# Using ActionBarSherlock As A Base

DevFeed: [Using ActionBarSherlock As A Base](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/using-actionbarsherlock-as-a-base-15938.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://developer.squareup.com/blog/using-actionbarsherlock-as-a-base>)

Author: Square Engineering

Published: 2012-05-15T16:01:00Z

Content type: comparison

Language: en

Sources: [Jake Wharton](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jake-wharton.md>), [Square Corner Blog RSS Feed](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/square-corner-blog-rss-feed.md>)

Topics: [Android Library](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/android-library.md>), [Library](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/library.md>), [API](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/api.md>)

Tags: [android](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android.md>), [android-library](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/android-library.md>), [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [compatibility](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/compatibility.md>), [custom-action](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/custom-action.md>), [design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/design.md>), [developer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer.md>), [engineering](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/engineering.md>), [features](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/features.md>), [implementation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/implementation.md>), [library](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/library.md>)

## AI overview

This article compares custom action bar layouts, Google's ActionBarCompat sample, and ActionBarSherlock for Android applications. It explains that ActionBarSherlock provides a unified API and theme, delegates to the platform action bar when appropriate, and uses a compatibility implementation on older versions.

## Source excerpt

Why adding ActionBarSherlock to your applications early will save developer time in the future.