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How to handle permission rationale in Kotlin Android

How to handle permission rationale in Kotlin Android.

How to Handle Permission Rationale in Kotlin Android​

When developing Android applications, it is common to request certain permissions from the user in order to access sensitive information or perform specific actions. However, starting from Android Marshmallow (API level 23), the system introduced a new permission model that requires you to handle permission requests at runtime.

In some cases, users may deny a permission request, either by mistake or intentionally. As a developer, it is important to handle this situation gracefully and provide a rationale for why the permission is necessary. This can help improve user trust and increase the chances of obtaining the required permission.

In this tutorial, we will explore how to handle permission rationale in Kotlin Android applications. We will cover the following steps:

  1. Checking if the permission is already granted.
  2. Requesting the permission from the user.
  3. Handling the permission request result.
  4. Displaying a rationale for the permission request.
  5. Handling the user response to the rationale.

Let's dive into each step in detail.

Step 1: Checking if the permission is already granted​

Before requesting a permission from the user, it is important to check if the permission is already granted. This can be done using the checkSelfPermission method of the ContextCompat class.

Here's an example of how to check if the READ_CONTACTS permission is already granted:

if (ContextCompat.checkSelfPermission(
        this,
        Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS
    ) == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED
) {
    // Permission is already granted
    // Perform the required action
} else {
    // Permission is not granted
    // Proceed to Step 2 - Requesting the permission
}

Step 2: Requesting the permission from the user​

If the permission is not already granted, you need to request it from the user. This can be done using the requestPermissions method of the ActivityCompat class.

Here's an example of how to request the READ_CONTACTS permission:

ActivityCompat.requestPermissions(
    this,
    arrayOf(Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS),
    PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE
)

Note that PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE is an arbitrary integer value that you can define to identify the permission request.

Step 3: Handling the permission request result​

After requesting the permission, the system will display a permission dialog to the user. The user can then choose to grant or deny the permission. The result of the permission request will be delivered to the onRequestPermissionsResult method of the activity.

Here's an example of how to handle the permission request result:

override fun onRequestPermissionsResult(
    requestCode: Int,
    permissions: Array<out String>,
    grantResults: IntArray
) {
    super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults)
    
    if (requestCode == PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE) {
        if (grantResults.isNotEmpty() && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            // Permission is granted
            // Perform the required action
        } else {
            // Permission is denied
            // Proceed to Step 4 - Displaying a rationale for the permission request
        }
    }
}

Step 4: Displaying a rationale for the permission request​

If the user denies the permission request, it is important to display a rationale for why the permission is necessary. This can help the user understand the purpose of the permission and increase the chances of obtaining it.

Here's an example of how to display a rationale for the READ_CONTACTS permission:

if (ActivityCompat.shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(
        this,
        Manifest.permission.READ_CONTACTS
    )
) {
    // Display a rationale for the permission request
    // This can be done using a dialog or any other UI element
}

Step 5: Handling the user response to the rationale​

After displaying the rationale, the user can choose to grant or deny the permission again. The response to the rationale will be delivered to the onRequestPermissionsResult method of the activity, similar to Step 3.

Here's an example of how to handle the user response to the rationale:

override fun onRequestPermissionsResult(
    requestCode: Int,
    permissions: Array<out String>,
    grantResults: IntArray
) {
    super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults)
    
    if (requestCode == PERMISSION_REQUEST_CODE) {
        if (grantResults.isNotEmpty() && grantResults[0] == PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
            // Permission is granted
            // Perform the required action
        } else {
            // Permission is still denied
            // Handle the denial gracefully
        }
    }
}

That's it! You have learned how to handle permission rationale in Kotlin Android applications. By following these steps, you can improve the user experience and increase the chances of obtaining the required permissions.

Remember to handle permission requests and rationale in a user-friendly manner, ensuring that the user understands the purpose of the requested permission.