CustomArrayAdapter in Android with Example
Last Updated : 05 Feb, 2025
In Android, ArrayAdapters are used for populating and controlling the ListView and Spinners. ArrayAdapter by default provides List-Items that include only single information or single TextView. In order to have a more complex layout that includes multiple information in a single List-Item such as images, text, etc. we use CustomArrayAdapter. Apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, and many more are using such a complex layout.
Step by Step Implementation of CustomArrayAdapter
Step 1: Create a New Project
To create a new project in Android Studio please refer to How to Create/Start a New Project in Android Studio.
Step 2: Working with the activity_main.xml file
In this step, we will add a ListView to our activity_main.xml file which is used to show the data of list Items. Go to the app > res > layout > activity_main.xml and the following code snippet.
activity_main.xml:
XML <?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" xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" tools:context=".MainActivity"> <ListView android:id="@+id/listView" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:dividerHeight="1dp" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" /> </androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>
Layout:
Step 3: Create a new layout file list_item.xml
In this step, we will create a layout file for the single list item view. Go to app > res > layout > right-click > New > Layout Resource File and name it as list_item. list_item.xml contains an ImageView and a TextView which is used for populating the ListView.
list_item.xml:
XML <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:orientation="horizontal"> <!--For image src we have used ic_launcher and for text "GeeksForGeeks" and "gfg" they are used only for reference how it will looks"--> <ImageView android:id="@+id/androidVersionImage" android:layout_width="72dp" android:layout_height="72dp" android:padding="8dp" android:src="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round" /> <LinearLayout android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:layout_gravity="center" android:orientation="vertical"> <TextView android:id="@+id/androidVersionName" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="GeeksForGeeks" android:textStyle="bold" /> <TextView android:id="@+id/androidVersionNumber" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content" android:text="gfg" /> </LinearLayout> </LinearLayout>
Layout:
Step 4: Create a new Java/Kotlin class "Item"
We will create a new java/kotlin class and name it as Item. Go to app > java > package > right-click > create new java/kotlin class.
Item Class:
Java public class Item { private int androidVersionImage; private String androidVersionName; private String androidVersionNumber; // Constructor public Item(int androidVersionImage, String androidVersionName, String androidVersionNumber) { this.androidVersionImage = androidVersionImage; this.androidVersionName = androidVersionName; this.androidVersionNumber = androidVersionNumber; } // Getters and Setters method public int getAndroidVersionImage() { return androidVersionImage; } public void setAndroidVersionImage(int androidVersionImage) { this.androidVersionImage = androidVersionImage; } public String getAndroidVersionName() { return androidVersionName; } public void setAndroidVersionName(String androidVersionName) { this.androidVersionName = androidVersionName; } public String getAndroidVersionNumber() { return androidVersionNumber; } public void setAndroidVersionNumber(String androidVersionNumber) { this.androidVersionNumber = androidVersionNumber; } } package org.geeksforgeeks.demo class Item( var androidVersionImage: Int, var androidVersionName: String, var androidVersionNumber: String )
Step 5: Creating Adapter class
Now, we will create an Adapter class that acts as a bridge between the UI Component and the Data Source .i.e., androidVersionImage, androidVersionName, androidVersionNumber, and ListView. Go to the app > java > package > right-click and create a new java/kotlin class and name it as Adapter. Below is the code snippet is given for it.
Adapter Class:
Java import android.content.Context; import android.view.LayoutInflater; import android.view.View; import android.view.ViewGroup; import android.widget.ArrayAdapter; import android.widget.ImageView; import android.widget.TextView; import java.util.ArrayList; public class Adapter extends ArrayAdapter <Item> { ImageView imageView; TextView textView1, textView2; ArrayList <Item> androidVersionList = new ArrayList <>(); public Adapter(Context context, int textViewResourceId, ArrayList <Item> objects) { super(context, textViewResourceId, objects); androidVersionList = objects; } // Returns total number of items to be displayed in the list. // It counts the value from the arraylist size @Override public int getCount() { return super.getCount(); } // This function implicitly gets called when the listItem view is ready // to be displayed. Here we set the layout and add data to the views @Override public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup viewGroup) { View view = convertView; // Setting layout LayoutInflater layoutInflater = (LayoutInflater) getContext().getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE); view = layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.list_item, null); imageView = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.androidVersionImage); textView1 = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.androidVersionName); textView2 = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.androidVersionNumber); // Adding data to the Views imageView.setImageResource(androidVersionList.get(position).getAndroidVersionImage()); textView1.setText(androidVersionList.get(position).getAndroidVersionName()); textView2.setText(androidVersionList.get(position).getAndroidVersionNumber()); return view; } } package org.geeksforgeeks.demo import android.content.Context import android.view.LayoutInflater import android.view.View import android.view.ViewGroup import android.widget.ArrayAdapter import android.widget.ImageView import android.widget.TextView class Adapter(context: Context?, textViewResourceId: Int, objects: ArrayList<Item>) : ArrayAdapter<Item?>(context!!, textViewResourceId, objects as List<Item?>) { var imageView: ImageView? = null var textView1: TextView? = null var textView2: TextView? = null var androidVersionList: ArrayList<Item> = ArrayList() init { androidVersionList = objects } // Returns total number of items to be displayed in the list. // It counts the value from the arraylist size override fun getCount(): Int { return super.getCount() } // This function implicitly gets called when the listItem view is ready // to be displayed. Here we set the layout and add data to the views override fun getView(position: Int, convertView: View?, viewGroup: ViewGroup): View { var view = convertView // Setting layout val layoutInflater = context.getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE) as LayoutInflater view = layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.list_item, null) imageView = view.findViewById<View>(R.id.androidVersionImage) as ImageView textView1 = view.findViewById<View>(R.id.androidVersionName) as TextView textView2 = view.findViewById<View>(R.id.androidVersionNumber) as TextView // Adding data to the Views imageView!!.setImageResource(androidVersionList[position].androidVersionImage) textView1!!.text = androidVersionList[position].androidVersionName textView2!!.text = androidVersionList[position].androidVersionNumber return view } }
Step 6: Working with the MainActivity file
In MainActivity class we create an ArrayList for storing images and texts. These images are placed in the drawable folder(app > res > drawable). You can use any images in place of this. We get the reference of listView and set the adapter on the listView.
MainActivity File:
Java import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity; import android.os.Bundle; import android.widget.ListView; import java.util.ArrayList; public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity { ListView listView; ArrayList <Item> androidVersionList = new ArrayList <>(); @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); // Getting the reference of listView listView = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.listView); // Adding image and texts to list androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.donut, "Donut", "1.6")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.eclair, "Eclair", "2.0 - 2.1")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.froyo, "Froyo", "2.2 - 2.2.3")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.gingerbread, "GingerBreak", "2.3 - 2.3.7")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.honeycomb, "HoneyComb", "3.0 - 3.2.6")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.icecream, "IceCream", "4.0 - 4.0.4")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.jellybean, "JellyBean", "4.1 - 4.3.1")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.kitkat, "KitKat", "4.4 - 4.4.4")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.lollipop, "Lollipop", "5.0 - 5.1.1")); androidVersionList.add(new Item(R.drawable.marshmallow, "Marshmallow", "6.0 - 6.0.1")); Adapter adapter = new Adapter(this, R.layout.list_item, androidVersionList); // Setting the adapter to list listView.setAdapter(adapter); } } package org.geeksforgeeks.demo import android.os.Bundle import android.widget.ListView import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() { private lateinit var listView: ListView private var androidVersionList: ArrayList<Item> = ArrayList() override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState) setContentView(R.layout.activity_main) // Getting the reference of listView listView = findViewById(R.id.listView) // Adding image and texts to list androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "Donut", "1.6")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "Eclair", "2.0 - 2.1")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "Froyo", "2.2 - 2.2.3")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "GingerBreak", "2.3 - 2.3.7")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "HoneyComb", "3.0 - 3.2.6")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "IceCream", "4.0 - 4.0.4")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "JellyBean", "4.1 - 4.3.1")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "KitKat", "4.4 - 4.4.4")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "Lollipop", "5.0 - 5.1.1")) androidVersionList.add(Item(R.mipmap.ic_launcher_round, "Marshmallow", "6.0 - 6.0.1")) val adapter = Adapter(this, R.layout.list_item, androidVersionList) // Setting the adapter to list listView.adapter = adapter } } Output:
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