Foreground Notifications

Overview

Foreground notifications in Android allow apps to display notifications even when the app is in use. This ensures that important updates are presented to the user without requiring the app to move to the background.

Use Case

1. Purpose:

   • Notify users of critical updates or actions while they are actively using the app.

   • Enhance engagement by displaying relevant information in real time.

2. Benefits:

   • Improve visibility for important notifications during app use.

   • Provide a seamless user experience by delivering timely alerts.

Implementation Details

1. Display Foreground Notifications:

   • Use the NotificationManager to display notifications while the app is in the foreground:

     NotificationManager notificationManager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
     
     String channelId = "foreground_channel";
     if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
         NotificationChannel channel = new NotificationChannel(
             channelId,
             "Foreground Notifications",
             NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_HIGH
         );
         notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel);
     }
     
     Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, channelId)
         .setContentTitle("Important Update")
         .setContentText("Your order is being prepared!")
         .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
         .build();
     
     notificationManager.notify(1, notification);

2. Handle Notification Actions:

   • Add actions or buttons to the notification to make it interactive:

     Intent actionIntent = new Intent(this, ActionReceiver.class);
     PendingIntent pendingAction = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(this, 0, actionIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
     
     Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, channelId)
         .setContentTitle("Order Update")
         .setContentText("Tap to view details.")
         .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
         .addAction(R.drawable.ic_action, "View Details", pendingAction)
         .build();

3. Prevent Duplicate Notifications:

   • Use unique notification IDs or update existing notifications:

     notificationManager.notify(notificationId, notification);

Keep in mind:

• Foreground notifications should not overwhelm users with frequent updates.

• Test notification appearance on various Android devices and OS versions.

• Ensure proper user permissions and avoid displaying sensitive information in notifications.