The difference between LayoutInflater.inflate and findViewById

What is the difference between getting a reference to a widget like this:

TableRow row = findViewById(R.id.table_row);

and:

TableRow row = (TableRow)LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.table_row, null);

Is there also a difference when the TableRow is a root of its layout or if its just a small part of a layout?

1) Using

TableRow row = findViewById(R.id.table_row);

you are simply obtaining a reference to a View with id R.id.table_row which has already been created and inflated in the current layout (where current means the Activtiy's layout or the Viewthat you are defining).

2) Using

TableRow row = (TableRow)LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.table_row, null);

You are inflating (which means creating) a new views hierarchy based on the XML definition contained in R.layout.table_row. Since you are not passing the parent View parameter in the inflate()method, you will need to add the resulting hierarchy manually to an existent container.