Integrar CámaraX en Jetpack Compose para Android

The camera is fundamental to many modern mobile apps, and Jetpack's CameraX provides easy tools and efficient integration with Android Compose. Learn how to integrate the camera into your Android project using this Jetpack-recommended library, incorporating image capture and real-time preview functionality.

What is CameraX and how does it work?

CameraX is a library that is part of the Jetpack suite on Android, greatly facilitating camera integration and management. It uses resources such as Lifecycle Camera Controller, allowing to efficiently manage the camera lifecycle from Compose. Although the library does not have direct integration with Compose, Android View helps to include classic views in your modern interface.

How to implement the preview with Compose?

To implement the preview, create a composable called Camera Preview. This involves inserting an Android View:

• Use CameraX's Preview View.
• Use the Lifecycle Camera Controller.
• Bind the controller to the composable's lifecycle with controller.bindToLifecycle().

This way you will be able to display the image captured by the camera in the Compose interface.

How to configure the image capture?

The first thing you need to do is to initialize your controller in the composable CameraScreen using a remember block to avoid unnecessary recompositions. You can choose between different functionality cases, but in this basic example use ImageCapture.

Also, consider implementing:

• A switch icon between front and rear camera using CameraSelector.
• A method called TakePhoto that takes the picture in the main thread using ContextCompact.getMainExecutor().
• The correct handling of results (when the photo is taken correctly) and corresponding errors.

What permissions and settings should you define?

Before testing your application, be sure to specify:

• The camera permission in AndroidManifest.xml android.permission.CAMERA.
• The required hardware feature UsesFeatureAndroidCamera to ensure functionality.

These settings allow your app to have legitimate and secure access to the camera hardware.

How to navigate from your main interface to the camera view?

To proceed smoothly between views:

• Implement an event interface(TrackingEvents) that handles when to direct the user to the camera.
• Configure events and intentions in your ViewModel using an event channel.
• Observe and react to these events in the corresponding composable.

This makes the transition from the map to the camera interface easy and effective.

How to fix common problems, such as black screen?

If you see a black screen when initializing, verify that:

• Camera permission is manually granted in the application settings.
• The dynamic permission request is pending, similar to the location behavior.

Once the permission is manually granted, you should see the preview correctly.

Go ahead and integrate CameraX and Jetpack Compose into your own Android projects! Share your experience and comment if you have any questions about this implementation.