tools/projects/templates.jd

page.title=Using Code Templates
@jd:body

  <div id="qv-wrapper">
    <div id="qv">
      <h2>In this document</h2>

      <ol>
        <li><a href="#app-templates">Application Templates</a>
          <ol>
            <li><a href="#blank-activity">BlankActivity Template</a></li>
            <li><a href="#full-screen-activity">Full Screen Activity Template</a></li>
            <li><a href="#master-detail-activity">Master Detail Flow Template</a></li>
          </ol>
        </li>

        <li><a href="#activity-templates">Activity Templates</a>
          <ol>
            <li><a href="#login-activity">Login Activity Template</a></li>
            <li><a href="#settings-activity">Settings Activity Template</a></li>
          </ol>
        </li>
        <li><a href="#object-templates">Other Templates</a></li>
      </ol>

    </div>
  </div>


<p>The SDK tools provide templates for quickly creating Android application projects with the basic
  structure or for adding components to your existing projects. The code templates
  provided by the Android SDK follow the Android design and development guidelines to get you on the
  right track to creating a beautiful, functional application.</p>

<p>There are several types of Android code templates, which can create anything from an entire
  application down to specific application components. The main categories of code templates are as
  follows:</p>

<ul>
  <li><a href="#app-templates">Application Templates</a></li>
  <li><a href="#activity-templates">Activity Templates</a></li>
  <li><a href="#object-templates">Other Templates</a></li>
</ul>


<h2 id="app-templates">Application Templates</h2>

<p>Application templates create basic Android applications that you can immediately run and test
  on your Android device. These templates are available when you create a new Android project,
  though you can also use these templates to <a href="#activity-templates">add new activities</a>
  to an existing project.</p>

<p>To use Android application templates:</p>

<ol>
  <li>In Eclipse, with the Android Development Tools (ADT) plugin installed, select <strong>File
    &gt; New &gt; Android</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select <strong>Android &gt; Android Application Project</strong>, and click
    <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Enter the settings for your application, including <strong>Application Name</strong>,
    <strong>Project Name</strong>, <strong>Package Name</strong>, API level settings and
    presentation <strong>Theme</strong>, and click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Enter the project configuration options, and click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Optionally enter launcher icon settings, and click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>In the <strong>Create Activity</strong> page, select an application template to use.
    <ul>
      <li><a href="#blank-activity">BlankActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#full-screen-activity">FullScreenActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#master-detail-activity">MasterDetailFlow</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ol>

<p class="note">
  <strong>Note:</strong> The other activity template options also create applications, however these
  applications require further modification before they can be launched on an Android device.
</p>


<h3 id="blank-activity">Blank Activity Template</h3>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th width="206px">Example</th>

    <th>Description</th>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/ba-no-navigation.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>The <strong>BlankActivity</strong> template with the <strong>Navigation Type:
      None</strong> option creates a simple application that follows the
      <a href="{@docRoot}design/index.html">Android Design</a> guidelines. Use this template to
      create a basic, minimal app as a starting point for your project.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>Title bar ({@link android.app.ActionBar} on Android 3.0 and later)</li>
        <li>Options menu (action overflow on Android 3.0 and later) </li>
        <li>Basic layout</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/ba-tabs.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>The <strong>BlankActivity</strong> template with the <strong>Navigation Type:
      Tabs</strong> or <strong>Tabs + Swipe</strong> option creates an application with
      three sections based on the {@link android.app.Fragment} class and a tabbed user
      interface.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>{@link android.app.ActionBar} for tab controls</li>
        <li>{@link android.app.Fragment} objects for section content</li>
        <li>Optional swipe gesture support based on the
          <a href="{@docRoot}design/patterns/swipe-views.html">swipe view</a> design pattern,
          which extends {@link android.support.v4.app.FragmentPagerAdapter} to manage section
          fragments</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/ba-title-strip.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>The <strong>BlankActivity</strong> template with the <strong>Navigation Type:
      Swipe Views + Title Strip</strong> option creates an application with three
      {@link android.app.Fragment} sections, a compact title strip header (known as
      <a href="{@docRoot}design/building-blocks/tabs.html#scrollable">Scrollable Tabs</a> in the
      <a href="{@docRoot}design/index.html">Android Design</a> guide) and swipe navigation between
      the sections, based on the <a href="{@docRoot}design/patterns/swipe-views.html">swipe
      view</a> design pattern.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>{@link android.support.v4.view.PagerTitleStrip} for section titles</li>
        <li>{@link android.app.Fragment} objects for section content</li>
        <li>{@link android.support.v4.app.FragmentPagerAdapter} to manage section fragments</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/ba-dropdown.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>The <strong>BlankActivity</strong> template with the <strong>Navigation Type:
      Dropdown</strong> option creates an application that extends
      {@link android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity}, containing three
      {@link android.app.Fragment} sections, with an {@link android.app.ActionBar} using list mode
      navigation.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>{@link android.app.ActionBar} for list mode navigation</li>
        <li>{@link android.app.Fragment} objects for section content</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>


<h3 id="full-screen-activity">Full Screen Activity Template</h3>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th width="240px">Example</th>

    <th>Description</th>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/full-screen-activity.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>This template provides an implementation of an activity which alternates between a
      primary, full screen view and a view with standard user interface controls, including the
      notification bar and application title bar. The full screen view is the default and a user
      can activate the standard view by touching the device screen.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>{@code SystemUiHider} implementation that manages hiding of the system user interface
          using a version-compatible approach</li>
        <li>Basic layout</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>


<h3 id="master-detail-activity">Master Detail Flow Template</h3>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th width="350px">Example</th>

    <th>Description</th>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/master-detail-flow.png" alt=""/>
    </td>

    <td><p>This template creates an adaptive layout for a set of items and associated details. On a
      tablet device, the item list and item details are displayed on the same screen. On a smaller
      device, the list and details are displayed on separate screens.</p>

      <p class="note">
        <strong>Note:</strong> This template follows the recommendations of the
        <a href="{@docRoot}training/multiscreen/index.html">Designing for Multiple Screens</a>
        Android training.
      </p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>Adaptive layout using
          <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/resources/providing-resources.html#AlternativeResources"
          >alternative resource</a> XML files</li>
        <li>{@link android.support.v4.app.FragmentActivity}, {@link android.app.Fragment} and
          {@link android.support.v4.app.ListFragment} implementations</li>
      </ul></td>
  </tr>
</table>


<h2 id="activity-templates">Activity Templates</h2>

<p>Android activity templates provide options to add new activities to your existing
  application.</p>

<p>To use Android activity templates:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Right click the project folder of the Android application where you want to add an
    activity.</li>
  <li>Select <strong>New &gt; Other...</strong></li>
  <li>Select <strong>Android &gt; Android Activity</strong>, and click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select an activity template, then follow the instructions to add it to your existing
    application.
    <ul>
      <li><a href="#login-activity">LoginActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#settings-activity">SettingsActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#blank-activity">BlankActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#full-screen-activity">FullScreenActivity</a></li>
      <li><a href="#master-detail-activity">MasterDetailFlow</a></li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ol>

<p>These templates create the same type of activity as they do when used as an application template,
however the following templates create activities which are specifically intended to be used as part
of an existing application.</p>


<h3 id="login-activity">Login Activity Template</h3>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th width="206px">Example</th>

    <th>Description</th>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/login-activity.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>This activity template provides input fields and a sample implementation of
      an {@link android.os.AsyncTask} that asks users to login or register with their credentials.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>Recommended user interface for requesting login information</li>
        <li>{@link android.os.AsyncTask} implementation for handing network operations separately
          from the main user interface thread</li>
        <li>Progress indicator during network operations</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>


<h3 id="settings-activity">Settings Activity Template</h3>

<table>
  <tr>
    <th width="206px">Example</th>

    <th>Description</th>
  </tr>

  <tr>
    <td><img src="{@docRoot}images/code_templates/settings-activity.png" alt="" />
    </td>

    <td><p>This template extends the {@link android.preference.PreferenceActivity} class and uses an
      XML file to create preference settings. This template also demonstrates how to implement
      several data types for settings.</p>

      <p>This template includes:</p>

      <ul>
        <li>Activity extending {@link android.preference.PreferenceActivity}</li>
        <li>Preference values defined using XML files added to the {@code res/xml/} directory of
          your project.</li>
      </ul>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>


<h2 id="object-templates">Other Templates</h2>

<p>Android object templates provide options to add new components to your existing application,
including the previously mentioned activities as well as the following additional items:</p>

<p>To use Android object templates:</p>

<ol>
  <li>Right click the project folder of the Android application where you want to add a code
    component.</li>
  <li>Select <strong>New &gt; Other...</strong></li>
  <li>Select <strong>Android &gt; Android Object</strong>, and click <strong>Next</strong>.</li>
  <li>Select an object template, then follow the instructions to add it to your existing
    application.
    <ul>
      <li>{@link android.content.BroadcastReceiver}</li>
      <li>{@link android.content.ContentProvider}</li>
      <li><a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/ui/custom-components.html">Custom View</a></li>
      <li>{@link android.app.Service}</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ol>