Android Animations using Java
Last Updated :
15 Jul, 2025
The animation is a method in which a collection of images is combined in a specific way and processed then they appear as moving images. Building animations make on-screen objects seems to be alive. Android has quite a few tools to help you create animations with relative ease. So in this article, let's learn to create android animations using Java.
Table of Attributes
| XML ATTRIBUTES | DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| android:id | Sets unique id of the view |
| android:duration | Used to specify the duration of the animation |
| android:fromDegrees | Starting angular position (in degrees) |
| android:toDegrees | Ending angular position (in degrees) |
| android:fromXScale | Starting X size offset |
| android:toXScale | Ending of X size offset |
| android:fromYScale | Starting Y size offset |
| android:toYScale | Ending of Y size offset |
| android:fromAlpha | Starting alpha value for the animation
(1.0 means fully opaque and 0.0 means fully transparent) |
| android:toAlpha | Ending alpha value |
| android:fromYDelta | Change in Y coordinate to be applied at the beginning of the animation |
| android:toYDelta | Change in Y coordinate to be applied at the end of the animation |
| android:pivotX | Represents the X-axis coordinates to zoom from the starting point |
| android:pivotY | Represents the Y-axis coordinates to zoom from the starting point |
| android:interpolator | It defines the rate of change of an animation |
| android:startOffset | Delay occurs when an animation runs (in ms), once start time is reached |
How to add animation in Android using Java
Step 1: Create a New Project
- Start Android Studio (version > 2.2)
- Go to File -> New -> New Project.
- Select Empty Activity and click on next
- Select minimum SDK as 21
- Choose the language as Java and click on the finish button.
- Modify the following XML and java files.
Step 2: Modify activity_main.xml file
In the XML file, we have added an ImageView, TextView, and Button inside the RelativeLayout.
XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout
xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:id="@+id/RL1"
android:layout_height="match_parent"
tools:context=".MainActivity">
<ImageView
android:id="@+id/imageView1"
android:layout_width="200dp"
android:layout_height="150dp"
android:layout_below="@id/textView0"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_marginTop="100dp"
android:visibility="visible"
android:src="@drawable/logo2" />
<TextView
android:id="@+id/textView1"
android:layout_width="match_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="4 common animations in android"
android:layout_below="@id/imageView1"
android:layout_marginTop="50dp"
android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:gravity="center"
android:fontFamily="sans-serif"
android:textSize="50px"/>
<Button
android:id="@+id/button1"
android:layout_width="150dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Blink"
android:layout_below="@id/textView1"
android:layout_marginLeft="50dp"
android:layout_marginTop="40dp"/>
<Button
android:id="@+id/button2"
android:layout_width="150dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Slide"
android:layout_below="@id/textView1"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_marginRight="50dp"
android:layout_marginTop="40dp"/>
<Button
android:id="@+id/button3"
android:layout_width="150dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Rotate"
android:layout_below="@id/button1"
android:layout_marginLeft="50dp"
android:layout_marginTop="30dp"/>
<Button
android:id="@+id/button4"
android:layout_width="150dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:text="Zoom"
android:layout_below="@id/button2"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_marginRight="50dp"
android:layout_marginTop="30dp"/>
</RelativeLayout>
Step 3: Add these XML files to the anim directory
After modifying the layout we will create XML files for animations. So we will first create a folder name anim. In this folder, we will be adding the XML files which will be used to produce the animations. For this to happen, go to app/res right-click and then select Android Resource Directory and name it as anim.
Some Common Types of Animations in Android are,
- Blink - Hides the object for 0.6 to 1 second.
- Slide - Move the object either vertically or horizontally to its axis.
- Rotate - Rotate the object either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
- Zoom - Zoom in or out the object in the X and Y-axis.
blinks.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<alpha android:fromAlpha="0.0"
android:toAlpha="1.0"
android:interpolator="@android:anim/accelerate_interpolator"
android:duration="700"
android:repeatMode="reverse"
android:repeatCount="infinite"/>
</set>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<rotate xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:fromDegrees="0"
android:toDegrees="360"
android:pivotX="50%"
android:pivotY="50%"
android:duration="2500" >
</rotate>
<rotate xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:startOffset="5000"
android:fromDegrees="360"
android:toDegrees="0"
android:pivotX="50%"
android:pivotY="50%"
android:duration="2500" >
</rotate>
</set>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:fillAfter="true" >
<scale
android:duration="500"
android:fromXScale="1.0"
android:fromYScale="1.0"
android:interpolator="@android:anim/linear_interpolator"
android:toXScale="1.0"
android:toYScale="0.0" />
</set>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<set xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
<scale xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:fromXScale="0.5"
android:toXScale="3.0"
android:fromYScale="0.5"
android:toYScale="3.0"
android:duration="4000"
android:pivotX="50%"
android:pivotY="50%" >
</scale>
<scale xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:startOffset="5000"
android:fromXScale="3.0"
android:toXScale="0.5"
android:fromYScale="3.0"
android:toYScale="0.5"
android:duration="4000"
android:pivotX="50%"
android:pivotY="50%" >
</scale>
</set>
Step 4: Modify MainActivity.java
To perform animation in android, we have to call a static function loadAnimation() of the class AnimationUtils. We get the result in an instance of the Animation Object. Syntax to create animation object:
Animation object = AnimationUtils.loadAnimation(getApplicationContext(), R.anim.ANIMATIONFILE);
To apply the above animation to an object(Let say in an image), we have to call the startAnimation() method of the object. Syntax to call the method:
ImageView image = findViewById(R.id.imageID);
image.startAnimation(object);
Methods of animation class:
Method
| Description
|
| startAnimation(object) | Starts the animation |
| setDuration(long duration) | Sets the duration of animation |
| getDuration() | Gets the duration of animation |
| end() | Ends the animation |
| cancel() | Cancels the animation |
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.animation.Animation;
import android.view.animation.AnimationUtils;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.ImageView;
public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
ImageView logo;
Button blink, slide, rotate, zoom;
@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
// GFG logo
logo = findViewById(R.id.imageView1);
// blink button
blink = findViewById(R.id.button1);
// slide button
slide = findViewById(R.id.button2);
// rotate button
rotate = findViewById(R.id.button3);
// zoom button
zoom = findViewById(R.id.button4);
// blink button listener
blink.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View view)
{
// call a static function loadAnimation()
// of the class AnimationUtils
Animation object
= AnimationUtils
.loadAnimation(
getApplicationContext(),
// blink file is in anim folder
R.anim.blinks);
// call the startAnimation method
logo.startAnimation(object);
}
});
// slide button listener
slide.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View view)
{
// call a static function loadAnimation()
// of the class AnimationUtils
Animation object
= AnimationUtils
.loadAnimation(
getApplicationContext(),
// slide file is in anim folder
R.anim.slide);
// call the startAnimation method
logo.startAnimation(object);
}
});
// rotate button listener
rotate.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View view)
{
// call a static function loadAnimation()
// of the class AnimationUtils
Animation object
= AnimationUtils
.loadAnimation(
getApplicationContext(),
// rotate file is in anim folder
R.anim.rotate);
// call the startAnimation method
logo.startAnimation(object);
}
});
// zoom button listener
zoom.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
@Override
public void onClick(View view)
{
// call a static function loadAnimation()
// of the class AnimationUtils
Animation object
= AnimationUtils
.loadAnimation(
getApplicationContext(),
// zoom file is in anim folder
R.anim.zoom);
// call the startAnimation method
logo.startAnimation(object);
}
});
}
}
Output: Run on Emulator