Setting Up the Bootstrap-Inspired Theme

Step 1: Define Colors

<resources>
    <color name="primary">#007bff</color>
    <color name="secondary">#6c757d</color>
    <color name="success">#28a745</color>
    <color name="danger">#dc3545</color>
    <color name="warning">#ffc107</color>
    <color name="info">#17a2b8</color>
    <color name="light">#f8f9fa</color>
    <color name="dark">#343a40</color>
</resources>

Step 2: Define Styles

<resources>
    <!-- Base application theme -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
        <!-- Customize your theme here -->
        <item name="colorPrimary">@color/primary</item>
        <item name="colorSecondary">@color/secondary</item>
        <item name="colorSuccess">@color/success</item>
        <item name="colorDanger">@color/danger</item>
        <item name="colorWarning">@color/warning</item>
        <item name="colorInfo">@color/info</item>
        <item name="colorLight">@color/light</item>
        <item name="colorDark">@color/dark</item>
    </style>

    <!-- Bootstrap button style -->
    <style name="BootstrapButton" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Button.Colored">
        <item name="android:backgroundTint">@color/primary</item>
        <item name="android:textColor">@color/light</item>
    </style>

    <!-- Bootstrap text style -->
    <style name="BootstrapText">
        <item name="android:textColor">@color/dark</item>
        <item name="android:textSize">16sp</item>
    </style>
</resources>

Example: Creating a Bootstrap-Inspired UI

Step 3: Define the Layout

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="16dp">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Bootstrap-Inspired UI"
        style="@style/BootstrapText"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:layout_marginBottom="32dp"/>

    <Button
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Primary Button"
        style="@style/BootstrapButton"
        android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"/>

    <Button
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Secondary Button"
        style="@style/BootstrapButton"
        android:backgroundTint="@color/secondary"
        android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"/>

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Bootstrap-Inspired Text"
        style="@style/BootstrapText"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:layout_marginTop="32dp"/>

</LinearLayout>

Step 4: Apply the Theme

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.bootstraptheme">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        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>

Conclusion

Setting Up the Material Dark Theme

Step 1: Add Dependencies

dependencies {
    implementation 'com.google.android.material:material:1.8.0'
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.3.1'
    implementation 'androidx.core:core-ktx:1.6.0'
}

Step 2: Define the Theme in styles.xml

<resources>
    <!-- Base application theme -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.MaterialComponents.DayNight.DarkActionBar">
        <!-- Customize your theme here -->
        <item name="colorPrimary">@color/purple_500</item>
        <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/purple_700</item>
        <item name="colorAccent">@color/teal_200</item>
    </style>
</resources>

Example: Creating a Simple UI with Material Dark Theme

Step 3: Define the Layout

<com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:padding="16dp">

    <com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputEditText
        android:id="@+id/inputEditText"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:hint="Enter text"
        android:inputType="text" />

    <com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
        android:id="@+id/submitButton"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Submit"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
        app:cornerRadius="8dp"
        android:backgroundTint="@color/teal_200"
        android:textColor="@android:color/black" />
</com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputLayout>

Step 4: Initialize in Activity

Java

package com.example.materialdarktheme;

import android.os.Bundle;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton;
import com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputEditText;
import com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputLayout;
import android.widget.Toast;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        TextInputLayout textInputLayout = findViewById(R.id.inputEditText);
        TextInputEditText textInputEditText = findViewById(R.id.inputEditText);
        MaterialButton submitButton = findViewById(R.id.submitButton);

        submitButton.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            String inputText = textInputEditText.getText().toString();
            if (inputText.isEmpty()) {
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Please enter some text", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            } else {
                // Handle the input text
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "You entered: " + inputText, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
        });
    }
}

Kotlin

package com.example.materialdarktheme

import android.os.Bundle
import android.widget.Toast
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import com.google.android.material.button.MaterialButton
import com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputEditText
import com.google.android.material.textfield.TextInputLayout

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

        val textInputLayout: TextInputLayout = findViewById(R.id.inputEditText)
        val textInputEditText: TextInputEditText = findViewById(R.id.inputEditText)
        val submitButton: MaterialButton = findViewById(R.id.submitButton)

        submitButton.setOnClickListener {
            val inputText = textInputEditText.text.toString()
            if (inputText.isEmpty()) {
                Toast.makeText(this, "Please enter some text", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
            } else {
                // Handle the input text
                Toast.makeText(this, "You entered: $inputText", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
            }
        }
    }
}

Conclusion

Setting Up the AppCompat DayNight Theme

Step 1: Add Dependencies

dependencies {
    implementation 'androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.3.1'
    implementation 'androidx.core:core-ktx:1.6.0'
}

Step 2: Define the Theme in styles.xml

<resources>
    <!-- Base application theme -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.DayNight.DarkActionBar">
        <!-- Customize your theme here -->
        <item name="colorPrimary">@color/purple_500</item>
        <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/purple_700</item>
        <item name="colorAccent">@color/teal_200</item>
    </style>
</resources>

Example: Creating a Simple UI with Toggle for DayNight Theme

Step 3: Define the Layout

<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="16dp"
    android:gravity="center">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/greetingTextView"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Hello, World!"
        android:textSize="24sp"
        android:layout_marginBottom="24dp"/>

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/toggleThemeButton"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Toggle Theme"/>

</LinearLayout>

Step 4: Initialize in Activity

package com.example.daynighttheme;

import android.content.SharedPreferences;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.TextView;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        TextView greetingTextView = findViewById(R.id.greetingTextView);
        Button toggleThemeButton = findViewById(R.id.toggleThemeButton);

        // Load the saved theme preference
        SharedPreferences sharedPreferences = getSharedPreferences("ThemePref", MODE_PRIVATE);
        boolean isNightMode = sharedPreferences.getBoolean("NightMode", false);

        if (isNightMode) {
            AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES);
        } else {
            AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO);
        }

        toggleThemeButton.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            boolean nightMode = (AppCompatDelegate.getDefaultNightMode() == AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES);
            if (nightMode) {
                AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO);
                saveThemePreference(false);
            } else {
                AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES);
                saveThemePreference(true);
            }
        });
    }

    private void saveThemePreference(boolean isNightMode) {
        SharedPreferences.Editor editor = getSharedPreferences("ThemePref", MODE_PRIVATE).edit();
        editor.putBoolean("NightMode", isNightMode);
        editor.apply();
    }
}

package com.example.daynighttheme

import android.content.SharedPreferences
import android.os.Bundle
import android.widget.Button
import android.widget.TextView
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatDelegate

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

        val greetingTextView: TextView = findViewById(R.id.greetingTextView)
        val toggleThemeButton: Button = findViewById(R.id.toggleThemeButton)

        // Load the saved theme preference
        val sharedPreferences: SharedPreferences = getSharedPreferences("ThemePref", MODE_PRIVATE)
        val isNightMode = sharedPreferences.getBoolean("NightMode", false)

        if (isNightMode) {
            AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES)
        } else {
            AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO)
        }

        toggleThemeButton.setOnClickListener {
            val nightMode = AppCompatDelegate.getDefaultNightMode() == AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES
            if (nightMode) {
                AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_NO)
                saveThemePreference(false)
            } else {
                AppCompatDelegate.setDefaultNightMode(AppCompatDelegate.MODE_NIGHT_YES)
                saveThemePreference(true)
            }
        }
    }

    private fun saveThemePreference(isNightMode: Boolean) {
        val editor: SharedPreferences.Editor = getSharedPreferences("ThemePref", MODE_PRIVATE).edit()
        editor.putBoolean("NightMode", isNightMode)
        editor.apply()
    }
}

Conclusion

The Holo Light theme provides a clean and bright user interface that follows the design principles of early Android versions. While Material Design has taken over for newer applications, the Holo themes are still useful for maintaining a consistent look in apps targeting older Android versions. In this blog, we’ll walk through the steps to implement a simple Android UI using the Holo Light theme.

Setting Up the Holo Light Theme

First, we need to set up the Holo Light theme in our Android project. This involves modifying the theme settings in your project’s manifest file.

Step 1: Define the Holo Light Theme in the Manifest

Open your AndroidManifest.xml file and set the theme for your application or activity.

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.hololighttheme">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light">
        <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>

By setting android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Holo.Light", we ensure that the entire application or the specific activity uses the Holo Light theme.

Example: Creating a Simple Login Screen

Let’s create a simple login screen using the Holo Light theme.

Step 2: Define the Layout

Create an XML layout file (activity_main.xml) with the following content:

<RelativeLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:padding="16dp">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/label"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Enter your name:"
        android:textSize="18sp"
        android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
        android:textColor="@android:color/black"/>

    <EditText
        android:id="@+id/nameEditText"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:hint="Name"
        android:layout_below="@id/label"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/loginButton"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Login"
        android:layout_below="@id/nameEditText"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>
    
    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/forgotPasswordTextView"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Forgot password?"
        android:textColor="@android:color/holo_blue_light"
        android:layout_below="@id/loginButton"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>
</RelativeLayout>

Step 3: Initialize in Activity

In your MainActivity.java or MainActivity.kt file, initialize the views and add any necessary functionality.

Java

package com.example.hololighttheme;

import android.os.Bundle;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.EditText;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.Toast;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        EditText nameEditText = findViewById(R.id.nameEditText);
        Button loginButton = findViewById(R.id.loginButton);
        TextView forgotPasswordTextView = findViewById(R.id.forgotPasswordTextView);

        loginButton.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            String name = nameEditText.getText().toString();
            if (name.isEmpty()) {
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Please enter your name", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            } else {
                // Perform login action
                Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Welcome, " + name, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            }
        });

        forgotPasswordTextView.setOnClickListener(v -> {
            // Handle forgot password action
            Toast.makeText(MainActivity.this, "Forgot password clicked", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        });
    }
}

Kotlin

package com.example.hololighttheme

import android.os.Bundle
import android.widget.Button
import android.widget.EditText
import android.widget.TextView
import android.widget.Toast
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

        val nameEditText: EditText = findViewById(R.id.nameEditText)
        val loginButton: Button = findViewById(R.id.loginButton)
        val forgotPasswordTextView: TextView = findViewById(R.id.forgotPasswordTextView)

        loginButton.setOnClickListener {
            val name = nameEditText.text.toString()
            if (name.isEmpty()) {
                Toast.makeText(this, "Please enter your name", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
            } else {
                // Perform login action
                Toast.makeText(this, "Welcome, $name", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
            }
        }

        forgotPasswordTextView.setOnClickListener {
            // Handle forgot password action
            Toast.makeText(this, "Forgot password clicked", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show()
        }
    }
}

Conclusion

Using the Holo Light theme allows you to create clean, bright, and classic Android UIs that are consistent with early Android design guidelines. This example demonstrated how to set up a simple login screen using the Holo Light theme, showing how to define the theme in your manifest, create a corresponding layout, and initialize the views in your activity. By following these steps, you can easily implement the Holo Light theme in your own Android projects. Happy coding!

As an Android developer, choosing the right theme for your application is crucial for creating a visually appealing and user-friendly interface. A well-designed theme can enhance user experience, make your app stand out, and ensure consistency across various devices and screen sizes. Here, we highlight five of the best free Android themes that you can use to give your application a modern and attractive look.  

1. Material Components for Android (MDC)

Overview

Material Components for Android (MDC) is a comprehensive set of UI components that adhere to Google’s Material Design guidelines.

Key Features

• Consistent Design: Ensures a consistent look and feel across your app with components designed to work together seamlessly.
• Accessibility: Built with accessibility in mind, ensuring your app is usable by all.
• Customization: Easily customize colors, typography, and shapes to match your brand’s identity.

Why It’s Great

MDC is perfect for developers who want to create a polished and professional-looking app. It provides a robust foundation for building beautiful and accessible interfaces, ensuring that your app adheres to modern design principles.

Click for example implementation tutorial

2. Holo Light Theme

Overview

Holo Light is a classic Android theme that offers a clean and minimalist design, suitable for a wide range of applications.

Key Features

• Minimalistic Design: Focuses on simplicity and ease of use, reducing visual clutter.
• Light Color Scheme: Uses light backgrounds and subtle color accents to create a fresh and airy interface.
• Compatibility: Compatible with a wide range of Android versions, ensuring broad device support.

Why It’s Great

Holo Light is ideal for developers looking for a straightforward and clean design. Its simplicity makes it easy to implement and ensures that your app is accessible and user-friendly.

Click for implementation tutorial

3. AppCompat DayNight Theme

Overview

AppCompat DayNight Theme allows your app to automatically switch between light and dark themes based on the system settings or user preference.

Key Features

• Dynamic Theme Switching: Automatically adapts to the system’s light or dark mode settings.
• Customizable: Easily customize the appearance of both light and dark themes to match your app’s branding.
• Improved UX: Enhances user experience by providing a comfortable viewing experience in different lighting conditions.

Why It’s Great

The AppCompat DayNight Theme is excellent for developers who want to offer a modern and adaptive user experience. By supporting both light and dark modes, you can cater to user preferences and improve usability in various environments.

Click for implementation tutorial

4. Material Dark Theme

Overview

The Material Dark Theme is part of Google’s Material Design guidelines and provides a sleek, dark interface that is easy on the eyes.

Key Features

• Dark Color Palette: Uses dark backgrounds and high-contrast elements to create a visually appealing interface.
• Energy Efficient: Helps save battery life on devices with OLED screens.
• Consistent Styling: Ensures a cohesive look across your app with predefined styles and components.

Why It’s Great

The Material Dark Theme is perfect for developers who want to create an app with a modern and sophisticated look. Its dark color scheme is not only stylish but also user-friendly, particularly in low-light environments.

Click for implementation tutorial

5. Bootstrap Theme

Overview

Bootstrap Theme for Android brings the popular web framework’s design language to mobile apps, offering a familiar and responsive design.

Key Features

• Responsive Design: Adapts to various screen sizes and orientations, ensuring a consistent user experience.
• Predefined Components: Includes a set of predefined UI components that follow Bootstrap’s design principles.
• Customization: Easily customize colors and styles to match your app’s branding.

Why It’s Great

Bootstrap Theme is ideal for developers who want to leverage a familiar design language and create responsive, modern apps. Its predefined components and responsive design make it a great choice for building versatile and attractive interfaces.

Click for implementation tutorial

Conclusion

Choosing the right theme is essential for creating a visually appealing and user-friendly Android application. The themes mentioned above—Material Components for Android, Holo Light, AppCompat DayNight, Material Dark, and Bootstrap Theme—offer a range of options to suit different design preferences and application needs. By incorporating one of these themes, you can enhance your app’s aesthetic appeal and improve the overall user experience. Explore these themes and select the one that best fits your app’s requirements and your vision as a developer.