How can I create a custom home-screen replacement application for Android?

Question

How do I create a home-screen replacement application? Is there any information about the home-screen application available?

Can any application be a home-screen by just registering it with a CATEGORY_HOME intent?

Answer 1

Writing your own home screen application is possible. It is called the Launcher.

You can get the source code of the default Android Launcher via Git.

The project URL is:

https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/apps/Launcher2.git

You can get the source code like this:

git clone https://android.googlesource.com/platform/packages/apps/Launcher2.git 

That will create a directory called Launcher2 for you. Now you can get cracking and create your custom launcher.

_{If you need help with using Git then checkout Git's documentation section.}

Answer 2

The specific Intent to make your activity the Home screen is:

<activity....>
<!-- Put this filter inside the activity to make it the Home screen -->
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>