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Top Android Spannable Libraries

Top Android Spannable Libraries.

The Features and Installation of the Top Android Spannable Libraries

Introduction​

In Android development, text manipulation is a common task. The Spannable interface provides a powerful way to style and format text within a TextView. However, the default functionality of Spannable is limited. Luckily, there are several popular libraries available that extend the capabilities of Spannable and provide additional features for text manipulation. In this tutorial, we will explore some of the top Android Spannable libraries, their installation process, and provide code examples for their usage.

1. Spanny​

Spanny is a lightweight and easy-to-use library that enhances Spannable by allowing you to chain multiple spans together. This library simplifies the process of applying different styles to different parts of a text.

Installation​

To add Spanny to your project, include the following dependency in your app-level build.gradle file:

implementation 'com.github.marlonlom:lib.spannable:2.0.0'

Usage Example (Kotlin)​

val spannableBuilder = Spanny("Hello World")
    .append("!")
    .append(" Welcome", ForegroundColorSpan(Color.RED))
    .append(" to", StyleSpan(Typeface.BOLD))
    .append(" Android", RelativeSizeSpan(1.5f))
    .append("!")

textView.text = spannableBuilder

GitHub Repository​

Spanny on GitHub

2. Calligraphy​

Calligraphy is a library that enables you to easily add custom fonts to your Android application. It extends Spannable by allowing you to apply custom typefaces to specific parts of your text.

Installation​

To add Calligraphy to your project, include the following dependency in your app-level build.gradle file:

implementation 'uk.co.chrisjenx:calligraphy:2.3.0'

Usage Example (Java)​

SpannableString spannableString = new SpannableString("Hello World");
CalligraphyTypefaceSpan typefaceSpan = new CalligraphyTypefaceSpan(TypefaceUtils.load(getAssets(), "fonts/your_font.ttf"));

spannableString.setSpan(typefaceSpan, 0, 5, Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);

textView.setText(spannableString);

GitHub Repository​

Calligraphy on GitHub

3. SpannableBuilder​

SpannableBuilder is a library that simplifies the creation of complex Spannable strings by providing a fluent interface. It allows you to apply multiple spans with different properties to different parts of a text.

Installation​

To add SpannableBuilder to your project, include the following dependency in your app-level build.gradle file:

implementation 'com.github.tylerjroach:SpannableBuilder:1.0.0'

Usage Example (Kotlin)​

val spannableBuilder = SpannableBuilder("Hello World")
    .applyForegroundColor(Color.RED)
    .range(6, 11)
    .applyBackgroundColor(Color.YELLOW)
    .applyStyle(Typeface.BOLD)
    .range(12, 14)
    .applyForegroundColor(Color.BLUE)

textView.text = spannableBuilder.build()

GitHub Repository​

SpannableBuilder on GitHub

Additional Libraries​

Here are some more libraries that you can explore for further text manipulation with Spannable:

  • SpannedGridLayoutManager: A library for creating grid layouts with differently styled cells using Spannable. GitHub Repository

  • RichText: A library for easily formatting text with HTML-like tags using Spannable. GitHub Repository

  • SpannedTextView: A custom TextView that supports multiple spans with different properties. GitHub Repository

  • MarkdownView: A library for rendering Markdown text with Spannable. GitHub Repository

  • HtmlSpanner: A library that allows you to use HTML-like tags for styling text with Spannable. GitHub Repository

These libraries provide a wide range of features and flexibility when it comes to text manipulation using Spannable. Choose the one that best fits your project requirements and start enhancing your text styling capabilities.

Note: Make sure to check the documentation and latest versions of each library for any updates or changes in their usage.

Now that you have learned about the top Android Spannable libraries and their installation process, you can explore their features and leverage them to create visually appealing text within your Android applications.