Level up your Compose workflow with Best Android Studio Plugins for Jetpack Compose. These hand‑picked plugins to supercharge productivity, boilerplate reduction, and UI iteration.
Why Use Plugins for Jetpack Compose?
Jetpack Compose brings a modern, declarative UI paradigm to Android development, but mastering its APIs—and writing repetitive boilerplate—can slow you down. Android Studio plugins tailor your IDE experience to Compose’s unique needs, from live previews to code generators and templates. Integrating the right plugins helps you:
- Automate repetitive tasks (e.g., generating @Preview functions)
- Reduce boilerplate with live‑templates and snippets
- Ensure correct setup via compiler and Gradle integrations
- Experiment rapidly with Material3 components in a visual UI builder
Below, we spotlight six essential plugins—each addressing a specific pain point in your Compose workflow.
1. Compose Hammer
A premium UI‑builder plugin that lets you drag‑and‑drop Material3 components and emit ready‑to‑use @Composable code.
- Features: 59+ Material3 components, 30+ common Compose patterns, code generator for layouts, support for theming.
- Why it helps: Ideal for designers or developers who want a visual authoring tool, reducing manual typing and ensuring correct component usage.
2. Compose Preview Creator
Quickly scaffold @Preview functions for any composable: place your cursor on a @Composable, hit Generate → Create Composable Preview, and get a template with parameters auto‑initialized.
Plugin ID: 25951 on JetBrains Marketplace
Key benefit: Eliminates the hassle of writing boilerplate preview code, so you can jump straight into UI tweaking.
3. Compose Preview Generator
An alternative preview scaffold tool—install and invoke to generate colorized preview cards for all your composables in one go.
- Plugin ID: 25716 on JetBrains Marketplace
- Ideal for: Bulk‑creating previews across large codebases, perfect when retrofitting Compose into existing projects.
4. Jetpack Compose Snippets
A curated live‑template collection for Compose boilerplate: snippets like box, column, txt, scfTopbar save keystrokes when writing common layouts.
- Setup: Copy the live‑templates into Settings → Editor → Live Templates or await the official plugin release.
- Why it stands out: Speeds up writing foundational layouts and state management patterns.
- github.com
5. Compose Compiler Gradle Plugin
Not strictly an IDE plugin but essential tooling: apply org.jetbrains.kotlin.plugin.compose to align your Kotlin compiler with Compose’s needs.
- Usage: In build.gradle.kts, plugins { id("org.jetbrains.kotlin.plugin.compose") }.
- Benefit: Ensures you get up‑to‑date compiler optimizations, stability checks, and support for the latest Compose features.
6. Compose Multiplatform IDE Support
If you’re venturing into Compose Multiplatform (Android, Desktop, Web, iOS), this plugin adds syntax highlighting, inline previews, and project templates for Kotlin Multiplatform Compose modules.
- Marketplace ID: 18409
- Why install: Seamlessly author shared UI code across platforms, with IDE assistance for each target.
Top 20 Jetpack Compose Interview Questions
Honorable Mentions
Live Edit (built‑in Android Studio feature): Real‑time code updates in running Compose previews.
Key Promoter X: Reinforces keyboard shortcuts—boosting efficiency as you learn Compose‑specific actions.
Rainbow Brackets: Bracket matching with color, vital when nesting multiple composables.
How to Install & Configure
- 📌 Open Android Studio → Preferences (macOS) or Settings (Windows/Linux) → Plugins → Search for: Compose Multiplatform → Install & Restart
- Navigate to Plugins → Marketplace.
- Search by plugin name or ID (e.g., “Compose Hammer” or “25951”), then click Install.
- Restart Android Studio when prompted.
- For Gradle plugin, add to your module’s build.gradle.kts and sync.
⚡ Why It Matters
Equipping your IDE with the right plugins transforms Jetpack Compose from a modern UI toolkit into a blazing-fast, boilerplate-free, and cross-platform development powerhouse.