RecyclerView vs ListView in Android

Question: What is the difference between RecyclerView and ListView in Android?

Answer framing: ListView is the older widget with limited built-in view recycling and requires manual ViewHolder implementation for performant scrolling. RecyclerView is the modern replacement that enforces the ViewHolder pattern by design, supports pluggable LayoutManagers (linear, grid, staggered grid), built-in item animations, and more efficient view recycling - making it more flexible and performant for complex or large lists.