The most important and common use of Live Templates for Jetpack Compose in Android.

“Live Templates” in Android Studio are beloved tools among developers. These shortcuts automate commonly used code, enhancing coding speed and enjoyment. By incorporating Live Templates, you can boost productivity and conserve precious time. In this article, we will delve into some of the essential and widely used Live Templates for Jetpack Compose.

You save your template, assign it a key of your choice, and thus save time when using it 😎

let’s take a look at how to create a Live Template in Android Studio

1. Open Android Studio and go to “Settings” > “Editor” > “Live Templates.”
2. Select the group you want to add it to. In our examples, I will choose “AndroidCompose.”
3. On the right side, click on the “+” icon.
4. Choose “Live Template.”
5. Define an abbreviation for your Live Template.
6. Paste the template code.
7. Save your Live Template.

Note: If you encounter the warning “No applicable contexts” at the bottom of the window, you must click on “Define” and select the appropriate contexts.

Afterwards, you can add the following templates using your preferred abbreviations:

1. LazyColumn

LazyColumn is a fundamental component for displaying vertically scrolling lists. This Live Template simplifies the creation of a LazyColumn by generating the basic structure:

androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.LazyColumn(modifier = $MODIFIER$) {
    items(items = $LIST$) { item ->
        $END$
    }
}

2. LazyRow

LazyRow is the horizontal counterpart of LazyColumn for scrolling lists. This template streamlines its implementation:

androidx.compose.foundation.lazy.LazyRow(modifier = $MODIFIER$) {
    items(items = $LIST$) { item ->
        $END$
    }
}

3. TextField Composable

TextFields are crucial for user input. This template simplifies TextField creation:

var $VARNAME$ by rememberSaveable { mutableStateOf("$INITIAL_TEXT$") }
TextField(
    value = $VARNAME$,
    onValueChange = { $VARNAME$ = it },
    label = { Text("$LABEL$") }
}

4. Scaffold Composable with TopBar

Scaffold is used for app layouts. This template creates a Scaffold with a TopBar:

Scaffold(
    topBar = {
        TopAppBar(
            title = { Text("$TITLE$") },
            actions = {
                // Actions here
            }
        )
    }
) {
    // Content here
}

5. AlertDialog Composable

Alerts are important for user feedback. This template helps you create an AlertDialog:

AlertDialog(
    onDismissRequest = { /* Dismiss action */ },
    title = { Text("$TITLE$") },
    text = { Text("$MESSAGE$") },
    confirmButton = {
        Button(
            onClick = { /* Confirm action */ }
        ) {
            Text("$CONFIRM_LABEL$")
        }
    }
}

6. Checkbox and Radio Button Composables

Checkbox and RadioButton are essential for user selections. These templates simplify their creation:

// For Checkbox
var $VARNAME$ by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
Checkbox(
    checked = $VARNAME$,
    onCheckedChange = { $VARNAME$ = it },
    modifier = Modifier.$MODIFIER$
)

// For RadioButton
var $VARNAME$ by remember { mutableStateOf(false) }
RadioButton(
    selected = $VARNAME$,
    onClick = { $VARNAME$ = true },
    modifier = Modifier.$MODIFIER$
)

7. Snackbar Composable

Snackbars provide brief messages to the user. This template eases Snackbar creation:

val scaffoldState = rememberScaffoldState()
Scaffold(
    scaffoldState = scaffoldState
) {
    // Content here
    if (scaffoldState.snackbarHostState.isShowing) {
        Snackbar(
            modifier = Modifier.$MODIFIER$,
            text = { Text("$SNACKBAR_TEXT$") },
            action = {
                TextButton(onClick = {
                    scaffoldState.snackbarHostState.currentSnackbarData?.dismiss()
                }) {
                    Text("$DISMISS_LABEL$")
                }
            }
        )
    }
}

These Live Templates are essential tools for Jetpack Compose developers, enhancing productivity and streamlining the UI development process. By using these templates, developers can create polished and efficient user interfaces with less effort.