Jetpack Compose vs XML Layouts: Which Should You Learn in 2025?

Feb 22, 2026

The Problem

When I started Android development in 2025, I faced a confusing choice. Every tutorial I found used XML layouts. Most job listings mentioned both “XML layouts” and “Jetpack Compose” as requirements. Google’s official documentation recommended Compose, but XML wasn’t deprecated.

I didn’t know where to invest my time. Learning both frameworks thoroughly would take months. I worried about picking the “wrong” technology and limiting my job prospects.

If you’re starting Android development in 2025, you probably face the same confusion. Let me break down the choice with actual code comparisons and explain what I learned.

What I Found

I researched both approaches and discovered something clear: Jetpack Compose is the future, XML is legacy.

Here’s what the Android community consensus says:

Compose is Google’s official modern UI toolkit
Top MNCs have already standardized on Compose
XML is “still relevant for legacy projects but less favored for new developments”
You should only learn XML if you’re “dealing with legacy code”

This made sense. But I wanted to understand the practical differences myself.

Code Comparison: Simple UI

I built the same simple UI in both frameworks to compare them directly. Here’s what I found.

XML Layout Approach

This required two separate files - an XML layout file and a Kotlin activity file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="16dp">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/titleText"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Hello, World!"
        android:textSize="24sp" />

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/clickButton"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Click Me"
        android:layout_marginTop="16dp" />

</LinearLayout>

Then I needed to find the views and handle interactions in Kotlin:

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)

        val titleText = findViewById<TextView>(R.id.titleText)
        val clickButton = findViewById<Button>(R.id.clickButton)

        clickButton.setOnClickListener {
            titleText.text = "Button Clicked!"
        }
    }
}

I noticed several pain points:

Context switching between XML and Kotlin
Runtime errors if I mistype an ID in XML
Verbose findViewById calls (even with ViewBinding, it’s more code)
State management requires manual observation

Jetpack Compose Approach

The same UI in Compose took one file with less code:

@Composable
fun MainActivity() {
    var text by remember { mutableStateOf("Hello, World!") }

    Column(
        modifier = Modifier
            .fillMaxSize()
            .padding(16.dp)
    ) {
        Text(
            text = text,
            fontSize = 24.sp
        )

        Button(
            onClick = { text = "Button Clicked!" },
            modifier = Modifier.padding(top = 16.dp)
        ) {
            Text("Click Me")
        }
    }
}

The advantages were immediate:

Type-safe: Compiler catches errors, not runtime
Less code: One file instead of two
State management built-in with mutableStateOf
Declarative: UI automatically updates when state changes
No context switching between languages

State Management Comparison

The differences became even more clear when handling state.

XML with ViewModel

class CounterViewModel : ViewModel() {
    private val _count = MutableLiveData(0)
    val count: LiveData<Int> = _count

    fun increment() {
        _count.value = (_count.value ?: 0) + 1
    }
}

Then observe in the Activity:

viewModel.count.observe(this) { count ->
    textView.text = count.toString()
}

I found this verbose and error-prone. Null checks, LiveData observers, and manual UI updates added complexity.

Compose with ViewModel

class CounterViewModel : ViewModel() {
    var count by mutableStateOf(0)
        private set

    fun increment() {
        count++
    }
}

Usage in Composable:

@Composable
fun CounterScreen(viewModel: CounterViewModel = viewModel()) {
    Text(text = "Count: ${viewModel.count}")
    Button(onClick = { viewModel.increment() }) {
        Text("Increment")
    }
}

Much cleaner. State changes automatically trigger recomposition, updating the UI without manual observation.

When to Use Each

Based on what I learned, here’s when I would use each approach.

Use Jetpack Compose When

Starting a new Android project in 2025
Building new features in existing apps (if your team agrees)
Creating UI-heavy applications with complex interactions
Working with modern architecture patterns like MVI or Clean Architecture
You want type safety and fewer runtime errors

This is what I do for all my new projects.

Use XML Layouts When

Maintaining existing legacy applications
Working in teams with established XML codebases
The migration cost outweighs benefits for stable features
Integrating with legacy libraries that don’t support Compose
Your employer specifically requires XML maintenance skills

Hybrid Approach

For teams transitioning gradually, I found this pattern works:

Build new features in Compose
Keep critical legacy features in XML initially
Gradually migrate stable features as time allows
Use AndroidView to embed XML layouts in Compose if needed

Why Compose Matters for Your Career

I also researched the job market implications:

Career longevity:

Compose is Google’s strategic direction for Android UI
Investment in XML in 2025 has diminishing returns
Companies hiring for greenfield projects want Compose experience

Development experience:

Less boilerplate code than XML
Declarative paradigm aligns with modern frameworks (React, Flutter, SwiftUI)
Better tooling with real-time preview
Simplified state management

Technical advantages:

Type-safe UI code (compile-time safety vs runtime errors)
Less context switching between Kotlin and XML
Easier testing and UI component reuse
Better performance with recomposition optimization

Based on my research and experience, here’s what I suggest:

If you’re new to Android in 2025:

Start with Jetpack Compose as your primary UI framework
Learn the declarative paradigm first
Build portfolio projects entirely in Compose
Only learn XML basics when you encounter legacy codebases

If you’re experienced with XML:

Transition to Compose for new features and projects
Maintain XML skills for legacy maintenance work
Gradually migrate existing projects when feasible

For your portfolio:

Build projects entirely in Compose
Mention XML familiarity for legacy maintenance
Position yourself as a modern Android developer with Compose expertise

Summary

In this post, I compared Jetpack Compose vs XML layouts for Android development in 2025. I showed side-by-side code examples and explained why Compose is the right choice for new projects.

The key point is learn Jetpack Compose as your primary framework. XML is now legacy technology - only learn it if you’re specifically maintaining existing codebases. Compose is Google’s official modern toolkit, adopted by top companies, and represents the future of Android development.

For your next steps, I recommend starting with Google’s official Compose basics tutorial, then building a small app entirely in Compose to solidify your understanding.

Final Words + More Resources

My intention with this article was to help others share my knowledge and experience. If you want to contact me, you can contact by email: Email me

Here are also the most important links from this article along with some further resources that will help you in this scope:

👨‍💻 Where Do I Start? - Android development in 2025
👨‍💻 Jetpack Compose Basics
👨‍💻 Compose vs Views Comparison

Oh, and if you found these resources useful, don’t forget to support me by starring the repo on GitHub!