如何自定义Android Studio模板？替换默认Constraint Layout为Relative Layout

Hey there! I totally get your frustration—Constraint Layout is powerful, but when most of your work relies on Relative Layout, having Android Studio default to the former every time you create a new project gets old fast. Let me share two solid ways to fix this by customizing the templates, tailored for Android Studio 3.0.

Method 1: Modify the Built-in Activity Template (Quick Fix) #

Android Studio stores all its default templates in its installation directory. Here's how to tweak the blank activity template to use Relative Layout:

1. Locate the template folder

   • On Windows: Navigate to C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\plugins\android\lib\templates\activities\BlankActivity\root\res\layout
   • On Mac: Go to /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/plugins/android/lib/templates/activities/BlankActivity/root/res/layout
   • Note: If you use other activity templates (like Basic Activity), head to the corresponding folder (e.g., BasicActivity) instead of BlankActivity.

2. Edit the layout template file

   • Open activity_blank.xml.ftl (or the matching layout file for your target activity template) with a text editor.
   • Replace every instance of ConstraintLayout with RelativeLayout, and delete all app:layout_constraint* attributes since they're specific to Constraint Layout.
   • A simplified example of the modified file:

     <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
     <RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
         xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
         android:layout_width="match_parent"
         android:layout_height="match_parent"
         tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}">
     
         <TextView
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:text="@string/hello_world"
             android:layout_centerInParent="true"/>
     
     </RelativeLayout>
     

   • Save the file, then restart Android Studio. Your new projects will now default to Relative Layout when you enable the "Generate Layout" option.

Method 2: Create a Custom Activity Template (Safe & Update-Proof) #

Modifying built-in templates can be risky—Android Studio updates might overwrite your changes. A better long-term solution is to make your own custom template:

1. Set up the custom template directory

   • Find your Android Studio 3.0 config folder:
     • Windows: C:\Users\[Your Username]\.AndroidStudio3.0\config\templates
     • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/AndroidStudio3.0/templates
   • If the templates folder doesn't exist, create it. Then add a subfolder structure: activities/RelativeLayoutBlankActivity.

2. Copy the built-in template content

   • Copy all files from the built-in BlankActivity folder (the same one from Method 1) into your new RelativeLayoutBlankActivity directory.

3. Customize the template

   • Open template.xml and change the name attribute to something like "Blank Activity (Relative Layout)"—this is what will show up in the activity creation menu.
   • Edit the layout file in root/res/layout exactly like you did in Method 1, swapping Constraint Layout for Relative Layout.

4. Use your new template

   • Restart Android Studio. When creating a new project or adding a new activity, you'll see your custom template option. Select it, and you'll get a fresh layout based on Relative Layout every time.

Quick Bonus Tip #

If you only need Relative Layout occasionally, you can manually replace Constraint Layout after creating the project—but template customization is the way to go for a one-and-done fix that matches your workflow.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Alex