Pros of Shimmer-android

• More mature and widely adopted, backed by Facebook
• Offers a more customizable shimmer effect with various animation properties
• Provides both Java and Kotlin support

Cons of Shimmer-android

• Limited to shimmer effect only, less versatile for different loading styles
• Requires more setup and configuration for complex layouts

Code Comparison

Skeleton:

Skeleton.bind(recyclerView)
    .shimmer(true)
    .count(10)
    .color(R.color.shimmer_color)
    .load(R.layout.item_skeleton)
    .show()

Shimmer-android:

val shimmerFrameLayout = findViewById<ShimmerFrameLayout>(R.id.shimmer_view_container)
shimmerFrameLayout.startShimmer()

Summary

Skeleton offers a more comprehensive solution for creating skeleton loading screens with various styles, while Shimmer-android focuses specifically on the shimmer effect. Skeleton provides an easier setup for complex layouts, but Shimmer-android offers more customization options for the shimmer animation itself. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of the project and the desired loading effect.

Pros of ShimmerLayout

• More customizable shimmer effect with options for angle, color, and width
• Supports both static and dynamic shimmer layouts
• Easier integration with existing layouts due to its FrameLayout-based approach

Cons of ShimmerLayout

• Limited to shimmer effects only, while Skeleton offers more placeholder types
• May have slightly higher memory usage due to additional view layers
• Less suitable for complex, nested layouts compared to Skeleton's view-based approach

Code Comparison

ShimmerLayout:

<com.facebook.shimmer.ShimmerFrameLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content">
    <!-- Your shimmer layout here -->
</com.facebook.shimmer.ShimmerFrameLayout>

Skeleton:

<com.ethanhua.skeleton.SkeletonLayout
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    app:skeleton_shimmer="true">
    <!-- Your skeleton layout here -->
</com.ethanhua.skeleton.SkeletonLayout>

Both libraries offer easy-to-use XML implementations, but ShimmerLayout focuses solely on shimmer effects, while Skeleton provides a more comprehensive placeholder solution with additional features like custom shapes and animations.

Pros of ShimmerRecyclerView

• Provides a built-in shimmer effect for loading states
• Easier to implement for RecyclerView-specific use cases
• Offers more customization options for the shimmer animation

Cons of ShimmerRecyclerView

• Limited to RecyclerView implementations
• May require more setup for complex layouts
• Less flexible for non-RecyclerView UI components

Code Comparison

ShimmerRecyclerView:

<com.cooltechworks.views.shimmer.ShimmerRecyclerView
    android:id="@+id/shimmer_recycler_view"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    app:shimmer_demo_child_count="10"
    app:shimmer_demo_layout="@layout/layout_demo_grid"/>

Skeleton:

Skeleton.bind(recyclerView)
    .load(R.layout.item_skeleton_news)
    .show()

ShimmerRecyclerView is specifically designed for RecyclerView implementations, offering a more straightforward approach for this particular use case. It provides built-in shimmer effects and customization options for the animation.

Skeleton, on the other hand, offers a more flexible solution that can be applied to various UI components beyond RecyclerView. It provides a simpler API for implementing skeleton loading states across different views in an Android application.

The choice between these libraries depends on the specific requirements of your project and whether you need a solution tailored for RecyclerView or a more versatile option for different UI components.