Understand the Difference Between Material 3 and Material You in Jetpack Compose

Material Design has been a cornerstone of Android UI development since its introduction, guiding developers in crafting consistent, user-friendly, and visually appealing applications. With Jetpack Compose, Android’s modern toolkit for building native UIs, the implementation of Material Design principles has reached new levels of flexibility and adaptability. Two frequently mentioned terms, Material 3 and Material You, are central to this evolution. However, they are often conflated or misunderstood. In this post, we’ll dissect these concepts, explore their differences, and demonstrate how to leverage them effectively in Jetpack Compose.

What is Material 3?

Material 3 (M3) is the third iteration of Google’s Material Design guidelines. It represents a significant step forward, emphasizing:

• Accessibility: Enhanced support for larger touch targets, color contrast ratios, and adaptive layouts.

• Customization: Simplified theming and greater flexibility in UI element styling.

• Dynamic Design Patterns: More cohesive patterns for modern app experiences, including seamless integration with foldable devices and tablets.

Material 3 builds on the foundation laid by earlier versions of Material Design, incorporating modern design trends while adhering to best practices for usability and performance.

In Jetpack Compose, Material 3 is implemented via the material3 package, offering a new suite of components, APIs, and theming options tailored to M3’s principles.

What is Material You?

Material You (or Material U) is a design philosophy introduced with Android 12. It focuses on personalization and user-centric design, enabling applications to adapt dynamically to the user’s preferences and device settings. Core features of Material You include:

• Dynamic Color: Themes generated based on the user’s wallpaper, creating a cohesive experience across apps.

• User Expressiveness: Allowing users to reflect their individuality through system-wide and app-specific themes.

• Adaptive UI: Adjusting UI elements based on context, such as device type or accessibility settings.

Material You extends the scope of Material 3 by making personalization an intrinsic part of the user experience.

Key Differences Between Material 3 and Material You

Aspect	Material 3 (M3)	Material You (MY)
Focus	Design guidelines and UI components.	User personalization and dynamic theming.
Scope	Universal principles for all apps.	Tailored experiences based on user preferences.
Implementation	Jetpack Compose material3 package.	Dynamic color APIs and Android 12+ system features.
Dynamic Color Support	Optional.	Central to its philosophy.
Theming Approach	Static or app-defined themes.	Themes dynamically generated by the system.

While Material 3 is a set of tools and principles for developers, Material You centers on empowering users to influence the look and feel of their devices and apps.

Implementing Material 3 in Jetpack Compose

To get started with Material 3 in Jetpack Compose, include the material3 dependency in your project:

implementation "androidx.compose.material3:material3:<version>"

Key Components in Material 3

Material 3 introduces updated versions of familiar UI components with improved APIs and styling options. Some key components include:

1. TopAppBar

   CenterAlignedTopAppBar(
       title = { Text("Material 3 Example") },
       navigationIcon = { Icon(Icons.Filled.Menu, contentDescription = "Menu") },
       actions = { Icon(Icons.Filled.Search, contentDescription = "Search") }
   )

2. NavigationBar

   NavigationBar {
       NavigationBarItem(
           selected = true,
           onClick = { /* Handle click */ },
           icon = { Icon(Icons.Filled.Home, contentDescription = "Home") }
       )
   }

3. Floating Action Button (FAB)

   FloatingActionButton(
       onClick = { /* Handle click */ },
       containerColor = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary
   ) {
       Icon(Icons.Filled.Add, contentDescription = "Add")
   }

These components are designed to align with Material 3’s guidelines, ensuring consistency and modern aesthetics.

Theming in Material 3

Material 3 introduces a new colorScheme API for defining theme colors. Here’s an example:

val customColorScheme = lightColorScheme(
    primary = Color(0xFF6200EE),
    onPrimary = Color.White,
    secondary = Color(0xFF03DAC6),
    onSecondary = Color.Black
)

MaterialTheme(
    colorScheme = customColorScheme,
    typography = Typography,
    content = { /* Screen content */ }
)

Material 3’s colorScheme API simplifies color management by grouping related colors, improving readability and maintainability.

Incorporating Material You with Dynamic Color

Material You’s dynamic color capabilities can enhance your app’s theme by adapting to the user’s wallpaper or system settings. Dynamic color is available on Android 12+ and can be integrated into Jetpack Compose as follows:

1. Enable Dynamic Colors

   val dynamicColorScheme = if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
       dynamicLightColorScheme(context)
   } else {
       defaultLightColorScheme()
   }
   
   MaterialTheme(
       colorScheme = dynamicColorScheme,
       typography = Typography,
       content = { /* Screen content */ }
   )

2. Fallback for Older Devices Ensure your app provides a static color scheme for devices running Android 11 or lower.

Best Practices for Dynamic Color

• Respect User Preferences: Avoid overriding the dynamic theme unnecessarily.

• Test Across Devices: Ensure your app looks good with both dynamic and static themes.

• Use Default Material You Palettes: Leverage system-generated palettes for a seamless experience.

Best Practices for Using Material 3 and Material You Together

1. Design for Consistency Ensure your app’s components align with Material 3 guidelines while embracing dynamic colors for personalization.

2. Prioritize Backward Compatibility While Material You features are exclusive to Android 12+, Material 3 can be used on older versions. Implement fallbacks to maintain a consistent experience.

3. Optimize Performance Dynamic theming can introduce runtime overhead. Cache frequently used resources to avoid unnecessary recomputations.

4. Leverage Previews in Android Studio Use Jetpack Compose previews to test your UI with both dynamic and static themes:

   @Preview
   @Composable
   fun PreviewMaterial3Theme() {
       MyTheme { /* Screen content */ }
   }

Conclusion

Understanding the differences between Material 3 and Material You is crucial for creating modern, visually appealing, and user-friendly Android apps. While Material 3 provides robust tools and guidelines for developers, Material You introduces a layer of personalization that resonates with users on a deeper level.

By combining the strengths of both, you can build applications that not only adhere to best practices but also delight users with dynamic, adaptive, and cohesive designs. Start exploring the possibilities of Jetpack Compose with Material 3 and Material You today to elevate your app’s UI to the next level!