What is under app/src/main/res/mipmap-* during Android development?

Issue

I see in the documentation here https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/resources/drawable-resource.html, that all types of drawable resources are located under .../res/drawable.

Neither drawable resource is under .../res/mipmap-*.

So, does this mean that .../res/mipmap-* doesn't contain any drawables? If I create image file, scale it to various sizes and put into .../res/mipmap-*, the same way as ic_launcher lays, will I be able to refer this resource from XMLs as drawable?

Solution

So, does this mean that .../res/mipmap-* doesn't contain any drawables?

It contains bitmaps, mostly of launcher icons.

will I be able to refer this resource from XMLs as drawable?

No, but you will be able to refer to that resource as a mipmap (@mipmap/ic_launcher), the same way that you see in the manifest for launcher icons.

Answered By - CommonsWare