Difference between add(), replace(), and addToBackStack()

Question

What is the main difference between calling these methods:

fragmentTransaction.addToBackStack(name);
fragmentTransaction.replace(containerViewId, fragment, t         


        

Answer 1

Although it is an old question already answered, maybe those next examples can complement the accepted answer and they can be useful for some new programmers in Android as I am.

Option 1 - "addToBackStack()" is never used

Case 1A - adding, removing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
add Fragment C :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
remove Fragment C :     onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Fragment B is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               App is closed, nothing is visible

Case 1B - adding, replacing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
(replace Fragment C)    
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()
Fragment C :        onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()
Fragment C :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               App is closed, nothing is visible

Option 2 - "addToBackStack()" is always used

Case 2A - adding, removing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
add Fragment C :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
remove Fragment C :     onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView()                              Fragment B is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()                   Fragment C is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Fragment B is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Fragment A is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()                              App is closed, nothing is visible

Case 2B - adding, replacing, removing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
(replace Fragment C)    
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView()  
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() 
Fragment C :        onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
remove Fragment C :     onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView()                              Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()                   Fragment C is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               
Fragment A :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()   
Fragment B :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()                   Fragment B is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Fragment A is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()                              App is closed, nothing is visible

Option 3 - "addToBackStack()" is not used always (in the below examples, w/o indicates that it is not used)

Case 3A - adding, removing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B w/o:     onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
add Fragment C w/o:     onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
remove Fragment C :     onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Fragment B is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()                              App is closed, nothing is visible

Case 3B - adding, replacing, removing, and clicking Back button

Activity :      onCreate() - onStart() - onResume()                             Activity is visible
add Fragment A :    onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment A is visible
add Fragment B w/o:     onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment B is visible
(replace Fragment C)    
Fragment B :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()   
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() 
Fragment C :        onAttach() - onCreate() - onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()     Fragment C is visible
remove Fragment C :     onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView()                              Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()                   Fragment C is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment C :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               
Fragment A :        onCreateView() - onActivityCreated() - onStart() - onResume()                   Fragment A is visible
(Back button clicked)
Fragment A :        onPause() - onStop() - onDestroyView() - onDestroy() - onDetach()               Activity is visible
(Back button clicked)
Activity :      onPause() - onStop() - onDestroy()                              App is closed, nothing is visible