BaseRecyclerAdapter, a generic Recycler adapter, is an extended version from https://gist.github.com/chintansoni202/3c61aea787ae4bd49f26adee9dd40a08 This version should be used along with Data-binding. You can even pass empty view layout, if there is no list item.

BaseRecyclerAdapter.java

public class BaseRecyclerAdapter<T, MVH extends BaseViewHolder<T>, EVH extends BaseViewHolder<T>> extends RecyclerView.Adapter<BaseViewHolder<T>> {

    private static final int VIEW_TYPE_EMPTY = 0;
    private static final int VIEW_TYPE_DATA = 1;
    private List<T> list = new ArrayList<>();
    @LayoutRes
    private int emptyViewLayoutResource;
    private Class<EVH> emptyViewHolder;
    @LayoutRes
    private int dataLayoutResource;
    private Class<MVH> dataViewHolder;

    public BaseRecyclerAdapter(int emptyViewLayoutResource, Class<EVH> emptyViewHolder, int dataLayoutResource, Class<MVH> dataViewHolder) {
        this.emptyViewLayoutResource = emptyViewLayoutResource;
        this.emptyViewHolder = emptyViewHolder;
        this.dataLayoutResource = dataLayoutResource;
        this.dataViewHolder = dataViewHolder;
    }

    @Override
    public BaseViewHolder<T> onCreateViewHolder(ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {
        LayoutInflater layoutInflater = LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext());
        ViewDataBinding binding = DataBindingUtil.inflate(layoutInflater, viewType == VIEW_TYPE_EMPTY ? emptyViewLayoutResource : dataLayoutResource, parent, false);
        try {
            return viewType == VIEW_TYPE_EMPTY ? emptyViewHolder.getConstructor(ViewDataBinding.class).newInstance(binding) : dataViewHolder.getConstructor(View.class).newInstance(binding);
        } catch (NoSuchMethodException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e);
        } catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e);
        } catch (InstantiationException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
            throw new RuntimeException(e);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onBindViewHolder(BaseViewHolder<T> holder, int position) {
        int viewType = getItemViewType(position);
        if (viewType == VIEW_TYPE_EMPTY) {

        } else {
            holder.bind(list.get(position));
        }
    }

    @Override
    public int getItemCount() {
        return list.size() == 0 ? 1 : list.size();
    }

    @Override
    public int getItemViewType(int position) {
        return list.size() == 0 ? VIEW_TYPE_EMPTY : VIEW_TYPE_DATA;
    }
}

BaseViewHolder.java

public class BaseViewHolder extends RecyclerView.ViewHolder {
    private final ViewDataBinding binding;

    public BaseViewHolder(ViewDataBinding binding) {
        super(binding.getRoot());
        this.binding = binding;
    }

    public void bind(Object object) {
        binding.setVariable(BR.obj, object);
        binding.executePendingBindings();
    }
}

MainActivity.java

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity{
    
    // Example Usage of BaseRecyclerAdapter
    private BaseRecyclerAdapter<Model, EmptyViewHolder, ModelViewHolder> baseRecyclerAdapter 
            = new BaseRecyclerAdapter<>(R.layout.layout_empty, EmptyViewHolder.class, R.layout.list_item, ModelViewHolder.class);
  
    public class EmptyViewHolder extends BaseViewHolder {
      
        public EmptyViewHolder(ViewDataBinding binding) {
            super(binding.getRoot());
        }
    }
  
    public class ModelViewHolder extends BaseViewHolder {
        
        public ModelViewHolder(ViewDataBinding binding){
            super(binding.getRoot());
        }
    }
}