It is the closest a view can get to that point. Margin is the distance of separation (measured in DP) between the view and the point of alignment. Alternatively, we can constrain it by writing the respective XML code. The zigzag (sometimes curved) lines represent alignments and they’re only visible in the preview.

In this case, we’ll attach a button fully to the parent. To constrain a view, hold and drag the handle to the desired point.

Meanwhile, a newly added view (in this case a Button) looks like this. In a later part of the tutorial, we’ll learn about cases when we don’t need to constrain a view at all. Unconstrained views float to the top of the screen hence it is important to give at least two constraints, a vertical and a horizontal one. They’re used to constrain/attach/align a view to a certain position on the screen. Alternatively, we can add the respective element in the XML code.Įach element has four “circular-shaped-dots” on its edges known as Constraint handles. We can drag and drop the desired element from the palette onto the design preview. Views and widgets are those components that the app users see on the screen. In the above code, the device’s screen serves as the layout’s parent. Views and widgets are added inside the layout tag which then becomes the parent to the respective element.

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