How do I open a browser on clicking a text link in TextView

How do I open a browser on clicking a text link in TextView?

1. Using `android:autoLink` attribute:

The simplest way to open a browser on clicking a text link is by using the `android:autoLink` attribute in your TextView. This attribute automatically detects URLs within the text and converts them into clickable links.

<TextView
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="Visit our website at www.example.com"
    android:autoLink="web" />

This code will automatically convert “www.example.com” into a clickable link. When clicked, it will open the link in the default browser.

2. Using `Linkify` class:

The `Linkify` class offers more control over how links are detected and handled. You can use this class to explicitly specify patterns for links within your text.

import android.text.util.Linkify;

// ...

TextView textView = findViewById(R.id.textView);
textView.setText("Visit our website at www.example.com");
Linkify.addLinks(textView, Linkify.WEB_URLS);

This code will detect any URL patterns within the text and make them clickable, opening them in the default browser.

3. Using a `SpannableString` and `ClickableSpan`:

For more complex link handling, you can use a `SpannableString` and a `ClickableSpan`. This approach allows you to customize the behavior of clicks and specify specific actions for different parts of your text.

import android.text.SpannableString;
import android.text.Spanned;
import android.text.method.LinkMovementMethod;
import android.text.style.ClickableSpan;
import android.view.View;

// ...

TextView textView = findViewById(R.id.textView);

SpannableString spannableString = new SpannableString("Visit our website at www.example.com");

ClickableSpan clickableSpan = new ClickableSpan() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View view) {
        // Open URL in browser
        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://www.example.com"));
        startActivity(intent);
    }
};

spannableString.setSpan(clickableSpan, 26, 43, Spanned.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);

textView.setText(spannableString);
textView.setMovementMethod(LinkMovementMethod.getInstance());

In this code, we create a `ClickableSpan` that opens the specified URL in the browser when clicked. The `setSpan()` method sets the `ClickableSpan` to a specific portion of the text, making it clickable. Finally, we set the `LinkMovementMethod` on the `TextView` to enable click handling.

4. Using `TextView.setOnClickListener()` method:

You can also use the `TextView.setOnClickListener()` method to handle clicks on the entire TextView, regardless of specific links. This approach is useful when you want to perform an action based on the entire text content.

import android.widget.TextView;
import android.content.Intent;
import android.net.Uri;

// ...

TextView textView = findViewById(R.id.textView);
textView.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
    @Override
    public void onClick(View v) {
        // Open URL in browser
        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("https://www.example.com"));
        startActivity(intent);
    }
});

This code sets an `OnClickListener` on the `TextView`. When the entire TextView is clicked, it will open the specified URL in the browser.

Comparison Table

Choose the method that best suits your needs based on the required complexity and level of customization.