Setting app as home launches another instance

Question

I want to set my app as launcher (home app) but there is behaviour that I cannot get right. First I open app and go back to main screen so it stays in background. Then when I set in settings home application to mine it creates new instance. Also when I go back in settings to default launcher app doesn't seem to show back in list of running applications. I'm not sure how to get it right, I was trying different launch modes but it doesn't seem to help.

Here's my manifest file

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<manifest android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="0.0.1" package="xxx" xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <supports-screens android:anyDensity="true" android:largeScreens="true" android:normalScreens="true" android:resizeable="true" android:smallScreens="true" android:xlargeScreens="true" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <application android:hardwareAccelerated="true" android:icon="@mipmap/icon" android:label="@string/app_name" android:supportsRtl="true">
        <activity android:configChanges="orientation|keyboardHidden|keyboard|screenSize|locale" android:keepScreenOn="true" android:label="@string/activity_name" android:launchMode="singleTop" android:name="jk.cordova.plugin.kiosk.KioskActivity" android:theme="@android:style/Theme.NoTitleBar.Fullscreen" android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize">
            <intent-filter android:label="@string/launcher_name">
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.HOME" />
            </intent-filter>
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="com.darryncampbell.cordova.plugin.intent.ACTION" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
        <receiver android:name="jk.cordova.plugin.kiosk.MyPackageReplacedEventReceiver">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
            </intent-filter>
        </receiver>
        <provider android:authorities="${applicationId}.darryncampbell.cordova.plugin.intent.fileprovider" android:exported="false" android:grantUriPermissions="true" android:name="com.darryncampbell.cordova.plugin.intent.CordovaPluginIntentFileProvider">
            <meta-data android:name="android.support.FILE_PROVIDER_PATHS" android:resource="@xml/provider_paths" />
        </provider>
    </application>
    <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="16" android:targetSdkVersion="26" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REORDER_TASKS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.REQUEST_INSTALL_PACKAGES" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
</manifest>

Answer 1

You have the launchMode set as singleTop. This means you will only ever have one instance if it is at the top of the stack.

Docs

a new instance of a "singleTop" activity may also be created to handle a new intent. However, if the target task already has an existing instance of the activity at the top of its stack, that instance will receive the new intent (in an onNewIntent() call); a new instance is not created. In other circumstances — for example, if an existing instance of the "singleTop" activity is in the target task, but not at the top of the stack, or if it's at the top of a stack, but not in the target task — a new instance would be created and pushed on the stack.

What you are trying:

First I open app and go back to main screen so it stays in background.

I don't think recents between Launchers work how you expect them to.

Then when I set in settings home application to mine it creates new instance.

Yes, because this is the launcher, and it starts a fresh process.

Also when I go back in settings to default launcher app doesn't seem to show back in list of running applications.

Launcher Activities don't show in recent apps.