Drag, swipe, or fling details
Swipe gesture activities vary based on context. The speed at which a gesture is performed is the primary distinction between Drag, Swipe, and Fling.
- Drag: Fine gesture, slower, more controlled, typically has an on-screen target
- Swipe: Gross gesture, faster, typically has no on-screen target
- Fling: Gross gesture, with no on-screen target
Gesture velocity impacts whether the action is immediately reversible.
- A swipe becomes a fling based on ending velocity and whether the affected element has crossed a threshold (or point past which an action can be undone).
- A drag maintains contact with an element, so reversing the direction of the gesture will drag the element back across the threshold.
- A fling moves at a faster speed and removes contact with the element while it crosses the threshold, preventing the action from being undone.
from https://www.google.com/design/spec/patterns/gestures.html