Android LinearLayout : Add border with shadow around a LinearLayout

Try this..

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">    <item>        <shape android:shape="rectangle">            <solid android:color="#CABBBBBB"/>            <corners android:radius="2dp" />        </shape>    </item>    <item        android:left="0dp"        android:right="0dp"        android:top="0dp"        android:bottom="2dp">        <shape android:shape="rectangle">            <solid android:color="@android:color/white"/>            <corners android:radius="2dp" />        </shape>    </item></layer-list>

That's why CardView exists. CardView | Android Developers
It's just a FrameLayout that supports elevation in pre-lollipop devices.

<android.support.v7.widget.CardView    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"    android:layout_width="match_parent"    android:layout_height="match_parent"    app:cardUseCompatPadding="true"    app:cardElevation="4dp"    app:cardCornerRadius="3dp" >    <!-- put whatever you want --></android.support.v7.widget.CardView>

To use this you need to add dependency to build.gradle:

compile 'com.android.support:cardview-v7:23.+'

I get the best looking results by using a 9 patch graphic.

You can simply create an individual 9 patch graphic by using the following editor:http://inloop.github.io/shadow4android/

Example:

The 9 patch graphic:

The result:

The source:

<LinearLayoutandroid:layout_width="200dp"android:layout_height="200dp"android:orientation="vertical"android:background="@drawable/my_nine_patch"