RecyclerView Advanced Customization Tips: Creating Custom Views in Android
In modern Android app development, RecyclerView has become the backbone for displaying dynamic lists and grids efficiently. However, using it at a basic level isn’t enough anymore. Today’s apps demand visually appealing, interactive, and performance-optimized layouts, which means developers must go beyond the standard adapters and layouts.
This article will guide you through advanced RecyclerView customization techniques and show you how to create custom views that elevate your Android app UI. Whether you’re building a social feed, an e-commerce product list, or a chat interface — mastering RecyclerView customization is essential.
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1. Understanding RecyclerView Basics
Before diving into advanced customization, let’s quickly revisit the foundation.
RecyclerView is a more flexible and powerful version of ListView. It reuses views efficiently, improving performance and scrolling smoothness, especially with large datasets.
Key components of RecyclerView:
Adapter: Binds your data to UI components.
ViewHolder: Holds item views to prevent frequent calls to findViewById().
LayoutManager: Decides how items are positioned (Linear, Grid, or Staggered).
ItemAnimator: Handles default animations like add/remove/update.
ItemDecoration: Adds visual elements like dividers, margins, or custom shapes.
Now, let’s step into advanced-level customization and performance optimization.
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2. Advanced Customization Techniques for RecyclerView
2.1. Custom LayoutManager
If you want layouts beyond standard Linear or Grid, create your own LayoutManager.
Example use cases:
Carousel-like layouts
Circular item positioning
Timeline-based lists
A custom LayoutManager gives you control over how child views are laid out and scrolled.
Example snippet:
class CircularLayoutManager : RecyclerView.LayoutManager() {
override fun generateDefaultLayoutParams(): RecyclerView.LayoutParams {
return RecyclerView.LayoutParams(
ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
ViewGroup.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT
)
}
override fun onLayoutChildren(recycler: RecyclerView.Recycler, state: RecyclerView.State) {
detachAndScrapAttachedViews(recycler)
// Custom logic to position items in a circular fashion
}
}
This approach allows you to build unique scroll patterns not possible with default managers.
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2.2. Using Multiple View Types
Modern apps often display different types of items in one list — for instance, ads, text posts, and image posts.
You can achieve this by overriding:
override fun getItemViewType(position: Int): Int
Then inflate different layouts in onCreateViewHolder():
override fun onCreateViewHolder(parent: ViewGroup, viewType: Int): RecyclerView.ViewHolder {
return when (viewType) {
TYPE_TEXT -> TextViewHolder(LayoutInflater.from(parent.context).inflate(R.layout.item_text, parent, false))
TYPE_IMAGE -> ImageViewHolder(LayoutInflater.from(parent.context).inflate(R.layout.item_image, parent, false))
else -> throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid view type")
}
}
This lets you combine multiple content formats smoothly in one RecyclerView.
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2.3. Implementing Custom ItemDecorations
By default, RecyclerView offers minimal decoration. But you can create custom decorations for shadows, dividers, or margins.
Example:
class CustomDividerDecoration(private val spaceHeight: Int) : RecyclerView.ItemDecoration() {
override fun getItemOffsets(outRect: Rect, view: View, parent: RecyclerView, state: RecyclerView.State) {
outRect.bottom = spaceHeight
}
}
Apply it:
recyclerView.addItemDecoration(CustomDividerDecoration(16))
This makes your UI clean and spaced consistently, enhancing readability.
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2.4. Animations and Transitions
Custom animations can make list updates look smooth and professional.
Use DefaultItemAnimator() for basic effects.
Create a custom animator for more control:
class FadeInItemAnimator : DefaultItemAnimator() {
override fun animateAdd(holder: RecyclerView.ViewHolder): Boolean {
holder.itemView.alpha = 0f
holder.itemView.animate().alpha(1f).setDuration(500).start()
return true
}
}
Add this animator:
recyclerView.itemAnimator = FadeInItemAnimator()
A touch of animation brings your RecyclerView to life.
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2.5. Pagination and Lazy Loading
When dealing with large datasets, loading everything at once can slow down your app.
Implement pagination using scroll listeners:
recyclerView.addOnScrollListener(object : RecyclerView.OnScrollListener() {
override fun onScrolled(recyclerView: RecyclerView, dx: Int, dy: Int) {
val layoutManager = recyclerView.layoutManager as LinearLayoutManager
val totalItemCount = layoutManager.itemCount
val lastVisible = layoutManager.findLastVisibleItemPosition()
if (lastVisible + 5 >= totalItemCount) {
loadMoreItems()
}
}
})
You can also use the Paging 3 library for smoother infinite scrolling.
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3. Creating Custom Views for RecyclerView
Sometimes, default XML layouts don’t provide enough flexibility or performance. In such cases, custom views are a better option.
3.1. Why Create Custom Views?
Better performance (no nested layouts)
Custom drawing and animations
Highly reusable and flexible components
3.2. Steps to Create a Custom View
1. Extend a base View class (View, LinearLayout, ConstraintLayout, etc.)
2. Inflate a layout or draw manually using onDraw()
3. Handle custom attributes for flexibility
Example:
class ProfileCardView @JvmOverloads constructor(
context: Context,
attrs: AttributeSet? = null,
defStyleAttr: Int = 0
) : LinearLayout(context, attrs, defStyleAttr) {
private val nameTextView: TextView
private val profileImageView: ImageView
init {
LayoutInflater.from(context).inflate(R.layout.view_profile_card, this, true)
nameTextView = findViewById(R.id.nameTextView)
profileImageView = findViewById(R.id.profileImageView)
}
fun setProfileData(name: String, imageUrl: String) {
nameTextView.text = name
Glide.with(context).load(imageUrl).into(profileImageView)
}
}
Use it directly inside your RecyclerView item layout — no need for complex XML nesting.
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3.3. Binding Data to Custom Views
In your RecyclerView.Adapter, bind data directly to custom views:
override fun onBindViewHolder(holder: CustomViewHolder, position: Int) {
val item = itemList[position]
holder.profileCard.setProfileData(item.name, item.image)
}
This keeps your code modular and enhances reusability.
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4. Performance Optimization Tips
Even the most beautiful UI is useless if it lags. Follow these optimization tips:
1. Use DiffUtil instead of notifyDataSetChanged() for partial updates.
2. Enable view recycling — don’t inflate layouts repeatedly.
3. Avoid deep view hierarchies; use ConstraintLayout or custom views.
4. Use setHasFixedSize(true) when list size is constant.
5. Preload images using libraries like Glide or Coil.
6. Use ViewBinding to improve type safety and performance.
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5. Real-World Example: Product List with Custom Views
Imagine an e-commerce app showing products in a grid.
Each item has a custom card with product image, title, and price.
Use GridLayoutManager(context, 2)
Apply ItemDecoration for spacing
Animate items on load with LayoutAnimationController
Bind data efficiently using ListAdapter with DiffUtil
Result — a smooth, responsive, and beautiful RecyclerView-based product catalog.
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6. Testing and Debugging Tips
Use Layout Inspector to visualize complex item hierarchies.
Check performance in Android Profiler (memory & CPU).
Log scroll events and view bindings to detect inefficiencies.
Test on low-end devices for smooth scrolling.
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7. Conclusion
Creating customized RecyclerViews and custom views in Android is a must-have skill for professional developers. It allows you to craft visually rich, optimized, and dynamic user interfaces that stand out.
By implementing custom layouts, decorations, animations, and efficient adapters, you can transform a simple list into an interactive, high-performance UI element that enhances user experience.
Remember — the key lies in balancing creativity with performance.
Experiment with different techniques, measure performance, and continuously refine your approach.
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