I have been writing about Android UI patterns for nearly 10 years. Within the Android ecosystem, current patterns evolve and new patterns emerge from the work that designers and builders do on the platform. The evolution of established patterns is without doubt one of the most fascinating issues to comply with for a few causes:

• Level out that design patterns will not be design guidelines. Patterns are options to issues. The options will not be absolute.
• You might be free to consider what you are able to do with a longtime sample to greatest resolve your particular drawback. It’s not essential to cease the place the Material Design Guidelines finish.

Nevertheless, to interrupt the foundations it’s essential to know the foundations. Break them when you might have a cause to. A designer proposing a substitute for a longtime sample ought to be capable of reply the query “as a result of?”. So earlier than you determine to ditch the standard FAB, check out what is the FAB really and where should it be used.

FAB is the principle motion on the present display. Default positioning to the underside proper reinforces this considering with customers. However what in case you have an motion that you simply need to entry anyplace out of your prime degree screens?

One possibility can be to repeat the button on every display. In these instances you must make sure to keep the FAB constantly visible to indicate that it hasn’t changed.

However there’s an alternative choice. Place the FAB within the backside navigation bar.

He the bottom navigation pattern is also very well defined in the Material Design guidelines. It is value having a look earlier than you leap in.

The underside navigation is used to navigate between your prime degree content material. Logically, your most important motion might look like on the identical degree as the opposite top-level content material. Nevertheless, making one of many navigation components an motion would not really feel proper. All content material accessible from the underside navigation needs to be on the identical degree in your app hierarchy.

FAB is already a well-established sample and customers may be anticipated to grasp it. FAB triggers an motion. Combining FAB pictures with the underside navigation location ought to provide the better of each worlds. It’s clear that you’re triggering an motion and never a navigation motion if you press the FAB.

If you wish to take a look at how the FAB feels within the navigation bar, attempt Spendee App.

The patterns will not be new. Many may acknowledge it from the outdated implementation of the Instagram app. Nevertheless, Instagram has gone forward and now incorporates motion into navigation with out clearly differentiating between motion and navigation.

I encourage everybody to keep away from mixing navigations and actions in the identical navigation widget with a unified type. Customers are prone to anticipate the identical interplay with the identical buttons. Do not shock your customers.

Revolut just lately up to date their app by eradicating the FAB from their toolbar. The change appears unusual to me. The funds motion takes you out of the principle navigation to a separate fee kind choice display. Making the motion a navigation component would not really feel like the fitting change. Wouldn’t it be fascinating to listen to the reasoning behind the change? Possibly customers weren’t discovering the unlabeled switch motion? If anybody is aware of and may discuss it, please ping me! 🙂

I just like the FAB within the backside navigation when it makes clear sense from an data hierarchy standpoint. I am certain there are a whole lot of opinions on the market. I’d like to know what you suppose and in case you have arguments for or towards FAB-in-bottom-nav.