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Layouts - Linear Layout Formation in Android

In this article, we will learn about the Linear-layout in Android, and its uses, create a set of buttons and form in linear layout.
Submitted by Manu Jemini, on December 21, 2017

Linear Layout is very widely used layout in Android layouts. In this layout, the different entities are placed in vertically or horizontally. The Two orientations are often being used together because of their cut-short manner. Linear layout arranges the objects or entities one after the other like a row or column.

This is very simple to implement if your layout is symmetrical. You just have to choose the order of the object in the layout.

The Major drawback it faces is that whenever you want to place an object in the different direction from the orientation of the parent, you will need to make another Linear-layout at that position and then set the view according to your need.

There are few situations when using Linear - the layout is beneficial as compared to other layouts. One of the most common is Registration-form. This classic approach will help your objects tight and in place. It will be very quick to place 5 or 6 EditText and a Button in horizontal and uniform manner.

Below code is an example of using it, to get started from nothing, make an android project. An activity will automatically create for you; make use of that and alongside with it a layout file.

Java file:

package numeric.test;

import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;



public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    }
  
}

Layout:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    tools:context="numeric.test.MainActivity"
    android:orientation="vertical">


    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:id="@+id/editText"
        android:text="EditText 1" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="textPersonName"
        android:text="EditText 2"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/editText2" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="textPassword"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/editText3"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:text="EditText 3" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="numberPassword"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/editText4"
        android:text="EditText 4" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="textEmailAddress"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/editText5"
        android:text="EditText 5" />

    <EditText
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:inputType="phone"
        android:ems="10"
        android:id="@+id/editText6"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:text="EditText 6" />

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Button"
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal" />
</LinearLayout>

Menifest file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="numeric.test">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Output

Linear Layout with horizontal orientation for three buttons will look like this.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin"
    android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin"
    tools:context="numeric.test.MainActivity"
    android:orientation="horizontal">


    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Button"
        android:id="@+id/button2" />

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Button"
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal" />

    <Button
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="New Button"
        android:id="@+id/button3" />
</LinearLayout>

Output