Skip to main content

How to implement search functionality in a RecyclerView in Kotlin Android

How to implement search functionality in a RecyclerView in Kotlin Android.

Here's a step-by-step tutorial on how to implement search functionality in a RecyclerView in Kotlin Android:

Step 1: Set up the project​

  • Create a new Android project in Android Studio.
  • Set up the necessary dependencies in your app-level build.gradle file, including RecyclerView and CardView.

Step 2: Create the layout files​

  • Create a new layout file for the activity that will contain the RecyclerView. Include a search bar and the RecyclerView itself.
  • Create another layout file for the list items that will be displayed in the RecyclerView.

Step 3: Create the model class​

  • Create a data class that represents the items in the RecyclerView. Include any necessary properties or methods.

Step 4: Create the Adapter​

  • Create a class that extends RecyclerView.Adapter and implement the necessary methods.
  • In the onCreateViewHolder method, inflate the layout file for the list items and return a ViewHolder.
  • In the onBindViewHolder method, bind the data from the model class to the ViewHolder.
  • Add a method to update the list of items in the Adapter.

Step 5: Implement the search functionality​

  • Add a search bar to the activity layout file.
  • In the activity class, get references to the search bar and the RecyclerView.
  • Create a list to hold the original list of items.
  • Implement a TextWatcher for the search bar to filter the list of items based on the user's input.
  • Update the Adapter with the filtered list of items.

Step 6: Handle user interaction​

  • Implement an interface in the Adapter to handle item clicks.
  • In the ViewHolder class, set an OnClickListener for the list item.
  • In the onClick method, call the interface method and pass the clicked item.

Step 7: Update the RecyclerView​

  • In the activity class, create an instance of the Adapter and set it as the adapter for the RecyclerView.
  • Create a method to update the RecyclerView with new data.
  • Call this method whenever the list of items is updated, either through searching or other means.

That's it! You've successfully implemented search functionality in a RecyclerView in Kotlin Android. You can now display a list of items, filter them based on user input, and handle user interaction with the list items.