Create a hierarchy in code Part of Android Jetpack.

You can create a hierarchy programmatically in onCreatePreferences(). The following example demonstrates a programmatic approach to creating the same preference screen created through XML on the overview page. To create the screen programmatically, create each setting and set its relevant properties, then add it to the preference screen:

Kotlin

override fun onCreatePreferences(savedInstanceState: Bundle?, rootKey: String?) {
    val context = preferenceManager.context
    val screen = preferenceManager.createPreferenceScreen(context)

    val notificationPreference = SwitchPreferenceCompat(context)
    notificationPreference.key = "notifications"
    notificationPreference.title = "Enable message notifications"

    val feedbackPreference = Preference(context)
    feedbackPreference.key = "feedback"
    feedbackPreference.title = "Send feedback"
    feedbackPreference.summary = "Report technical issues or suggest new features"

    screen.addPreference(notificationPreference)
    screen.addPreference(feedbackPreference)

    preferenceScreen = screen
}

Java

@Override
public void onCreatePreferences(Bundle savedInstanceState, String rootKey) {
    Context context = getPreferenceManager().getContext();
    PreferenceScreen screen = getPreferenceManager().createPreferenceScreen(context);

    SwitchPreferenceCompat notificationPreference = new SwitchPreferenceCompat(context);
    notificationPreference.setKey("notifications");
    notificationPreference.setTitle("Enable message notifications");

    Preference feedbackPreference = new Preference(context);
    feedbackPreference.setKey("feedback");
    feedbackPreference.setTitle("Send feedback");
    feedbackPreference.setSummary("Report technical issues or suggest new features");

    screen.addPreference(notificationPreference);
    screen.addPreference(feedbackPreference);

    setPreferenceScreen(screen);
}

Adding a PreferenceCategory is similar. The following example demonstrates a programmatic approach to creating the preference screen seen in Organize your settings. The children are added to the PreferenceCategory and not to the root PreferenceScreen.

Kotlin

override fun onCreatePreferences(savedInstanceState: Bundle?, rootKey: String?) {
    val context = preferenceManager.context
    val screen = preferenceManager.createPreferenceScreen(context)

    val notificationPreference = SwitchPreferenceCompat(context)
    notificationPreference.key = "notifications"
    notificationPreference.title = "Enable message notifications"

    val notificationCategory = PreferenceCategory(context)
    notificationCategory.key = "notifications_category"
    notificationCategory.title = "Notifications"
    screen.addPreference(notificationCategory)
    notificationCategory.addPreference(notificationPreference)

    val feedbackPreference = Preference(context)
    feedbackPreference.key = "feedback"
    feedbackPreference.title = "Send feedback"
    feedbackPreference.summary = "Report technical issues or suggest new features"

    val helpCategory = PreferenceCategory(context)
    helpCategory.key = "help"
    helpCategory.title = "Help"
    screen.addPreference(helpCategory)
    helpCategory.addPreference(feedbackPreference)

    preferenceScreen = screen
}

Java

@Override
public void onCreatePreferences(Bundle savedInstanceState, String rootKey) {
    Context context = getPreferenceManager().getContext();
    PreferenceScreen screen = getPreferenceManager().createPreferenceScreen(context);

    SwitchPreferenceCompat notificationPreference = new SwitchPreferenceCompat(context);
    notificationPreference.setKey("notifications");
    notificationPreference.setTitle("Enable message notifications");

    PreferenceCategory notificationCategory = new PreferenceCategory(context);
    notificationCategory.setKey("notifications_category");
    notificationCategory.setTitle("Notifications");
    screen.addPreference(notificationCategory);
    notificationCategory.addPreference(notificationPreference);

    Preference feedbackPreference = new Preference(context);
    feedbackPreference.setKey("feedback");
    feedbackPreference.setTitle("Send feedback");
    feedbackPreference.setSummary("Report technical issues or suggest new features");

    PreferenceCategory helpCategory = new PreferenceCategory(context);
    helpCategory.setKey("help");
    helpCategory.setTitle("Help");
    screen.addPreference(helpCategory);
    helpCategory.addPreference(feedbackPreference);

    setPreferenceScreen(screen);
}