customize action bar in android using style xml

stylingActionbar.xml

samples for  styling  android action bars:
  http://android.cn-mirrors.com/training/basics/actionbar/styling.html
  
options to display in action bar :
http://android.cn-mirrors.com/reference/android/R.attr.html#displayOptions


xml tags must be inside res/style.xml

    <!-- Base application theme. -->
    <style name="AppTheme" parent="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
        <item name="colorPrimary">@color/colorPrimary</item>
        <item name="colorPrimaryDark">@color/colorPrimaryDark</item>
        <item name="colorAccent">@color/colorAccent</item>
        <!-- Used for settings preference theme -->
        <item name="preferenceTheme">@style/PreferenceThemeOverlay</item>
    </style>
    <style name="SunshineActionBar" parent="Widget.AppCompat.Light.ActionBar.Solid">
        <item name="icon">@drawable/ic_logo</item>
        <item name="displayOptions">useLogo|showHome</item>
    </style>
    <style name="AppTheme.Forecast">
        <item name="actionBarStyle">@style/SunshineActionBar</item>
    </style>

in the android manifest we can set a theme to the app or activity through android:theme 

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

        <!--The manifest entry for our MainActivity. Each Activity requires a manifest entry-->
        <!-- Completed Use AppTheme.Forecast as the MainActivity's new theme -->
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:launchMode="singleTop"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme.Forecast">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/>
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        
        ...
  </application>