Dialogs are typically used to prompt users to make a specific decision as part of or before continuing with a task or process. They can be used to inform users about a specific issue, to confirm particularly important actions, or to explain significant ramifications of an action before allowing the user to proceed.
Complex operations, particularly decisions which require involved explanation, may not be appropriate as dialogs.
![](/~mgoodman/developer.android.com/design/spec/storage/images/components-dialogs-usage-dialog_03_large_mdpi.png)
Dialogs contain an optional title, dialog content, and actions.
The title briefly describes the type of choice being made. The title is optional and should only be used when necessary.
Content describes the decision to be made.
Actions enable the user to proceed in their process by confirming a particular choice.
![](/~mgoodman/developer.android.com/design/spec/storage/images/components-dialogs-usage-dialogs_07_large_mdpi.png)