Bertha is a simple demo project that showcases how to set up Android launcher icons and shortcuts, for all versions of Android up to O (8.0.0, API 26) included.
This showcases:
- "Legacy" launcher icons for Android versions up to 7.0 Nougat (API 24)
- These icons can have a background, but in this case, they don't, as most apps from that era didn't
(unless they had lazy designers or logos that had a background) - Must use PNGs as vector drawables and WEBP images were not supported for launcher icons
- These icons can have a background, but in this case, they don't, as most apps from that era didn't
- Round launcher icons for Android 7.1 Nougat (API 25)
- Originally used in the Pixel launcher to have visual coherency
- Replaced by Adaptive Icons in Android O (see next bullet point)
- Must use PNGs as vector drawables and WEBP images were not supported for launcher icons
- Adaptive Icons for Android 8.0 O (API 26) and later
- Can use vector drawables (finally)
- Different canvas size, 108dp, with a 72dp visible area
- Safe area is actually a circle with a 66dp diameter, not a square
- Composed of background and foreground layers, mask is provided by the launcher
- Can be animated (but aren't yet as of Android O Developer Preview 3)
- Launcher shortcuts for Android 7.1 Nougat (API 25) and later
- Accessed via long-press or other gestures
- Useful for deeplinks (in this case, they set the image in the app)
- Not demoed here are dynamic shortcuts, only the static shortcuts
API < 25 | API 25 | API 26+ |
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API 25 | API 26+ | Demo (API 26) |
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The code is licenced under the Apache License 2.0, see the LICENSE file. The icons used are based on a free vector design from Freepik.