What is Android ViewPager2?
Android ViewPager2 is a powerful widget that allows developers to implement horizontally swiping views in their apps. It is the successor to ViewPager, with some important improvements and new features.
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Improvements in Android ViewPager2
One of the main improvements in ViewPager2 is that it is based on the RecyclerView widget, which means that it has better performance and is more flexible than the original ViewPager. It also supports vertical swiping and allows developers to customize the behavior of the swiping gestures.
To use ViewPager2, you need to add the widget to your layout and provide it with a PagerAdapter. The PagerAdapter is responsible for providing the pages to be displayed in the ViewPager2 and for keeping track of the current page. There are several different types of PagerAdapters available, such as FragmentStateAdapter and RecyclerView.Adapter.
Benefits of using Android ViewPager2
In addition to the PagerAdapter, ViewPager2 also has several other components that you can use to customize its behavior. For example, you can use a PageTransformer to animate the transition between pages, or you can use a TabLayout to display tabs that allow the user to navigate between pages.
One of the key benefits of ViewPager2 is that it is easy to use and provides a smooth, intuitive experience for the user. Whether you are building a simple slideshow or a more complex app, ViewPager2 is a great choice for implementing horizontal swiping views.
Example Android ViewPage2
Here is an example of how to use ViewPager2 in an Android app
First, add the ViewPager2 widget to your layout:
<androidx.viewpager2.widget.ViewPager2
android:id="@+id/view_pager"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="match_parent" />
Next, create a PagerAdapter class that extends either FragmentStateAdapter or RecyclerView.Adapter. For example, here is a PagerAdapter that uses FragmentStateAdapter:
class MyPagerAdapter(fragmentActivity: FragmentActivity) : FragmentStateAdapter(fragmentActivity) {
override fun getItemCount(): Int {
return 3
}
override fun createFragment(position: Int): Fragment {
return when (position) {
0 -> FirstFragment.newInstance()
1 -> SecondFragment.newInstance()
else -> ThirdFragment.newInstance()
}
}
}
Finally, set the PagerAdapter on the ViewPager2 widget in your activity or fragment:
val viewPager: ViewPager2 = findViewById(R.id.view_pager)
viewPager.adapter = MyPagerAdapter(this)
That’s all you need to do to get started with ViewPager2. You can customize the behavior of the widget by using a PageTransformer or adding a TabLayout, and you can also customize the appearance of the pages by using different PagerAdapters.
Conclusion
Overall, ViewPager2 is a powerful and flexible widget that is essential for any Android developer. Whether you are building a simple slideshow or a more complex app, it is a great choice for implementing horizontal swiping views.
