Cards are an essential component in modern user interfaces, providing a visually appealing way to present information and content. In Jetpack Compose, Google's declarative UI toolkit for Android app development, the Card component offers a powerful and flexible solution for creating beautiful cards. In this article, we will explore the various properties of the Card component, including elevation, background, and corner radius. By understanding these properties, you'll be able to design stunning and engaging user interfaces.
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Understanding the Card Component:
The Card component in Jetpack Compose allows you to create cards with customizable styles and behaviours. Let's delve into the key properties of the Card component and see how they can be used to enhance your UI.
- Elevation: The elevation property of the Card the component determines the visual depth and shadow effect applied to the card. By adjusting the elevation value, you can create a sense of depth and highlight important elements in your UI. Higher elevation values result in stronger shadows.
Example 1: Applying Elevation to a Card:
Card(
elevation = 4.dp,
modifier = Modifier.padding(16.dp)
) {
// Card content goes here
}
Example 2: Dynamic Elevation with Animation:
val animateElevation by animateDpAsState(targetValue = if (isHovered) 8.dp else 4.dp)
Card(
elevation = animateElevation,
modifier = Modifier
.padding(16.dp)
.hoverable { isHovered = it }
) {
// Card content goes here
}
- Background: The background property of the Card component allows you to define a custom background colour or drawable for the card. You can use solid colours, gradients, or even images to create visually distinct and engaging cards.
Example: Custom Background for a Card:
Card(
elevation = 4.dp,
background = Color.LightBlue,
modifier = Modifier.padding(16.dp)
) {
// Card content goes here
}
- Corner Radius: The shape property of the Card component enables you to specify the corner radius of the card. By adjusting the corner radius, you can create cards with rounded or sharp corners, depending on your design needs.
Example 1: Rounded Corner Card:
Card(
elevation = 4.dp,
shape = RoundedCornerShape(8.dp),
modifier = Modifier.padding(16.dp)
) {
// Card content goes here
}
Example 2: Custom Shape with Different Corner Radius:
Card(
elevation = 4.dp,
shape = RoundedCornerShape(topStart = 8.dp, topEnd = 24.dp, bottomEnd = 8.dp, bottomStart = 24.dp),
modifier = Modifier.padding(16.dp)
) {
// Card content goes here
}
Conclusion:
In this article, we explored the various properties of the Card component in Jetpack Compose, allowing you to create visually appealing and customizable cards. By utilizing properties such as elevation, background, and corner radius, you can elevate your UI and design stunning user interfaces. Remember to experiment with different values and combinations to achieve the desired visual effects for your cards.
Jetpack Compose's Card component empowers you to create stylish and engaging user interfaces that capture the attention of your users. Embrace the flexibility and customization options provided by the Card component to design remarkable card-based layouts in your Android applications.
Parvesh Sandila is a results-driven tech professional with 8+ years of experience in web and mobile development, leadership, and emerging technologies.
After completing his Master’s in Computer Applications (MCA), he began his journey as a programming mentor, guiding 100+ students and helping them build strong foundations in coding. In 2019, he founded Owlbuddy.com, a platform dedicated to providing free, high-quality programming tutorials for aspiring developers.
He then transitioned into a full-time programmer, where his hands-on expertise and problem-solving skills led him to grow into a Team Lead and Technical Project Manager, successfully delivering scalable web and mobile solutions. Today, he works with advanced technologies such as AI systems, RAG architectures, and modern digital solutions, while also collaborating through a strategic partnership with Technobae (UK) to build next-generation products.