What is AndroidX | why and how to migrate to it in 2021
What is AndroidX And Easy Migration Process
Hello, Android geeks. You must be curious to know aboutwhat is AndoroidX?or just finding answers here and there about what benefits AndoridX provides and how to migrate your current project to AndoridX? Don’t worry here we have tried to answer all your questions regarding this most important topic by gathering information from different reliable platforms available to you.
AndroidX overview
Basically, AndroidX is a replacement for the Android support library.
AndroidX is the short form of the android extension library and it’s a new way of organizing android support library introduced by google with android x android support library become deprecated and no longer updated since the 28 version. AndroidX contains the packages from the Android support library along with the android jetpack and like the support library, it’s shipped separately from the android system and provides backup compatibility across different android versions.
Android.*
Shipped with android system
AndroidX.*
Shipped with your APK
AndroidX is an improvement over the old android support library. It brings a way better package structure which makes things more clear. AndroidX packages are shipped with an android system and AndroidX packages are shipped within your apk file the baton namings also remove the developer’s confusion for example if there are support libraries
Named v7 but the minimum sdk supported is 14 but the most important is that the new package structure encourages small and more focused libraries that are separately maintained with their own semantic version.
More focused libraries
Androidx.navigation:navigation-fragment-ktx:2.3.0
Androidx.swiperefreshlayout:swiperefreshlayout:1.1.0
Andoroidx.constraintlayout:constraintlayout:1.1.3
Why migrate to AndroidX?
The support library’s final version is 28.0.0, and it is no longer maintained. So, if we want bug patches or new functionality that would previously have been added to the Support Library, we must upgrade to AndroidX. The AndroidX namespace will be used for all new Jetpack libraries.
1. Mandatory Migration
All future Jetpack libraries will be distributed under the AndroidX namespace. To use Jetpack Compose or cameras, for example, you must move to the AndroidX namespace.
2. Effortless App Structure
The Jetpack Navigation Component is required if you want to use Google’s suggested Single-Activity Architecture app strategy.
3. Google suggested arch
The MVVM pattern is used with Repos and Arch Components. They are unavoidable when developing large-scale programs under the modular arch to segregate via modules to make the code base maintainable, scalable, and to get better CC. Writing examinations has never been easier.
4. Efficient package management
AndroidX provides standardized and independent versioning, as well as improved name standards and more frequent releases. Other libraries, such as Google Play services, Firebase, Butterknife, Databinding Mockito, and SQL Delight, have transitioned to use the AndroidX namespace libraries.
How to migrate to AndroidX?
Android support libraries’ last version was 28. All the new feature development will be in AndroidX project. So, immigration is necessary luckily there are easy steps to do so.
If you create a new project you don’t need to do anything, the android studio will prepare everything for you just leave the check box use legacy android support libraries unselected. Android studio will also help us when we want to migrate an exciting project.
So You have already known the basics of what is android x? and the benefits of AndroidX. But if you have been using the old version then you must be thinking about how to migrate current project to AndroidX?
- In android studio 3.2(2018) there is an option where you can directly migrate your current project AndroidX. This will refactor all packages automatically.
EXISTING PROJECT
But before you migrate we recommend you to take backup.
Do the following changes in an existing project
- Android Studio > Refactor Menu > Migrate to AndroidX..
- It will evaluate and open the Refractor window at the bottom. Accept that adjustments must be made.
NEW PROJECT
Put these flags in your gradle.properties
android.enableJetifier=true
android.useAndroidX=true
