Professional Android, 4th Edition

12Implementing the Android Design Philosophy

WHAT'S IN THIS CHAPTER?

• Designing user interfaces optimized for every screen
• Creating scalable image assets in XML
• Understanding the principles of material design
• Using paper and ink as metaphors in your UI designs
• Guiding user attention through color and keylines
• Providing continuity through motion
• Customizing the app bar
• Displaying grouped content with cards
• Using the Floating Action Button

WROX.COM CODE DOWNLOADS FOR THIS CHAPTER

The code downloads for this chapter are found at www.wrox.com. The code for this chapter is divided into the following major examples:

• Snippets_ch12.zip
• Earthquake_ch12.zip

INTRODUCING THE ANDROID DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

In Chapter 5, “Building User Interfaces,” you learned the basics of creating user interfaces (UIs) in Android with an introduction to layouts and Views. These functional skills are the basis for building the UI for all apps, but creating a successful Android app requires a deeper understanding of Android’s design principles, and the things to consider when building your UI.

This chapter introduces you to some best practices and techniques to create user experiences that are compelling and aesthetically pleasing on a diverse range of devices, and to an equally diverse range of users.

You are introduced to the best practices for creating resolution- and density-independent UIs, and how to use Drawables to create scalable image assets—including Vector Drawables.

Next you dive into the ...