Android "swipe" vs "fling"

android swipe gestures onfling
Sean Beach picture Sean Beach · Apr 3, 2014 · Viewed 26.7k times · Source

In the Android Developers gesture design section, the term "swipe" is used.
In the developer section, the term "fling" is used.

Are these terms synonymous? From what I have found, I believe they are, but nowhere is it explicitly said one way or the other.

That said, if I want to implement functionality for a "swipe," should I implement onFling in GestureDetector?

Answer

Fei Liang picture Fei Liang · Aug 14, 2015

Drag, swipe, or fling details

Swipe gesture activities vary based on context. The speed at which a gesture is performed is the primary distinction between Drag, Swipe, and Fling.

  • Drag: Fine gesture, slower, more controlled, typically has an on-screen target
  • Swipe: Gross gesture, faster, typically has no on-screen target
  • Fling: Gross gesture, with no on-screen target

Gesture velocity impacts whether the action is immediately reversible.

  • A swipe becomes a fling based on ending velocity and whether the affected element has crossed a threshold (or point past which an action can be undone).
  • A drag maintains contact with an element, so reversing the direction of the gesture will drag the element back across the threshold.
  • A fling moves at a faster speed and removes contact with the element while it crosses the threshold, preventing the action from being undone.

from https://www.google.com/design/spec/patterns/gestures.html

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