title: Android app theme - difference when using theme from style xml file
body: <p>Why is there a difference between theme defined in AndroidManifest.xml and theme taken from styles.xml?</p>
  
  <p>1) AndroidManifest.xml:</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;application ... android:theme="@android:style/Theme.Black"&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>2) AndroidManifest.xml</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;application ... android:theme="@style/AppTheme"&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>styles.xml</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;resources&gt;
    &lt;style name="AppTheme" parent="@android:style/Theme.Black" /&gt;
  &lt;/resources&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>1st setting gives black theme and no action bar. 2nd has dark action bar and light menu.</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT :</strong> options 1) and 2) - notice Menu and ActionBar</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/WLayb.jpg" alt="enter image description here"> <img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/gukZu.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT 2:</strong></p>
  
  <p><strong>Why doesn't the 2nd option actually use the AppTheme (Theme.Black) ?</strong> (tested on SGS3)</p>