How to build a Horizontal ListView with RecyclerView in Android?

Android Apps/Applications Mobile Development

Before getting into example, we should know what is Recycler view in android. Recycler view is more advanced version of list view and it works based on View holder design pattern. Using recycler view we can show grids and list of items.

This example demonstrate about how to build a horizontal list view with Recycler View by creating a beautiful student records app that displays student name with age.

Step 1 − Create a new project in Android Studio, go to File ⇒ New Project and fill all required details to create a new project.

Step 2 − Open build.gradle and add Recycler view & Card view library dependencies.

apply plugin: 'com.android.application'
android {
   compileSdkVersion 28
   defaultConfig {
      applicationId "com.example.andy.tutorialspoint"
      minSdkVersion 19
      targetSdkVersion 28
      versionCode 1
      versionName "1.0"
      testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
   }
   buildTypes {
      release {
         minifyEnabled false
         proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile('proguard-android.txt'), 'proguard-rules.pro'
      }
   }
}
dependencies {
   implementation fileTree(dir: 'libs', include: ['*.jar'])
   implementation 'com.android.support:appcompat-v7:28.0.0'
   implementation 'com.android.support:design:28.0.0'
   implementation 'com.android.support.constraint:constraint-layout:1.1.3'
   implementation 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:28.0.0'
   implementation 'com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:28.0.0'
   testImplementation 'junit:junit:4.12'
   androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test:runner:1.0.2'
   androidTestImplementation 'com.android.support.test.espresso:espresso-core:3.0.2'
}

Step 3 − Add the following code to res/layout/activity_main.xml.

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout
   xmlns:android = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
   xmlns:tools = "http://schemas.android.com/tools"
   xmlns:app = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
   android:layout_width = "match_parent"
   android:layout_height = "match_parent"
   app:layout_behavior = "@string/appbar_scrolling_view_behavior"
   tools:showIn = "@layout/activity_main"
   tools:context = ".MainActivity">
   <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
      android:id = "@+id/recycler_view"
      android:layout_width = "match_parent"
      android:layout_height = "wrap_content"
      android:scrollbars = "horizontal" />
</RelativeLayout>

In the above code we have added recycler view to window manger as relative parent layout and assigned Horizontal scroll bars to scroll horizontal way.

Step 4 − Add the following code to src/MainActivity.java

package com.example.andy.tutorialspoint;

import android.annotation.TargetApi;
import android.os.Build;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.support.annotation.RequiresApi;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.support.v7.widget.DividerItemDecoration;
import android.support.v7.widget.GridLayoutManager;
import android.support.v7.widget.LinearLayoutManager;
import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.LinearLayout;
import android.widget.Toast;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;


public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
   private RecyclerView recyclerView;
   private StudentAdapter studentAdapter;
   private List studentDataList = new ArrayList<>();
   @TargetApi(Build.VERSION_CODES.O)
   @Override
   protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
      super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
      setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
      recyclerView = findViewById(R.id.recycler_view);
      studentAdapter = new StudentAdapter(studentDataList,MainActivity.this);
      RecyclerView.LayoutManager manager = new LinearLayoutManager(this,LinearLayoutManager.HORIZONTAL, false);
      recyclerView.setLayoutManager(manager);
      recyclerView.setAdapter(studentAdapter);
      StudentDataPrepare();
   }
   @RequiresApi(api = Build.VERSION_CODES.N)
   private void StudentDataPrepare() {
      studentData data = new studentData("sai", 25);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("sai raj", 25);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("raghu", 20);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("raj", 28);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("amar", 15);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("bapu", 19);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("chandra", 52);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("deraj", 30);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      data = new studentData("eshanth", 28);
      studentDataList.add(data);
      Collections.sort(studentDataList, new Comparator() {
         @Override
         public int compare(studentData o1, studentData o2) {
            return o1.name.compareTo(o2.name);
         }
      });
   }
}

In the above code we have added recycler view and studentAdapter. In that student adapter we have passed studentDatalist as arraylist. In Student data list contains name of the student and age.

To get the horizontal view we need to add layout prams' as shown below -

RecyclerView.LayoutManager manager = new LinearLayoutManager(this,LinearLayoutManager.HORIZONTAL, false);
recyclerView.setLayoutManager(manager);

In the above code we added LinearLayoutManager and scroll position is Horizontal so it going to scroll Horizontal way.

Step 5 − Following is the content of the modified file src/ StudentAdapter.java.

package com.example.andy.tutorialspoint;

import android.graphics.Color;
import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
import android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.LinearLayout;
import android.widget.TextView;

import java.util.List;
import java.util.Random;

class StudentAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter {
   List<studentData> studentDataList;
   public StudentAdapter(List studentDataList) {
      this.studentDataList = studentDataList;
   }
   @NonNull
   @Override
   public MyViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(@NonNull ViewGroup viewGroup, int i) {
      View itemView = LayoutInflater.from(viewGroup.getContext())
      .inflate(R.layout.student_list_row, viewGroup, false);
      return new MyViewHolder(itemView);
   }
   @Override
   public void onBindViewHolder(MyViewHolder viewHolder, int i) {
      studentData data = studentDataList.get(i);
      Random rnd = new Random();
      int currentColor = Color.argb(255, rnd.nextInt(256), rnd.nextInt(256), rnd.nextInt(256));
      viewHolder.parent.setBackgroundColor(currentColor);
      viewHolder.name.setText(data.name);
      viewHolder.age.setText(String.valueOf(data.age));
   }
   @Override
   public int getItemCount() {
      return studentDataList.size();
   }
   class MyViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {
      TextView name,age;
      LinearLayout parent;
      public MyViewHolder(View itemView) {
         super(itemView);
         parent = itemView.findViewById(R.id.parent);
         name = itemView.findViewById(R.id.name);
         age = itemView.findViewById(R.id.age);
      }
   }
}

In the adapter class we have four methods as shown below -

onCreateViewHolder() :- It is used to create a view holder and it returns a view.
onBindViewHolder() - it going to bind with created view holder.
getItemCount() - it contains size of list.
MyViewHolder class- it is view holder inner class which is extended by RecyclerView.ViewHolder

To set random background for recycler view items, we have generated random colors using random class(which is predefined class in Android) and added color to parent of view item as shown below -

Random rnd = new Random();
int currentColor = Color.argb(255, rnd.nextInt(256), rnd.nextInt(256), rnd.nextInt(256));
viewHolder.parent.setBackgroundColor(currentColor);

Step 6 − Following is the modified content of the xml res/layout/student_list_row.xml.

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>
<android.support.v7.widget.CardView xmlns:android = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
   xmlns:card_view = "http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
   android:layout_width = "match_parent"
   card_view:cardCornerRadius = "4dp"
   android:id = "@+id/card_view"
   android:layout_margin = "10dp"
   android:layout_height = "200dp">
   <LinearLayout
      android:id = "@+id/parent"
      android:layout_gravity = "center"
      android:layout_width = "match_parent"
      android:orientation = "vertical"
      android:gravity = "center"
      android:layout_height = "match_parent">
      <TextView
         android:id = "@+id/name"
         android:layout_width = "wrap_content"
         android:gravity = "center"
         android:textSize = "25sp"
         android:textColor = "#FFF"
         android:layout_height = "wrap_content" />
      <TextView
         android:id = "@+id/age"
         android:layout_width = "wrap_content"
         android:gravity = "center"
         android:textSize = "25sp"
         android:textColor = "#FFF"
         android:layout_height = "wrap_content" />
   </LinearLayout>
</android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

In the above list item view we have created two text views for name and age inside the cardview. Card view contains pre defined corner radius and shadow property. So we have used corner radius with card view.

Step 7 − Following is the content of the modified file src/ studentData.java. package com.example.andy.tutorialspoint;

class studentData {
   String name;
   int age;
   public studentData(String name, int age) {
      this.name = name;
      this.age = age;
   }
}

In the above code informs about student data object. Let's try to run your application. I assume you have connected your actual Android Mobile device with your computer. To run the app from android studio, open one of your project's activity files and click Run icon from the toolbar. Select your mobile device as an option and then check your mobile device which will display your default screen −