Android：切换布局或活动？

Question

I can implement both variants - it's easy. But I'm interested: what approach is better?

I mean if my application contains several screens I can make them as several layouts (XML-files) and switch using setContentView() . Or they can be several classes like MyActivity1 , MyActivity2 etc., and I will switch them using Intent class.

So I'm curious: what's the best practice?

Answer 1

Remember this as the Rule of Thumb:

It's better to have similar behaviors, under single Activity, but always prefer different Activities when behaviors differ.

Answer 2

If you are using several different screens, I would argue that fragments/activities would be a better solution. Not only did Android include this to help people with multiple activities, but it also makes your code much cleaner. Mitra sums it up quite well.

Answer 3

I think before Fragments using setContentView() was a handy way to move between sibling "screens" when you did not want the Back button to change the screen. On the other hand, Activities launched via Intents will be poped off the stack with the Back button.

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To be clear, note that within Activity B, you can use setContentView to change layouts, and the Back button takes you back to Activuty A.

ActivityA

  |
  |
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  V

ActivityB,Layout1  <---> ActivityB,Layout2  <---> ActivityB,Layout3