Use Jetpack Compose Modifier Like a Pro: Understanding Modifier Order and Why Sequence Matters

Understanding how the order of modifiers changes your UI is one of the most important points in Jetpack Compose. In this article, I will try to help you get comfortable with modifier sequences so you can build great-looking, responsive UIs.
Before we dive into examples, it’s helpful to understand the three stages of UI rendering in Jetpack Compose:

1. Composition Phase: Composable functions build up a UI tree structure.
2. Layout Phase: Each element is measured and positioned (things like width and height are decided).
3. Drawing Phase: Finally, nodes are drawn pixel by pixel on the screen.

Knowing these phases helps you see why different modifier orders lead to different results.

Modifier Order in Action: Examples

Let’s explore a few examples that show how changing modifier order impacts the UI. Each example shows a different outcome based on how modifiers are applied.

Example 1: Padding Before Size vs Size Before Padding

• Padding Before Size: If you apply padding before size, the padding impacts how much space the entire component…