Use case or problem
Currently on Android 12, swiping from the left screen edge navigates backwards between pages (markdown files, graph view, etc). Once you reach the beginning of history, swiping from the left edge returns you to the Android home screen.
I expected the left side-panel to show up when swiping from the left edge.
Proposed solution
- When the left side-panel is closed, swiping from the left would reveal the side-panel.
- When the left side-panel is open, swiping from the left would return to Android home screen.
This is the way the Discord app behaves on Android.
Because some users might be using the current swiping functionality, it might be a feature which is disabled by default, but can be enabled in the settings.
Current workaround (optional)
You can click the hamburger menu button to reveal the left side-panel, however:
- It’s easier to swipe than tap a button
- With a larger phone, you need to use 2 hands to reach the top-left corner
But this would not only give the option to access the side-panel in a different way, it would also make the swiping action’s result more predictable as currently, unless you’re counting navigation between pages, it’s impossible to tell if the next swipe will close the app or not.