What is the purpose of setAdapter in Android?

In Android, the setAdapter() method is used to set an adapter for scrollable view components like ListView and GridView. Adapters act as a data source that binds data to the view components, providing them with the necessary data for display.

By using the setAdapter() method, you can link the adapter with the view component, allowing the view component to access the data in the adapter and display it. The adapter will create corresponding view components based on the data, then bind the data to the view for display.

By setting up an adapter, the following functions can be achieved:

1. Bind the data with the view and display it.
2. Create corresponding view components based on different data.
3. Establish a connection between data and views, allowing views to be updated based on the data.
4. Achieving data reusability to improve performance and efficiency.

In conclusion, the role of the setAdapter() method is to associate the adapter with a scrollable view component to display and update data.