Drawing a Ribbon Background in Compose
Article Summary
Anton Begeima from OkCupid shows how to create eye-catching ribbon backgrounds in Jetpack Compose using custom Path drawing. No third-party libraries needed—just pure Canvas API magic.
This tutorial walks through building a decorative ribbon label with a zigzag edge and layered background effect. The OkCupid engineer breaks down the geometry and drawing order step-by-step, making custom UI accessible for Android developers working in Compose.
Key Takeaways
- Uses drawWithCache modifier to create three layered shapes with different gradients
- Zigzag edge drawn with 5 triangles using Path and calculated geometry
- Background rectangle offset by 1/3 content height for depth effect
- Connecting triangle bridges foreground and background for ribbon appearance
Critical Insight
Custom modifier combines Path drawing, translate transforms, and onDrawWithContent to create a reusable ribbon component without external dependencies.
