Widgets Overview
The Firework Android SDK provides three main ways to display video content in your application. Each widget is designed for specific use cases and offers different levels of integration.
Available Widgets
1. FwVideoFeedView
FwVideoFeedView is an embeddable view that displays a scrollable feed of video thumbnails. When a user taps on a thumbnail, the full video player launches.
Use Cases:
Display a horizontal, vertical, or grid feed of videos
Embed video content within existing layouts
Show curated content from channels, playlists, or discovery feeds
Key Features:
XML and programmatic initialization
Multiple layout types (horizontal, vertical, grid)
Feed refresh capability
Customizable appearance via ViewOptions
Learn more about FwVideoFeedView
2. FwStoryBlockView
FwStoryBlockView is an inline video player that embeds directly into your view hierarchy, similar to stories on social platforms.
Use Cases:
Create story-like video experiences
Embed a single-video player in a layout
Build custom video browsing experiences
Key Features:
Lifecycle management (init/destroy)
Multiple player modes (FIT_MODE, FULL_BLEED_MODE)
Fullscreen expansion capability
Play/pause control
Feed loading and error listeners
Learn more about FwStoryBlockView
3. FireworkSdk.startPlayer
FireworkSdk.startPlayer() is a method that launches a fullscreen video player as a separate activity.
Use Cases:
Launch videos from buttons, deep links, or custom UI
Open specific videos by URL or feed configuration
Create custom video entry points
Key Features:
Direct video playback without embedding UI
Two variants: with specific URL or with feed configuration
Returns PlayerLaunchResult for handling success/failure
Full player customization via ViewOptions
Learn more about FireworkSdk.startPlayer
Comparison Table
Integration Type
Embedded view
Embedded view
Separate activity
Layout Flexibility
Multiple layouts
Single player
Full screen only
Lifecycle
Fragment/Activity
Manual (init/destroy)
Managed by SDK
Use in XML
✓ Yes
✓ Yes
✗ No
Feed Display
Thumbnails
Direct playback
Direct playback
Customization
ViewOptions
ViewOptions
ViewOptions
Best For
Content discovery
Story experiences
Direct playback
Choosing the Right Widget
Choose FwVideoFeedView when:
You want users to browse and select videos
You need to display multiple videos in a feed
You want flexible layouts (horizontal, vertical, grid)
Choose FwStoryBlockView when:
You want an immersive, single-video experience
You need fine-grained lifecycle control
You want to build story-like UI patterns
Choose FireworkSdk.startPlayer when:
You want to launch a video immediately
You're handling deep links or notifications
You have a custom UI for video selection
Configuration
All three widgets support configuration through ViewOptions, which allows you to customize:
Player behavior and appearance
Feed sources and content
Shopping and livestream features
CTA buttons and interactions
See the Configuration Guide for detailed ViewOptions documentation.
Next Steps
Learn about Feed Sources to understand content types
Explore ViewOptions Configuration for customization
Check out Shopping Integration for e-commerce features
Review Livestream Features for live content
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