AFAIK, fragments cannot hold other fragments.


UPDATE

With current versions of the Android Support package -- or native fragments on API Level 17 and higher -- you can nest fragments, by means of getChildFragmentManager(). Note that this means that you need to use the Android Support package version of fragments on API Levels 11-16, because even though there is a native version of fragments on those devices, that version does not have getChildFragmentManager().


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I needed some more context, so I made an example to show how this is done. The most helpful thing I read while preparing was this:

  • Creating and Using Fragments

Activity

activity_main.xml

Add a FrameLayout to your activity to hold the parent fragment.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Activity"/>

    <FrameLayout
        android:id="@+id/parent_fragment_container"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="200dp"/>

 </LinearLayout>

MainActivity.java

Load the parent fragment and implement the fragment listeners. (See fragment communication.)

import android.support.v4.app.FragmentTransaction;
import android.support.v7.app.AppCompatActivity;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements ParentFragment.OnFragmentInteractionListener, ChildFragment.OnFragmentInteractionListener {

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);

        // Begin the transaction
        FragmentTransaction ft = getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();
        ft.replace(R.id.parent_fragment_container, new ParentFragment());
        ft.commit();
    }

    @Override
    public void messageFromParentFragment(Uri uri) {
        Log.i("TAG", "received communication from parent fragment");
    }

    @Override
    public void messageFromChildFragment(Uri uri) {
        Log.i("TAG", "received communication from child fragment");
    }
}

Parent Fragment

fragment_parent.xml

Add another FrameLayout container for the child fragment.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent"
              android:layout_margin="20dp"
              android:background="#91d0c2">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Parent fragment"/>

    <FrameLayout
        android:id="@+id/child_fragment_container"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent">

    </FrameLayout>

</LinearLayout>

ParentFragment.java

Use getChildFragmentManager in onViewCreated to set up the child fragment.

import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;
import android.support.v4.app.FragmentTransaction;    

public class ParentFragment extends Fragment {

    private OnFragmentInteractionListener mListener;

    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                             Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        // Inflate the layout for this fragment
        return inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_parent, container, false);
    }

    @Override
    public void onViewCreated(View view, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        Fragment childFragment = new ChildFragment();
        FragmentTransaction transaction = getChildFragmentManager().beginTransaction();
        transaction.replace(R.id.child_fragment_container, childFragment).commit();
    }


    @Override
    public void onAttach(Context context) {
        super.onAttach(context);
        if (context instanceof OnFragmentInteractionListener) {
            mListener = (OnFragmentInteractionListener) context;
        } else {
            throw new RuntimeException(context.toString()
                    + " must implement OnFragmentInteractionListener");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onDetach() {
        super.onDetach();
        mListener = null;
    }

    public interface OnFragmentInteractionListener {
        // TODO: Update argument type and name
        void messageFromParentFragment(Uri uri);
    }
}

Child Fragment

fragment_child.xml

There is nothing special here.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
              android:orientation="vertical"
              android:layout_width="match_parent"
              android:layout_height="match_parent"
              android:layout_margin="20dp"
              android:background="#f1ff91">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Child fragment"/>
</LinearLayout>

ChildFragment.java

There is nothing too special here, either.

import android.support.v4.app.Fragment;

public class ChildFragment extends Fragment {

    private OnFragmentInteractionListener mListener;


    @Override
    public View onCreateView(LayoutInflater inflater, ViewGroup container,
                             Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        return inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_child, container, false);
    }

    @Override
    public void onAttach(Context context) {
        super.onAttach(context);
        if (context instanceof OnFragmentInteractionListener) {
            mListener = (OnFragmentInteractionListener) context;
        } else {
            throw new RuntimeException(context.toString()
                    + " must implement OnFragmentInteractionListener");
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void onDetach() {
        super.onDetach();
        mListener = null;
    }


    public interface OnFragmentInteractionListener {
        // TODO: Update argument type and name
        void messageFromChildFragment(Uri uri);
    }
}

Notes

  • The support library is being used so that nested fragments can be used before Android 4.2.

Since Android 4.2 (API 17) nested fragments become available http://developer.android.com/about/versions/android-4.2.html#NestedFragments

To place fragment inside other fragment use getChildFragmentManager()

It also available in support library!