Existing Project Setup

This guide shows you how to integrate the CreativeEditor SDK into your existing Android Jetpack Compose project. Follow these steps to learn how to:

add the necessary dependencies.
configure the editor.
test the integration.

Who Is This Guide For?#

This guide is for developers who:

Have an existing Android Jetpack Compose project
Want to add CreativeEditor SDK features to their app
Need to understand common integration patterns
Want to test available editing capabilities and workflows

What You’ll Achieve#

By following this guide, you’ll perform the following tasks:

Project Integration: Add CreativeEditor SDK to your existing Android project
Editor Implementation: Implement the editor with proper lifecycle management
Testing: Verify the integration works correctly
Customization: Learn how to customize the editor for your use case

View Android Examples

Android Documentation

Prerequisites#

Development Environment#

Android Studio (latest version)
Android SDK (API level 24 or higher)
Kotlin 1.9.10 or higher
Gradle 8.4 or later
Jetpack Compose BOM 2023.05.01 or higher

Platform Requirements#

Android: API level 24 (Android 7.0) or higher
Supported ABIs: arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a, x86_64, x86

License#

Valid CreativeEditor SDK license key (Get a free trial)

Verify Your Setup#

Before starting, verify your Android development environment:

gradle --version

This command checks your Gradle installation and reports any issues to resolve before proceeding.

Step 1: Add Dependencies to Your Existing Project#

1.1 Add IMG.LY Repository#

Update your settings.gradle.kts file to include the IMG.LY repository:

dependencyResolutionManagement {
    repositoriesMode.set(RepositoriesMode.FAIL_ON_PROJECT_REPOS)
    repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
        maven {
            name = "IMG.LY Artifactory"
            url = uri("https://artifactory.img.ly/artifactory/maven")
            mavenContent {
                includeGroup("ly.img")
            }
        }
    }
}

1.2 Add Editor Dependencies#

Update your app/build.gradle.kts file to include the CreativeEditor SDK:

dependencies {
    // CreativeEditor SDK
    implementation("ly.img:editor:1.57.0")

    // Jetpack Compose BOM
    implementation(platform("androidx.compose:compose-bom:2025.04.01"))
    implementation("androidx.activity:activity-compose")
    implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui")
    implementation("androidx.compose.ui:ui-tooling-preview")
    implementation("androidx.compose.material3:material3")
    implementation("androidx.compose.runtime:runtime")
    implementation("androidx.compose.foundation:foundation")
}

1.3 Configure Android Settings#

Ensure your app/build.gradle.kts has the correct Android configuration:

android {
    compileSdk = 34

    defaultConfig {
        minSdk = 24
        targetSdk = 34
    }

  buildFeatures {
        compose = true
  }

  composeOptions {
      kotlinCompilerExtensionVersion = "1.5.15"
  }

    kotlinOptions {
        jvmTarget = "17"
    }

    packaging {
        resources {
            excludes += "/META-INF/{AL2.0,LGPL2.1}"
        }
    }
}

1.4 Sync Project#

After adding the dependencies, sync your project:

In Android Studio, click Sync Project with Gradle Files to download and configure all dependencies. This downloads and installs the CreativeEditor SDK and its dependencies automatically through Gradle.

Step 2: Implement the Editor Integration#

2.1 Create Editor Composable#

Create a new Kotlin file (for example, EditorComposable.kt) in your project:

import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
import ly.img.editor.DesignEditor
import ly.img.editor.EngineConfiguration
import ly.img.editor.rememberForDesign

@Composable
fun EditorComposable() {
    val engineConfiguration = EngineConfiguration.rememberForDesign(
        license = "<your license here>", // Get your license from https://img.ly/forms/free-trial
        userId = "<your unique user id>", // A unique string to identify your user/session
    )

    DesignEditor(
        engineConfiguration = engineConfiguration,
        onClose = {
            // Close the editor here
            // If using a navigation library, call pop() or navigateUp() here
        }
    )
}

2.2 Update Your MainActivity#

Modify your existing MainActivity.kt to include the editor:

import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize
import androidx.compose.material3.MaterialTheme
import androidx.compose.material3.Surface
import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier

class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContent {
            MaterialTheme {
                Surface(
                    modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(),
                    color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.background
                ) {
                    EditorComposable()
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

2.3 Add Required Permissions#

Update your AndroidManifest.xml to include necessary permissions:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="your.package.name">

    <!-- Internet permission -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />

    <!-- Camera and Microphone-->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />

    <!-- Modern storage permissions -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_IMAGES" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VIDEO" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_AUDIO" />

    <!-- For devices running Android 9 or lower only -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
                     android:maxSdkVersion="29" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"
                     android:maxSdkVersion="29" />

    <!-- Photo Picker permission (API 34+) -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VISUAL_USER_SELECTED" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.YourApp">

        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:exported="true"
            android:theme="@style/Theme.YourApp">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>

Step 3: Test Your Editor Integration#

3.1 Build and Run#

Build your Android project using Gradle:

3.2 Test on Android Device#

./gradlew installInternalDebug

3.3 Verify Features#

After launching your app, verify these features work correctly:

Editor Launch: The CreativeEditor SDK opens without errors
Template Selection: You can browse and select templates
Editing Tools: All editing tools are accessible and functional
Export: You can export edited content successfully
Navigation: The editor closes properly when finished

3.4 Common Test Scenarios#

Photo Editing: Import and edit photos
Text Addition: Add and customize text elements
Template Usage: Apply and customize templates
Export Options: Test different export formats
Performance: Verify smooth operation on target devices

Step 4: Customize for Your Use Case#

4.1 Editor Configuration Options#

The CreativeEditor SDK offers different presets for common use cases:

Available Editor Types Summary#

Editor Type	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Use Case
`rememberForDesign`	license	userId, baseUri, sceneUri, renderTarget	General design creation
`rememberForPhoto`	license, imageUri	imageSize, userId, baseUri, renderTarget	Photo editing
`rememberForVideo`	license	userId, baseUri, sceneUri, renderTarget	Video editing
`rememberForApparel`	license	userId, baseUri, sceneUri, renderTarget	T-shirt/apparel design
`rememberForPostcard`	license	userId, baseUri, sceneUri, renderTarget	Postcard creation

Editor Type	Use Case	Kotlin Implementation
PhotoEditor	Photo editing and enhancement	`PhotoEditor` composable
DesignEditor	Graphic design and templates	`DesignEditor` composable
VideoEditor	Video editing and effects	`VideoEditor` composable

4.2 Custom Configuration#

You can customize the editor behavior:

@Composable
fun CustomEditorComposable() {
    val engineConfiguration = EngineConfiguration.rememberForDesign(
        license = "<your license here>",
        userId = "<your unique user id>",
        // Add custom configuration here
    )

    DesignEditor(
        engineConfiguration = engineConfiguration,
        onClose = { /* Handle close */ },
        onExport = { result -> /* Handle export */ }
    )
}

Who Is This Guide For?#

What You’ll Achieve#

Prerequisites#

Development Environment#

Platform Requirements#

License#

Verify Your Setup#

Step 1: Add Dependencies to Your Existing Project#

1.1 Add IMG.LY Repository#

1.2 Add Editor Dependencies#

1.3 Configure Android Settings#

1.4 Sync Project#

Step 2: Implement the Editor Integration#

2.1 Create Editor Composable#

2.2 Update Your MainActivity#

2.3 Add Required Permissions#

Step 3: Test Your Editor Integration#

3.1 Build and Run#

3.2 Test on Android Device#

3.3 Verify Features#

3.4 Common Test Scenarios#

Step 4: Customize for Your Use Case#

4.1 Editor Configuration Options#

Available Editor Types Summary#

4.2 Custom Configuration#

Step 5: Troubleshooting#

Common Issues and Solutions#

Gradle Sync Issues#

Compilation Errors#

Runtime Errors#

Performance Issues#

Integration Issues#

Step 6: Next Steps#

Advanced Features#

Other Integrations#

Production Considerations#

Additional Resources#