Applying Material You Color Palettes in Jetpack Compose

With the introduction of Material You in Android 12, Google revolutionized the way Android apps adapt to user preferences. Material You empowers users by personalizing the UI of apps based on dynamic color extraction from their chosen wallpapers. In Jetpack Compose, adopting Material You color palettes not only enhances the visual appeal but also aligns your app with the latest Android design principles.

In this blog, we’ll explore how to effectively implement Material You color palettes in Jetpack Compose, covering everything from foundational concepts to advanced use cases. By the end of this guide, you’ll be equipped to craft highly personalized and modern apps using Jetpack Compose.

What is Material You?

Material You is Google’s design language that emphasizes user individuality. It introduces dynamic theming by extracting colors from a user’s wallpaper and applying those colors across the system UI and supported apps.

Material You leverages a color scheme consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors, with variations like light, dark, and surface tones. These colors form the basis of a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing UI.

Why Use Material You in Jetpack Compose?

Integrating Material You in your Jetpack Compose app provides several benefits:

  • Consistency: Align your app’s design with system-wide theming.

  • Accessibility: Material You ensures color contrast for better readability and usability.

  • Personalization: Users feel more connected to apps that reflect their preferences.

  • Future-proofing: Stay updated with the latest Android design guidelines.

Setting Up Material You in Jetpack Compose

To get started, ensure your app targets Android 12 (API level 31) or higher, as dynamic color extraction is only available on these devices.

Step 1: Update Dependencies

Ensure you’re using the latest Jetpack Compose and Material libraries in your project:

dependencies {
    implementation "androidx.compose.material3:material3:1.2.0"
    implementation "androidx.compose.ui:ui:1.5.0"
    implementation "androidx.compose.ui:ui-tooling:1.5.0"
}

Step 2: Enable Dynamic Colors

Jetpack Compose’s Material 3 library supports dynamic colors out of the box. To enable dynamic theming, update your ApplicationTheme function:

@Composable
fun MyAppTheme(
    useDynamicColors: Boolean = true,
    content: @Composable () -> Unit
) {
    val context = LocalContext.current
    val dynamicColorScheme = if (useDynamicColors && Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
        dynamicColorScheme(context)
    } else {
        lightColorScheme()
    }

    MaterialTheme(
        colorScheme = dynamicColorScheme,
        typography = Typography,
        content = content
    )
}

Step 3: Define Custom Typography and Shapes (Optional)

While Material You provides a default typography and shape system, you can customize them as needed:

val Typography = Typography(
    bodyLarge = TextStyle(
        fontFamily = FontFamily.SansSerif,
        fontWeight = FontWeight.Normal,
        fontSize = 16.sp
    )
)

val Shapes = Shapes(
    small = RoundedCornerShape(8.dp),
    medium = RoundedCornerShape(16.dp),
    large = RoundedCornerShape(32.dp)
)

Include these in your MaterialTheme:

MaterialTheme(
    colorScheme = dynamicColorScheme,
    typography = Typography,
    shapes = Shapes,
    content = content
)

Using Material You Colors in Components

Jetpack Compose provides the MaterialTheme.colorScheme object to access Material You colors. Here’s how you can apply these colors to UI components:

Buttons

Button(
    onClick = { /*TODO*/ },
    colors = ButtonDefaults.buttonColors(
        containerColor = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
    )
) {
    Text(text = "Dynamic Button")
}

Surface

Surfaces can adopt dynamic colors to match the theme:

Surface(
    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
    color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.background
) {
    Text(
        text = "Hello, Material You!",
        color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.onBackground
    )
}

Text

Text colors can dynamically adjust based on the theme:

Text(
    text = "Dynamic Text",
    color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.secondary
)

Testing Material You Implementation

Testing dynamic theming is crucial to ensure your app looks great across different wallpapers and themes.

Preview with Dynamic Colors

Use the dynamicLightColorScheme and dynamicDarkColorScheme functions to preview your app in different themes:

@Preview
@Composable
fun LightThemePreview() {
    MyAppTheme(useDynamicColors = true) {
        MyAppContent()
    }
}

@Preview
@Composable
fun DarkThemePreview() {
    MyAppTheme(useDynamicColors = true) {
        MyAppContent()
    }
}

Emulate Dynamic Colors in Android Studio

To test dynamic theming in Android Studio:

  1. Launch your app on a device running Android 12 or higher.

  2. Change the device’s wallpaper to observe real-time updates.

  3. Use “System UI Demo Mode” for consistent testing conditions.

Advanced Use Cases

Customizing Dynamic Colors

You can override specific colors while still leveraging dynamic theming:

val customColors = dynamicColorScheme(LocalContext.current).copy(
    primary = Color(0xFF6200EE),
    onPrimary = Color.White
)

MaterialTheme(
    colorScheme = customColors,
    content = content
)

Animating Color Changes

Enhance user experience by animating color transitions:

val transitionColor = animateColorAsState(
    targetValue = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
)

Box(
    modifier = Modifier
        .background(transitionColor.value)
        .fillMaxSize()
)

Supporting Older Android Versions

For devices below Android 12, fallback to a predefined color scheme:

val fallbackColors = lightColorScheme(
    primary = Color(0xFF6200EE),
    secondary = Color(0xFF03DAC5)
)

val dynamicColors = if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
    dynamicColorScheme(LocalContext.current)
} else {
    fallbackColors
}

MaterialTheme(
    colorScheme = dynamicColors,
    content = content
)

Best Practices for Material You Integration

  • Test on Real Devices: Emulators may not fully replicate dynamic theming behavior.

  • Optimize for Accessibility: Ensure sufficient contrast for text and interactive elements.

  • Fallback Gracefully: Provide a consistent experience for devices that don’t support dynamic colors.

  • Stay Updated: Monitor updates to Jetpack Compose and Material guidelines for the latest features.

Conclusion

Integrating Material You color palettes in Jetpack Compose allows you to create apps that feel personal, modern, and aligned with the latest Android design trends. By understanding the principles of dynamic theming and leveraging Jetpack Compose’s powerful APIs, you can build visually stunning and user-centric applications. Start experimenting today, and let your app stand out in the world of dynamic UI design!