Generic adapter for feeding ListViews with custom view loaded with data.

ListViewAdapter.java

public abstract class ListViewAdapter <T> extends BaseAdapter {

    protected ListView listView;
    private ArrayList<T> objects = new ArrayList<T>();

    public void updateData(ArrayList<T> objects) {
        this.objects = objects;
        notifyDataSetChanged();
    }
    
    public void appendData(ArrayList<T> objectsPortion) {
        this.objects.addAll(objectsPortion);
        notifyDataSetChanged();
    }

    public ArrayList<T> getData() {
        return objects;
    }

    @Override
    public int getCount() {
        return objects.size();
    }

    @Override
    public T getItem(int position) {
        return objects.get(position);
    }

    @Override
    public long getItemId(int position) {
        return position;
    }

    @Override
    public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
        if (listView == null) {
            listView = (ListView) parent;
        }
        return provideView(convertView, objects.get(position));
    }

    protected abstract View createView(Context context);

    protected void loadData(LoadableView<T> loadableView, T object) {
        loadableView.loadData(object);
    }

    private View provideView(View convertView, T object) {
        if (convertView == null) {
            convertView = createView(listView.getContext());
        }

        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
        LoadableView<T> loadableView = ((LoadableView<T>) convertView);
        loadData(loadableView, object);
        return (View) loadableView;
    }

    protected View inflateItemView(int layoutId){
        LayoutInflater inflater = LayoutInflater.from(listView.getContext());
        return inflater.inflate(layoutId, listView, false);
    }
    
    public interface LoadableView <T> {
        void loadData(T object);
    }
}

the_example.java

/*ContactsListViewAdapter.java - all you need to do is implement factory method that returns your custom view*/
public class ContactsListViewAdapter extends ListViewAdapter<Contact> {

    @Override
    protected View createView(Context context) {
        return new ContactView(context /*plus any arguments your custom view needs*/);
    }
}

/*ContactView.java - your custom view must implement LoadableView interface with a method allowing to load data into its subviews*/
public class ContactView extends /*Any*/View implements ListViewAdapter.LoadableView<Contact> {
    private TextView username;

    /*(...)*/
   
    @Override
    public void loadData(Contact contact) {
        username.setText(contact.getNickname());
    }
}

/*SomeActivity.java*/
public class MainActivity extends Activity {
    
    private ContactsListViewAdapter contactsListViewAdapter;
    private ListView contactsListView;
    
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        contactsListView = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.contacts_list_view);
        contactsListViewAdapter = new ContactsListViewAdapter();
        contactsListView.setAdapter(contactsListViewAdapter);
    }
    
    /*New data arrives along with request?*/
    public void loadContacts(ArrayList<Contact> contacts) {
        /*Just use:*/
        contactsListViewAdapter.updateData(contacts);
    }
}

/*Contact.java - domain class*/
public class Contact implements Serializable {
    String nickname;

    public String getNickname() {
        return nickname != null ? nickname : "";
    }
}