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Jetpack Compose
open-in-new
<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The first preview of Jetpack Compose was announced at the <a href="/facts/Google_I%2fO/dccHXkGF">Google I/O</a> conference in May 2019.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> The developer preview was released in October 2019,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> and the <a href="/facts/Software_release_life_cycle/z4Q4RElA">alpha release</a> took place in August 2020.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>Compose entered its <a href="/facts/Software_release_life_cycle/z4Q4RElA">beta phase</a> in February 2021, with its first production release taking place that July.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="features">Features</h2> <p>Jetpack Compose supports <a href="/facts/Android_5.0/kAem58xg">Android 5.0</a> and later.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> It uses the <a href="/facts/Kotlin_(programming_language)/CrAqIFLn">Kotlin</a> programming language, and provides a <a href="/facts/Reactive_programming/Jj8CsdKY">reactive programming</a> model similar to other UI frameworks such as <a href="/facts/Vue.js/AojblWPD">Vue.js</a> and <a href="/facts/React_Native/QrjPdqG8">React Native</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> Compose is designed to integrate seamlessly with existing Android apps and libraries, allowing developers to gradually migrate their apps to Compose.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>In Compose, a user interface is defined using functions that have been annotated with the @Composable annotation, which are known as composable functions and define the screen's <a href="/facts/State_(computer_science)/4Yu8xXHS">state</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The annotation is used by the Compose compiler to generate the UI <a href="/facts/Boilerplate_code/xbYAfVbW">boilerplate code</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> When the state is updated, composable functions are called again with new data, which causes the widgets they emit to be redrawn in a process known as recomposition. Recomposition is only performed for composable functions that need to be updated, which improves UI efficiency.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p><p>The 1.0 release introduced Compose Preview, which is built into <a href="/facts/Android_Studio/TuK7stVp">Android Studio</a> starting with Arctic Fox. It allows composables to be previewed using different configurations without deploying the app to a device.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>In September 2024, the 1.0 stable version of the Jetpack Compose <a href="/facts/API/GMlN4vUr">APIs</a> for building adaptive UIs with <a href="/facts/Material_3/4ma88y5C">Material 3</a> was released.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="usage">Usage</h2> <p>At the time of Jetpack Compose's 1.0 release, Google said, "There are already over 2,000 apps in the <a href="/facts/Play_Store/j3N4wv6g">Play Store</a> using Compose – in fact, the Play Store app itself uses Compose."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> As of October 2022, 16% of the top 1000 apps on the Play Store included Compose. The apps included those from companies such as <a href="/facts/Airbnb/EP95k6Rr">Airbnb</a>, <a href="/facts/Lyft/3h6tPhMs">Lyft</a> and <a href="/facts/Square_(financial_services)/FbVUaYyk">Square</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> In May 2024, this number had grown to 40%.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> </p><p>Google rewrote parts of Android's Settings app using Jetpack Compose in <a href="/facts/Android_14/bEoMeoDy">Android 14</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Meta_Platforms/ylApt16y">Meta Platforms</a> developed its <a href="/facts/Threads_(social_network)/dfz0cLUk">Threads</a> social media app in five months using Jetpack Compose.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> The <a href="/facts/Instagram/33s91jnV">Instagram</a> for Android app has also been written using Jetpack Compose.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="compose-multiplatform">Compose Multiplatform</h2> <p>Compose Multiplatform is a multi-platform UI framework developed by <a href="/facts/JetBrains/1YcNFxgv">JetBrains</a> and based on Jetpack Compose. It is a port of Jetpack Compose for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Windows</a>, <a href="/facts/MacOS/Y93vVpTm">macOS</a>, <a href="/facts/Linux/9FvCKSTq">Linux</a> and the web. Version 1.0 alpha was released in August 2021.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> <a href="/facts/IOS/mK5cggH5">iOS</a> support was added in May 2023.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose">Official website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Lardinois, Frederic (May 7, 2019). "Google launches Jetpack Compose, an open-source, Kotlin-based UI development toolkit". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/07/google-launches-jetpack-compose-an-open-source-kotlin-based-ui-development-toolkit/" target="_blank">https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/07/google-launches-jetpack-compose-an-open-source-kotlin-based-ui-development-toolkit/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Protalinski, Emil (October 23, 2019). "Google launches Jetpack Compose developer preview and Android Studio 4.0 Canary". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://venturebeat.com/business/google-launches-jetpack-compose-developer-preview-and-android-studio-4-0-canary/" target="_blank">https://venturebeat.com/business/google-launches-jetpack-compose-developer-preview-and-android-studio-4-0-canary/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Bradshaw, Kyle (August 26, 2020). "Jetpack Compose reaches Alpha ahead of full release next year". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://9to5google.com/2020/08/26/jetpack-compose-alpha/" target="_blank">https://9to5google.com/2020/08/26/jetpack-compose-alpha/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Bradshaw, Kyle (July 28, 2021). "Google launches Jetpack Compose 1.0, making Android UI design easier w/ Kotlin". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://9to5google.com/2021/07/28/jetpack-compose-1-0-android-ui-kotlin/" target="_blank">https://9to5google.com/2021/07/28/jetpack-compose-1-0-android-ui-kotlin/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Set up your Android project | Jetpack Compose". Android Developers. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose/tooling/relay/android-project-setup" target="_blank">https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose/tooling/relay/android-project-setup</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Lardinois, Frederic (May 7, 2019). "Google launches Jetpack Compose, an open-source, Kotlin-based UI development toolkit". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/07/google-launches-jetpack-compose-an-open-source-kotlin-based-ui-development-toolkit/" target="_blank">https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/07/google-launches-jetpack-compose-an-open-source-kotlin-based-ui-development-toolkit/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Bradshaw, Kyle (July 28, 2021). "Google launches Jetpack Compose 1.0, making Android UI design easier w/ Kotlin". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://9to5google.com/2021/07/28/jetpack-compose-1-0-android-ui-kotlin/" target="_blank">https://9to5google.com/2021/07/28/jetpack-compose-1-0-android-ui-kotlin/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Anderson, Tim (August 6, 2021). "Does the world need another cross-platform framework? Tough, here's JetBrains with Compose Multiplatform". The Register. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/" target="_blank">https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Sinicki, Adam (November 10, 2019). "An introduction to Jetpack Compose for quick Android UI designs". Android Authority. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/introduction-to-jetpack-compose-1051253/" target="_blank">https://www.androidauthority.com/introduction-to-jetpack-compose-1051253/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Sinicki, Adam (November 10, 2019). "An introduction to Jetpack Compose for quick Android UI designs". Android Authority. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/introduction-to-jetpack-compose-1051253/" target="_blank">https://www.androidauthority.com/introduction-to-jetpack-compose-1051253/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Thinking in Compose | Jetpack Compose". Android Developers. Retrieved April 12, 2025. <a href="https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose/mental-model" target="_blank">https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/compose/mental-model</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Krill, Paul (July 30, 2021). "Jetpack Compose for Android turns GA". InfoWorld. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.infoworld.com/article/3627298/jetpack-compose-for-android-turns-ga.html" target="_blank">https://www.infoworld.com/article/3627298/jetpack-compose-for-android-turns-ga.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Vanyo, Alex (September 9, 2024). "Jetpack Compose APIs for building adaptive layouts using Material guidance now stable". Android Developers Blog. Retrieved April 12, 2025. <a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2024/09/jetpack-compose-apis-for-building-adaptive-layouts-material-guidance-now-stable.html" target="_blank">https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2024/09/jetpack-compose-apis-for-building-adaptive-layouts-material-guidance-now-stable.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Anderson, Tim (August 6, 2021). "Does the world need another cross-platform framework? Tough, here's JetBrains with Compose Multiplatform". The Register. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/" target="_blank">https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Nikolov, Lazar (April 19, 2023). "Build better Jetpack Compose apps with Sentry". InfoWorld. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.infoworld.com/article/3693018/build-better-jetpack-compose-apps-with-sentry.html" target="_blank">https://www.infoworld.com/article/3693018/build-better-jetpack-compose-apps-with-sentry.html</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Developer Keynote (Google I/O '24). May 14, 2024. Retrieved December 24, 2024 – via YouTube. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1140&v=ddcZnW1HKUY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1140&v=ddcZnW1HKUY&feature=youtu.be</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>Bradshaw, Kyle (February 14, 2023). "Google is gradually rewriting Android's Settings app with Jetpack Compose". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://9to5google.com/2023/02/14/android-14-settings-app-jetpack-compose/" target="_blank">https://9to5google.com/2023/02/14/android-14-settings-app-jetpack-compose/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Evjen, Yasmine; Muntenescu, Florina (October 27, 2023). "Meta built threads in only 5 months using Jetpack Compose". Android Developers Blog. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024. <a href="https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2023/10/meta-built-threads-in-only-5-months-using-jetpack-compose.html" target="_blank">https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2023/10/meta-built-threads-in-only-5-months-using-jetpack-compose.html</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>Li, Abner (March 4, 2024). "Google on how Meta sped up its Android 14 app updates". 9to5Google. Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024. <a href="https://9to5google.com/2024/03/04/google-meta-android-apps/" target="_blank">https://9to5google.com/2024/03/04/google-meta-android-apps/</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Hartig, Pascal (January 24, 2025). "Bringing Jetpack Compose to Instagram for Android". Engineering at Meta. Retrieved April 13, 2025. <a href="https://engineering.fb.com/2025/01/24/android/bringing-jetpack-compose-to-instagram-for-android/" target="_blank">https://engineering.fb.com/2025/01/24/android/bringing-jetpack-compose-to-instagram-for-android/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>Anderson, Tim (August 6, 2021). "Does the world need another cross-platform framework? Tough, here's JetBrains with Compose Multiplatform". The Register. Archived from the original on March 7, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/" target="_blank">https://www.theregister.com/2021/08/06/compose_for_desktop_kotlin_framework/</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Krill, Paul (May 19, 2023). "JetBrains adds iOS support to cross-platform UI framework". InfoWorld. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved April 14, 2024. <a href="https://www.infoworld.com/article/3697271/jetbrains-adds-ios-support-to-cross-platform-ui-framework.html" target="_blank">https://www.infoworld.com/article/3697271/jetbrains-adds-ios-support-to-cross-platform-ui-framework.html</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>