the multitasking menu.

jodrellblank• 15 years ago

If you press back when you're as far back in the app as possible, you'd get a notification (vibration, LED flash, beep). Press back one more time (or twice) and you'd leave the app to whatever app you were on earlier.

:set noerrorbells novisualbell

Don't flash, blink buzz or beep at me when nothing is wrong. Grr.

moomba• 15 years ago

I never really had a problem with the universal back button. The app development on Android is very similar to web development. I'm used to using the back button often on my browser, it seems only natural to do it on my phone as well.

tocomment• 15 years ago

What's the virgin mobile deal?

hippich• 15 years ago

http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell-phone-plans/beyond-talk-...

mrinterweb• 15 years ago

This is a great resource for commonly observed interface conventions. It seems many applications have been ported from iOS to Android and the UI has not been changed that much. While there are a lot of good interface techniques are shared by Android and iOS there are also many differences how Android and iOS applications are used.

ianhawes• 15 years ago

As an iOS user developing for Android, this is awesome. Thanks!

adn37• 15 years ago

Adding code samples (java & layouts) would be even more awesome. Very interesting, still.

SkyMarshal3• 15 years ago

They should make that part social - let devs upload their own, rate them, etc. Github for Android patterns, sort of.

rickleroy2• 15 years ago

We (Unitid / androidpatterns.com) like that idea. Maybe you (this group) can help us implement it.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

wacheena• 15 years ago

Yes. UI is one thing, but many devs out there are using these patterns and everyone reinvents the wheel to implement them.

cpeterso• 15 years ago

How many of these UI patterns are already codified in Android's app framework? It would be cool if these identified patterns were presented in a mini-framework.

JacobIrwin• 15 years ago

Android Patterns does a good job of presenting the basics.

I have the HTC Evo and the Android 2.0 software beats anything else I've ever used. The top 3 rated phones on PCworld are all ran by Android 2.0 software (with iPhone coming in fourth place).

Also, for all you app developers out there, development in 2.0 is your best bet. Androids still have less apps out there compared with iPhone OS at this stage, so you'll have a little less competition to deal with.

chopsueyar• 15 years ago

Is there an iOS equivalent of this info?

fleitz2• 15 years ago

Yes, it's called the Apple HIG. http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserEx...

The nice part about the Apple version is that if you don't follow it your app doesn't make it into the store.

fleitz2• 15 years ago

For anyone interested in the iOS equivalent look here: http://bit.ly/Apple_IOS_HIG

asmosoinio• 15 years ago

Full link: http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserEx...

Android Patterns

Related Stories