Is it possible to make an android keyboard entirely out of Java without using xml

Question

I would like to create an android keyboard as much as possible only using Java.

I am familiar with the traditional android keyboard app setup - xml files for each keyboard 'page' and hardcoded key sizes etc.

I want a lot of customization in my keyboard with the ability to use JSON as a data source for whole keyboard layouts generated with Java.

Has it been done before or am I dreaming?

Answer 1

Of course it is. Any UI can be made without an xml file- you can always create views with new and manually add them to a parent.

Did you mean doing it without using KeyboardView? Yes, you can do that too. KeyboardView is meant as a convenience for very simple keyboards, no real keyboard app uses it- not even google's keyboard. In the InputMethodService's onCreateInputView, return whatever view you wish to use. Any view can be returned. So you can be as flexible as you want.