Here, we are going to make an application for the “GeeksForGeeks” website. By making this application we will be able to learn how we can convert a website to an Android Application just by following simple steps. You can use this concept for your personal website too and learn something new.
What we are going to build in this article?
In this application, we will learn how we can use different portals of a website and show them as fragments in our android application. In this application three portals of the Geeksforgeeks website- Home, Practice and Contribute will be used as fragments in our application. So, you can see a live example to convert a website into an application. The concept of WebView is used to do this desired work. A sample video is given below to get an idea about what we are going to do in this article. We are going to implement this project using both Java and Kotlin Programming Language for Android.
Simple Steps to Convert Your Website into an Android Application:
- To add the logo of your application.
- To add a splash screen to your application.
- To use the Navigation drawer in our application so that, different portals of our website can be used as fragments in the navigation drawer.
- To use a WebView so that, the web content can be accessed easily.
- To use WebViewController class so that the content on the Website can be directly shown in the application rather than opening it in the browser.
- To add a helpline activity.
And by following these steps you can convert your website to an application in the simplest way. So, let us see a step-by-step implementation to convert GeeksForGeeks Website into an application.
Step by Step Implementation
Step 1: Create a New Project in Android Studio
To create a new project in Android Studio please refer to How to Create/Start a New Project in Android Studio. The code for that has been given in both Java and Kotlin Programming Language for Android.
If you don’t know how to create a new project in Android Studio then you can refer to How to Create/Start a New Project in Android Studio?
Step 2: Adding Logo to the Application
Paste the logo of your application in res > drawable. Refer to How to change the default icon of the Android App for further steps.
Step 3: Add Splash Screen to the Application
Refer to Creating a Splash Screen to learn How to Add a Splash Screen to the Application. Sample design of Splash Screen of the Application.
Step 4: Working with the XML Files
Open layout > nav_header_main.xml file to design the header of our Navigation Drawer. For that use the following code in it.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!-- Constraint Layout to display all the details of header file --><androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="@dimen/nav_header_height" android:background="#6C6B74" android:gravity="bottom" android:orientation="vertical" android:paddingLeft="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin" android:paddingTop="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin" android:paddingRight="@dimen/activity_horizontal_margin" android:paddingBottom="@dimen/activity_vertical_margin" android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark"> <!-- Image View to display logo of application in header --> <ImageView android:id="@+id/imageView" android:layout_width="107dp" android:layout_height="87dp" android:layout_gravity="center" android:contentDescription="@string/nav_header_desc" android:foregroundGravity="center" android:paddingTop="@dimen/nav_header_vertical_spacing" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="0.247" app:srcCompat="@drawable/gfg_round" /> <!-- TextView for name of application --> <TextView android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="51dp" android:layout_gravity="center" android:gravity="center" android:paddingTop="@dimen/nav_header_vertical_spacing" android:text="GeeksForGeeks" android:textAppearance="@style/TextAppearance.AppCompat.Body1" android:textColor="#01A109" android:textSize="24sp" android:textStyle="bold" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="@+id/imageView" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="1.0" /></androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout> |
Change the color of the Action Bar to “#6C6B74” so that it can match the color code of the logo of our application and our UI can become more attractive. If you do not know how to change the color of the ActionBar then you can refer to How to change the color of Action Bar in an Android App to learn it. Open menu > activity_main_drawer.xml file and use the following code in it so that we can add different items(portals of our website) to our navigation drawer and use their fragments.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!-- Group is used to group all these items together --> <group android:checkableBehavior="single"> <!-- Three items are added as name of three portals --> <!-- Portal number 1- Home --> <!-- menu category is used as secondary so that backstack (going back by pressing back button) can be used --> <item android:id="@+id/nav_home" android:icon="@drawable/home" android:menuCategory="secondary" android:title="@string/menu_home" /> <!-- Portal number 2- Practice --> <item android:id="@+id/nav_gallery" android:icon="@drawable/practice_gfg" android:menuCategory="secondary" android:title="Practice" /> <!-- Portal number 3- Contribute --> <item android:id="@+id/nav_slideshow" android:icon="@drawable/contribute_gfg" android:menuCategory="secondary" android:title="Contribute" /> </group></menu> |
Go to the layout > activity_main.xml and use the following code in it.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!-- DrawerLayout acts as top level container for window content that allows for interactive “drawer” views to be pulled out from one or both vertical edges of the window --><androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayout android:id="@+id/drawer_layout" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:fitsSystemWindows="true" tools:openDrawer="start"> <!-- To reuse layouts include tag is used --> <include layout="@layout/app_bar_main" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" /> <!-- Navigation view to make navigation drawer --> <com.google.android.material.navigation.NavigationView android:id="@+id/nav_view" android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:layout_gravity="start" android:background="#2E303E" android:fitsSystemWindows="true" app:headerLayout="@layout/nav_header_main" app:itemIconTint="#fff" app:itemTextColor="#fff" app:menu="@menu/activity_main_drawer" /></androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayout> |
After Implementing the above code, the design of the activity_main.xml file looks like this.
Go to the navigation > mobile_navigation.xml file and use the following code in it so that we can specify the title and label of our website portals and can easily use them in java files.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><navigation android:id="@+id/mobile_navigation" app:startDestination="@+id/nav_home"> <!-- These fragments are made to work on all the items listed in navigation drawer so that the java files can be managed separately --> <!-- Fragment for Home portal--> <fragment android:id="@+id/nav_home" android:name="com.example.neveropen.ui.home.HomeFragment" android:label="@string/menu_home" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_home" /> <!-- Fragment for Practice portal--> <fragment android:id="@+id/nav_gallery" android:name="com.example.neveropen.ui.gallery.GalleryFragment" android:label="Practice" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_gallery" /> <!-- Fragment for Contribute--> <fragment android:id="@+id/nav_slideshow" android:name="com.example.neveropen.ui.slideshow.SlideshowFragment" android:label="Contribute" tools:layout="@layout/fragment_slideshow" /></navigation> |
Now it’s time to insert WebView in all the fragments, Open fragment_home, fragment_gallery, and fragment_slideshow XML files and use the code respectively.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" tools:context=".ui.home.HomeFragment"> <!-- WebView is added on full screen so that application interface can be interactive and user can the web content is visible on full screen --> <WebView android:id="@+id/web_view_home" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" /></androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout> |
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" tools:context=".ui.gallery.GalleryFragment"> <WebView android:id="@+id/web_view_practice" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="0.0" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="0.0" /></androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout> |
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" tools:context=".ui.slideshow.SlideshowFragment"> <WebView android:id="@+id/web_view_contribute" android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" /></androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout> |
Now we have to create a new Activity named “help”. So that, the application user can get info to take help from the service provider. Go to layout > right-click > new > activity > Empty Activity.
Put the name of the activity according to your choice(name used in this application-“help”). Open layout > activity_help.xml and use the following code in it.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout android:layout_width="match_parent" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:background="#6C6B74" tools:context=".help"> <!-- Image to display help sign--> <ImageView android:id="@+id/imageView3" android:layout_width="255dp" android:layout_height="173dp" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="0.222" app:srcCompat="@drawable/help" /> <!-- Indicating user that we are here to help by using a textview--> <TextView android:id="@+id/textView2" android:layout_width="371dp" android:layout_height="95dp" android:background="#2E303E" android:text="For any kind of queries or help you can contact us at-" android:textColor="#FFFCFC" android:textSize="30sp" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/imageView3" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="0.296" /> <!-- Contact details for help--> <TextView android:id="@+id/textView3" android:layout_width="393dp" android:layout_height="59dp" android:background="#2E303E" android:text="careers@geeksforgeeks.org" android:textColor="#FFFFFF" android:textSize="30sp" app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent" app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent" app:layout_constraintHorizontal_bias="0.666" app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent" app:layout_constraintTop_toBottomOf="@+id/textView2" app:layout_constraintVertical_bias="0.159" /></androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout> |
Now we have added a piece of code to take permission for access to the internet so that our WebView can work easily. Go to manifests > AndroidManifest.xml file and add the following code to it.
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
Step 5: Working with Java/Kotlin Files
Create a new class as shown below and name it “WebViewController”
Use the following code in the WebViewController File so that code to use the URL of a website can be executed.
Java
import android.webkit.WebView;import android.webkit.WebViewClient;// class is extended to WebViewClient to access the WebViewpublic class WebViewController extends WebViewClient { @Override public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url) { // loadurl function will load the // url we will provide to our webview view.loadUrl(url); return true; }} |
Kotlin
import android.webkit.WebViewimport android.webkit.WebViewClient// class is extended to WebViewClient to access the WebViewclass WebViewController : WebViewClient() { override fun shouldOverrideUrlLoading(view: WebView, url: String): Boolean { // loadurl function will load the // url we will provide to our webview view.loadUrl(url) return true }} |
Open the HomeFragment file and use the code respectively.
Java
import android.os.Bundle;import android.view.LayoutInflater;import android.view.View;import android.view.ViewGroup;import android.webkit.WebView;import androidx.annotation.NonNull;import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProvider;import com.example.neveropen.R;import com.example.neveropen.WebViewController;public class HomeFragment extends Fragment { private HomeViewModel homeViewModel; public View onCreateView(@NonNull LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) { homeViewModel = new ViewModelProvider(this).get(HomeViewModel.class); View root = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_home, container, false); // Created a WebView and used the loadurl method to give url to WebViewController class WebView webView = root.findViewById(R.id.web_view_home); webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewController()); // WebViewController is used return root; }} |
Kotlin
import android.os.Bundleimport android.view.LayoutInflaterimport android.view.Viewimport android.view.ViewGroupimport android.webkit.WebViewimport androidx.fragment.app.Fragmentimport androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProviderimport com.example.neveropen.WebViewControllerclass HomeFragment : Fragment() { private lateinit var homeViewModel: HomeViewModel override fun onCreateView(inflater: LayoutInflater, container: ViewGroup?, savedInstanceState: Bundle?): View { homeViewModel = ViewModelProvider(this).get(HomeViewModel::class.java) val root: View = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_home, container, false) // Created a WebView and used the loadurl method to give url to WebViewController class val webView = root.findViewById<WebView>(R.id.web_view_home) webView.webViewClient = WebViewController() // WebViewController is used return root }} |
Open the GalleryFragment file and use the code respectively.
Java
import android.os.Bundle;import android.view.LayoutInflater;import android.view.View;import android.view.ViewGroup;import android.webkit.WebView;import androidx.annotation.NonNull;import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProvider;import com.example.neveropen.R;import com.example.neveropen.WebViewController;public class GalleryFragment extends Fragment { private GalleryViewModel galleryViewModel; public View onCreateView(@NonNull LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) { galleryViewModel = new ViewModelProvider(this).get(GalleryViewModel.class); View root = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_gallery, container, false); WebView webView = root.findViewById(R.id.web_view_practice); webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewController()); return root; }} |
Kotlin
import android.os.Bundleimport android.view.LayoutInflaterimport android.view.Viewimport android.view.ViewGroupimport android.webkit.WebViewimport androidx.fragment.app.Fragmentimport androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProviderimport com.example.neveropen.WebViewControllerclass GalleryFragment : Fragment() { private lateinit var galleryViewModel: GalleryViewModel override fun onCreateView(inflater: LayoutInflater, container: ViewGroup?, savedInstanceState: Bundle?): View { galleryViewModel = ViewModelProvider(this).get(GalleryViewModel::class.java) val root: View = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_gallery, container, false) val webView = root.findViewById<WebView>(R.id.web_view_practice) webView.webViewClient = WebViewController() return root }} |
Open the SlideshowFragment file and use the code respectively.
Java
import android.os.Bundle;import android.view.LayoutInflater;import android.view.View;import android.view.ViewGroup;import android.webkit.WebView;import androidx.annotation.NonNull;import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;import androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProvider;import com.example.neveropen.R;import com.example.neveropen.WebViewController;public class SlideshowFragment extends Fragment { private SlideshowViewModel slideshowViewModel; public View onCreateView(@NonNull LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container, Bundle savedInstanceState) { slideshowViewModel = new ViewModelProvider(this).get(SlideshowViewModel.class); View root = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_slideshow, container, false); WebView webView = root.findViewById(R.id.web_view_contribute); webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewController()); return root; }} |
Kotlin
import android.os.Bundleimport android.view.LayoutInflaterimport android.view.Viewimport android.view.ViewGroupimport android.webkit.WebViewimport androidx.fragment.app.Fragmentimport androidx.lifecycle.ViewModelProviderimport com.example.neveropen.WebViewControllerclass SlideshowFragment : Fragment() { private lateinit var slideshowViewModel: SlideshowViewModel override fun onCreateView(inflater: LayoutInflater, container: ViewGroup?, savedInstanceState: Bundle?): View { slideshowViewModel = ViewModelProvider(this).get(SlideshowViewModel::class.java) val root: View = inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_slideshow, container, false) val webView = root.findViewById<WebView>(R.id.web_view_contribute) webView.webViewClient = WebViewController() return root }} |
Now all of our work is done and the last work is to connect the help activity to the floating button in our application with help of intent in the MainActivity file. Use the following code to do so.
Java
import android.content.Intent;import android.os.Bundle;import android.view.Menu;import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;import androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar;import androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayout;import androidx.navigation.NavController;import androidx.navigation.Navigation;import androidx.navigation.ui.AppBarConfiguration;import androidx.navigation.ui.NavigationUI;import com.google.android.material.floatingactionbutton.FloatingActionButton;import com.google.android.material.navigation.NavigationView;public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity { private AppBarConfiguration mAppBarConfiguration; @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_main); Toolbar toolbar = findViewById(R.id.toolbar); setSupportActionBar(toolbar); // Code for floating button FloatingActionButton fab = findViewById(R.id.fab); // On click listener is used on floating button // to redirect to help activity fab.setOnClickListener(view -> { // Intent is used to connect help activity to floating button Intent activity2Intent = new Intent(getApplicationContext(), help.class); startActivity(activity2Intent); }); // default code for drawer layout and navigation view DrawerLayout drawer = findViewById(R.id.drawer_layout); NavigationView navigationView = findViewById(R.id.nav_view); // Passing each menu ID as a set of Ids because each // menu should be considered as top level destinations. mAppBarConfiguration = new AppBarConfiguration.Builder( R.id.nav_home, R.id.nav_gallery, R.id.nav_slideshow) .setOpenableLayout(drawer) .build(); // default code to control the navigation view NavController navController = Navigation.findNavController(this, R.id.nav_host_fragment); NavigationUI.setupActionBarWithNavController(this, navController, mAppBarConfiguration); NavigationUI.setupWithNavController(navigationView, navController); } @Override public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) { // Inflate the menu; this adds items // to the action bar if it is present. getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.main, menu); return true; } @Override public boolean onSupportNavigateUp() { NavController navController = Navigation.findNavController(this, R.id.nav_host_fragment); return NavigationUI.navigateUp(navController, mAppBarConfiguration) || super.onSupportNavigateUp(); }} |
Kotlin
import android.content.Intentimport android.os.Bundleimport android.view.Menuimport androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivityimport androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbarimport androidx.drawerlayout.widget.DrawerLayoutimport androidx.navigation.NavControllerimport androidx.navigation.Navigationimport androidx.navigation.ui.AppBarConfigurationimport androidx.navigation.ui.NavigationUIimport com.google.android.material.floatingactionbutton.FloatingActionButtonimport com.google.android.material.navigation.NavigationViewclass MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() { private lateinit var mAppBarConfiguration: AppBarConfiguration override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState) setContentView(R.layout.activity_main) val toolbar = findViewById<Toolbar>(R.id.toolbar) setSupportActionBar(toolbar) // Code for floating button val fab = findViewById<FloatingActionButton>(R.id.fab) // On click listener is used on floating button // to redirect to help activity fab.setOnClickListener { // Intent is used to connect help activity to floating button val activity2Intent = Intent(applicationContext, help::class.java) startActivity(activity2Intent) } // default code for drawer layout and navigation view val drawer = findViewById<DrawerLayout>(R.id.drawer_layout) val navigationView = findViewById<NavigationView>(R.id.nav_view) // Passing each menu ID as a set of Ids because each // menu should be considered as top level destinations. mAppBarConfiguration = Builder( R.id.nav_home, R.id.nav_gallery, R.id.nav_slideshow) .setDrawerLayout(drawer) .build() // default code to control the navigation view val navController: NavController = Navigation.findNavController(this, R.id.nav_host_fragment) NavigationUI.setupActionBarWithNavController(this, navController, mAppBarConfiguration) NavigationUI.setupWithNavController(navigationView, navController) } override fun onCreateOptionsMenu(menu: Menu): Boolean { // Inflate the menu; this adds items // to the action bar if it is present. menuInflater.inflate(R.menu.main, menu) return true } override fun onSupportNavigateUp(): Boolean { val navController: NavController = Navigation.findNavController(this, R.id.nav_host_fragment) return (NavigationUI.navigateUp(navController, mAppBarConfiguration) || super.onSupportNavigateUp()) }} |
Note: In MainActivity.java whole code is by default or pre-existing we have just added intent code to connect help activity with the floating button.
