ShapeDrawable

ShapeDrawable is a lightweight drawable implementation in Android that renders geometric shapes defined by a Shape object. It belongs to the android.graphics.drawable package and draws by delegating rendering to the Shape within the drawable’s bounds. This makes it possible to create colored, rounded, or otherwise simple shapes at runtime without bitmap resources.

Construction and customization: You create a ShapeDrawable by supplying a Shape instance, such as RectShape, OvalShape, or RoundRectShape. The ShapeDrawable maintains a Paint object (accessible via getPaint()) that controls how the shape is filled or stroked, including color, shader, alpha, and other paint attributes. The shape’s appearance can be altered by modifying the Paint or the Shape’s own properties, and the drawable can be tinted or filtered using standard Drawable APIs.

Sizing, padding, and bounds: ShapeDrawable uses its bounds to determine where to draw the shape. Padding can be applied to reserve space around the shape, and the drawable can be scaled or clipped according to its bounds when rendered. The intrinsic sizing is tied to the Shape and the drawable’s configuration.

Usage: ShapeDrawable can be used as a background or foreground for views, or as a standalone drawable in layouts and programming. It provides a straightforward option for rendering simple geometric visuals without raster assets, and it can be combined with tinting, color filters, or shaders for dynamic effects.

See also: Drawable, Shape, RectShape, OvalShape, RoundRectShape.