Jetpack Glance: Crafting a Seamless Experience

Jetpack Glance is a framework that lets developers create and design app widgets using Kotlin APIs. App widgets are miniature application views that can be embedded in other applications and receive periodic updates.

In this session, I took the audience through how to create widgets that will enhance user experience as well as increase productivity in Android apps.

Transcript

1. Jetpack Glance Widgets: Crafting a Seamless Experience. Pwani
2. Pwani 2023 Greatest achievement this year?
3. Pwani 2023 Resolution you’ve had to change?
4. Agenda 1. What is Jetpack Glance? 2. Why use widgets? 3. Types of Widgets. 4. How to implement it.
5. Pwani 2023 What is Jetpack Glance? Pwani
6. • It’s a library built on top of Jetpack compose Runtime that allows you to build widgets for Android. • Was released in 2021 to craft glanceable UX.
7. • Widgets are a miniature app view that extends an app’s functionality. • Usually embedded on the homescreen of your devices. • They display essential information i.e. Date, time, weather updates, upcoming events e.t.c.
8. Pwani 2023 “Widgets are the storytellers of the digital age, narrating tales of convenience, simplicity, and user empowerment with every click.” Pwani
9. 84% According to Google of users use at least 1 widget
10. Pwani 2023 Why Use Widgets? Pwani
11. Advantages of having Widgets 1. Enhanced UX. 2. Increased Productivity. 3. Real-time Updates. 4. Brand visibility. 5. User retention. 6. Data visualization.
12. Pwani 2023 Types of Widgets Pwani
13. Types of widgets As you plan on creating a widget, think of the kind of widget to build to enhance your app’s user experience. • Information widgets. • Collection widgets. • Control widgets. • Hybrid widgets
14. Information widget Displays crucial information elements and tracks how that information changes overtime. E.g weather widgets, clock widgets, e.t.c.
15. Collection widgets Specializes in displaying multiple elements of the same type such as collection of pictures from a gallery app, articles from a news app, e.t.c.
16. Control widgets Displays frequently used functions so that the users can trigger them from the home screen without having to open the app. Acts as a remote controller.
17. Hybrid widget Combines elements of different types. E.g music player widget is primarily a control widget but also shows info about the track the user is playing.
21. Pwani 2023 How to Implement Glance. Pwani
22. Declare dependencies
23. DEMO
24. Pwani 2023 Q&A Pwani
25. Pwani 2023 Find me: Twitter: @Jacqui_Gitau LinkedIn: Jacquiline Gitau Pwani