Unlock the Power of Edge-to-Edge Display: A Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling it for Specific Fragments in Android with Bottom Navigation

Are you tired of the limitations imposed by Android’s default display settings? Do you want to create a seamless user experience by enabling edge-to-edge display for specific fragments in your app? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take you through the process of achieving this feat with bottom navigation. Buckle up, and let’s dive in!

Understanding Edge-to-Edge Display and Bottom Navigation

Before we dive into the implementation, it’s essential to understand what edge-to-edge display and bottom navigation are.

Edge-to-edge display refers to the ability of an app to utilize the entire screen real estate, eliminating the notch or bezels that typically occupy the top and bottom areas of the screen. This feature provides a more immersive experience, especially with modern devices featuring minimalistic design.

Bottom navigation, on the other hand, is a navigation pattern that allows users to access different sections of the app through a fixed bar at the bottom of the screen. This design pattern is commonly used in Android apps, and it’s essential to integrate it with edge-to-edge display for a cohesive user experience.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following tools and knowledge:

• Android Studio 4.1 or higher
• Basic knowledge of Java or Kotlin programming languages
• Familiarity with Android app development and layout design

Step 1: Configure the AndroidManifest.xml File

The first step is to configure the AndroidManifest.xml file to allow your app to use the edge-to-edge display feature.

<application
    ...
    android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

    <activity
        ...
        android:name=".MainActivity"
        android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
    </activity>
</application>

In the above code, we’ve added the `android:windowSoftInputMode` attribute to the `activity` tag, setting it to `adjustResize`. This allows the app to resize the layout when the soft keyboard is displayed, ensuring a seamless experience.

Step 2: Define the Custom Theme

In the `styles.xml` file, create a custom theme that inherits from the parent theme and sets the `windowTranslucentNavigation` and `windowTranslucentStatus` attributes to `true`:

<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <item name="windowTranslucentNavigation">true</item>
    <item name="windowTranslucentStatus">true</item>
</style>

This custom theme will be applied to our app, enabling the edge-to-edge display feature.

Step 3: Design the Bottom Navigation Layout

Create a new layout file, `bottom_navigation.xml`, to define the bottom navigation bar:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="@color/colorPrimary">

    <com.google.android.material.bottomnavigation.BottomNavigationView
        android:id="@+id/bottomNavigationView"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:menu="@menu/bottom_navigation_menu" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

In this layout, we’ve used a `ConstraintLayout` to host the `BottomNavigationView` component, which will display the navigation items.

Step 4: Implement Bottom Navigation in the Activity

In the `MainActivity.java` file, implement the bottom navigation feature by inflating the `bottom_navigation.xml` layout and setting up the navigation items:

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    private BottomNavigationView bottomNavigationView;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        bottomNavigationView = findViewById(R.id.bottomNavigationView);
        bottomNavigationView.setOnNavigationItemSelectedListener(new BottomNavigationView.OnNavigationItemSelectedListener() {
            @Override
            public boolean onNavigationItemSelected(@NonNull MenuItem item) {
                // Handle navigation item clicks
                return true;
            }
        });
    }
}

In this code, we’ve inflated the `bottom_navigation.xml` layout and set up the navigation items using the `OnNavigationItemSelectedListener` interface.

Step 5: Enable Edge-to-Edge Display for Specific Fragments

To enable edge-to-edge display for specific fragments, we’ll create a custom fragment class that inherits from the `Fragment` class:

public class EdgeToEdgeFragment extends Fragment {
    @Override
    public void onResume() {
        super.onResume();
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.P) {
            getActivity().getWindow().setFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_LAYOUT_NO_LIMITS, WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_LAYOUT_NO_LIMITS);
            getActivity().getWindow().getDecorView().setSystemUiVisibility(
                    View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LAYOUT_STABLE
                            | View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_LAYOUT_HIDE_NAVIGATION
                            | View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_HIDE_NAVIGATION
                            | View.SYSTEM_UI_FLAG_IMMERSIVE);
        }
    }
}

In this custom fragment class, we’ve overridden the `onResume()` method to enable edge-to-edge display using the `FLAG_LAYOUT_NO_LIMITS` flag and system UI visibility flags.

Step 6: Integrate Edge-to-Edge Fragment with Bottom Navigation

Now, it’s time to integrate the edge-to-edge fragment with bottom navigation. Create a new fragment class that extends the `EdgeToEdgeFragment` class:

public class HomeFragment extends EdgeToEdgeFragment {
    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        View view = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_home, container, false);
        // Initialize fragment views and components
        return view;
    }
}

In this example, we’ve created a `HomeFragment` class that extends the `EdgeToEdgeFragment` class, inheriting the edge-to-edge display functionality.

Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve explored the steps to enable edge-to-edge display for specific fragments in Android with bottom navigation. By following these instructions, you can create a seamless user experience that takes advantage of the entire screen real estate.

Remember to test your app on different devices and Android versions to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.

Device	Android Version	Result
Samsung Galaxy S21	Android 11	Success
Google Pixel 4	Android 10	Success
OnePlus 8 Pro	Android 9	Partial Success (some issues with navigation bar)

By incorporating edge-to-edge display and bottom navigation into your Android app, you’ll be able to provide a modern and immersive user experience that sets your app apart from the competition.

Get creative, and happy coding!

Frequently Asked Question

Get ready to master the art of customizing your Android app’s display!