With LinearSnapHelper, this is now very easy.

All you need to do is this:

SnapHelper helper = new LinearSnapHelper();helper.attachToRecyclerView(recyclerView);

Update

Available since 25.1.0, PagerSnapHelper can help achieve ViewPager like effect. Use it as you would use the LinearSnapHelper.

Old workaround:

If you wish for it to behave akin to the ViewPager, try this instead:

LinearSnapHelper snapHelper = new LinearSnapHelper() {    @Override    public int findTargetSnapPosition(RecyclerView.LayoutManager layoutManager, int velocityX, int velocityY) {        View centerView = findSnapView(layoutManager);        if (centerView == null)             return RecyclerView.NO_POSITION;        int position = layoutManager.getPosition(centerView);        int targetPosition = -1;        if (layoutManager.canScrollHorizontally()) {            if (velocityX < 0) {                targetPosition = position - 1;            } else {                targetPosition = position + 1;            }        }        if (layoutManager.canScrollVertically()) {            if (velocityY < 0) {                targetPosition = position - 1;            } else {                targetPosition = position + 1;            }        }        final int firstItem = 0;        final int lastItem = layoutManager.getItemCount() - 1;        targetPosition = Math.min(lastItem, Math.max(targetPosition, firstItem));        return targetPosition;    }};snapHelper.attachToRecyclerView(recyclerView);

The implementation above just returns the position next to the current item (centered) based on the direction of the velocity, regardless of the magnitude.

The former one is a first party solution included in the Support Library version 24.2.0.Meaning you have to add this to your app module's build.gradle or update it.

compile "com.android.support:recyclerview-v7:24.2.0"

Google I/O 2019 Update

ViewPager2 is here!

Google just announced at the talk 'What's New in Android' (aka 'The Android keynote') that they are working on a new ViewPager based on RecyclerView!

From the slides:

Like ViewPager, but better

• Easy migration from ViewPager
• Based on RecyclerView
• Right-to-Left mode support
• Allows vertical paging
• Improved dataset change notifications

You can check the latest version here and the release notes here. There is also an official sample.

Personal opinion: I think this is a really needed addition. I've recently had a lot of trouble with the PagerSnapHelper oscillating left right indefinitely - see the ticket I've opened.

New answer (2016)

You can now just use a SnapHelper.

If you want a center-aligned snapping behavior similar to ViewPager then use PagerSnapHelper:

SnapHelper snapHelper = new PagerSnapHelper();snapHelper.attachToRecyclerView(recyclerView);

There is also a LinearSnapHelper. I've tried it and if you fling with energy then it scrolls 2 items with 1 fling. Personally I didn't like it, but just decide by yourself - trying it only takes seconds.

Original answer (2016)

After many hours of trying 3 different solutions found here in SO I've finally built a solution that mimics very closely the behavior found in a ViewPager.

The solution is based on the @eDizzle solution, which I believe I've improved enough to say that it works almost like a ViewPager.

Important: my RecyclerView items width is exactly the same as the screen. I haven't tried with other sizes. Also I use it with an horizontal LinearLayoutManager. I think that you will need to adapt the code if you want vertical scroll.

Here you have the code:

public class SnappyRecyclerView extends RecyclerView {    // Use it with a horizontal LinearLayoutManager    // Based on https://stackoverflow.com/a/29171652/4034572    public SnappyRecyclerView(Context context) {        super(context);    }    public SnappyRecyclerView(Context context, @Nullable AttributeSet attrs) {        super(context, attrs);    }    public SnappyRecyclerView(Context context, @Nullable AttributeSet attrs, int defStyle) {        super(context, attrs, defStyle);    }    @Override    public boolean fling(int velocityX, int velocityY) {        LinearLayoutManager linearLayoutManager = (LinearLayoutManager) getLayoutManager();        int screenWidth = Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().widthPixels;        // views on the screen        int lastVisibleItemPosition = linearLayoutManager.findLastVisibleItemPosition();        View lastView = linearLayoutManager.findViewByPosition(lastVisibleItemPosition);        int firstVisibleItemPosition = linearLayoutManager.findFirstVisibleItemPosition();        View firstView = linearLayoutManager.findViewByPosition(firstVisibleItemPosition);        // distance we need to scroll        int leftMargin = (screenWidth - lastView.getWidth()) / 2;        int rightMargin = (screenWidth - firstView.getWidth()) / 2 + firstView.getWidth();        int leftEdge = lastView.getLeft();        int rightEdge = firstView.getRight();        int scrollDistanceLeft = leftEdge - leftMargin;        int scrollDistanceRight = rightMargin - rightEdge;        if (Math.abs(velocityX) < 1000) {            // The fling is slow -> stay at the current page if we are less than half through,            // or go to the next page if more than half through            if (leftEdge > screenWidth / 2) {                // go to next page                smoothScrollBy(-scrollDistanceRight, 0);            } else if (rightEdge < screenWidth / 2) {                // go to next page                smoothScrollBy(scrollDistanceLeft, 0);            } else {                // stay at current page                if (velocityX > 0) {                    smoothScrollBy(-scrollDistanceRight, 0);                } else {                    smoothScrollBy(scrollDistanceLeft, 0);                }            }            return true;        } else {            // The fling is fast -> go to next page            if (velocityX > 0) {                smoothScrollBy(scrollDistanceLeft, 0);            } else {                smoothScrollBy(-scrollDistanceRight, 0);            }            return true;        }    }    @Override    public void onScrollStateChanged(int state) {        super.onScrollStateChanged(state);        // If you tap on the phone while the RecyclerView is scrolling it will stop in the middle.        // This code fixes this. This code is not strictly necessary but it improves the behaviour.        if (state == SCROLL_STATE_IDLE) {            LinearLayoutManager linearLayoutManager = (LinearLayoutManager) getLayoutManager();            int screenWidth = Resources.getSystem().getDisplayMetrics().widthPixels;            // views on the screen            int lastVisibleItemPosition = linearLayoutManager.findLastVisibleItemPosition();            View lastView = linearLayoutManager.findViewByPosition(lastVisibleItemPosition);            int firstVisibleItemPosition = linearLayoutManager.findFirstVisibleItemPosition();            View firstView = linearLayoutManager.findViewByPosition(firstVisibleItemPosition);            // distance we need to scroll            int leftMargin = (screenWidth - lastView.getWidth()) / 2;            int rightMargin = (screenWidth - firstView.getWidth()) / 2 + firstView.getWidth();            int leftEdge = lastView.getLeft();            int rightEdge = firstView.getRight();            int scrollDistanceLeft = leftEdge - leftMargin;            int scrollDistanceRight = rightMargin - rightEdge;            if (leftEdge > screenWidth / 2) {                smoothScrollBy(-scrollDistanceRight, 0);            } else if (rightEdge < screenWidth / 2) {                smoothScrollBy(scrollDistanceLeft, 0);            }        }    }}

Enjoy!

If the goal is to make the RecyclerView mimic the behavior of ViewPager there is quite easy approach

RecyclerView recyclerView = (RecyclerView) view.findViewById(R.id.recycler_view);LinearLayoutManager layoutManager = new LinearLayoutManager(context, LinearLayoutManager.HORIZONTAL, false);SnapHelper snapHelper = new PagerSnapHelper();recyclerView.setLayoutManager(layoutManager);snapHelper.attachToRecyclerView(mRecyclerView);

By using PagerSnapHelper you can get the behavior like ViewPager