Solving the Flutter ListView Scrolling Issue Inside a Nested ListView

Discover the simple solution to the common problem of `ListView` not scrolling inside another `ListView` in Flutter.
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Solving the Flutter ListView Scrolling Issue Inside a Nested ListView

When diving into the world of Flutter, one might stumble upon certain challenges — especially when working with nested widgets like ListView. This post addresses a common problem: “Why can’t I scroll in a ListView that is nested within another ListView?”

The Problem

As a budding Flutter developer, you might find yourself in a situation where you are building a more complex application — such as a newspaper app with multiple categories of news. You’ve created a beautiful structure:

A WidgetFactory class that fetches news categories from an API and builds the home screen.

A Newsfeed widget that displays news items for each category.

However, upon running your app, you encounter a frustrating issue: the inner ListView, which displays news items for each category, does not scroll. Instead, the entire view appears fixed, rendering the app less interactive and more cumbersome to use.

Background

To clarify the structure of this problem, here’s a quick flow of the classes involved:

WidgetFactory - Fetches news categories and renders a ListView for each category.

Newsfeed - Displays the news items related to each category in another ListView.

In essence, you have a ListView on the outer layer (in WidgetFactory) and another ListView within this layer (in Newsfeed). The core dilemma lies in achieving smooth scrolling functionality for both lists.

What You Tried

You took the right steps by:

Trying to incorporate a Column within a SingleChildScrollView.

Using AlwaysScrollableScrollPhysics() for the ListView.

Yet, these efforts didn’t yield the desired results!

The Solution

The good news is that the solution to this challenge is quite simple. Here’s how you can get your ListView scrolling effortlessly:

Step-by-Step Guide

Locate the build() Method in the _NewsfeedState Class:
The key player here is the build method responsible for rendering the inner ListView.

Modify the Scroll Physics:
Change the physics property of the inner ListView to use ClampingScrollPhysics() instead of its previous configuration. This adjustment allows the list to behave correctly and be scrollable.

Here’s the adjusted code snippet for clarity:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Why This Works

ClampingScrollPhysics: This physics allows the ListView to be scrollable without interfering with its bounds. It’s ideal for certain scenarios where you wish to provide a less aggressive scrolling behavior.

Conclusion

Navigating through nested ListViews in Flutter might seem daunting at first, especially when they refuse to scroll as intended. Fortunately, a small tweak, such as modifying the scroll physics, can lead to significant improvements.

By implementing this strategy, you can enhance the user experience of your app while simultaneously honing your coding skills in Flutter. Don't get discouraged; every problem has a solution, and as you continue coding, you'll grow more skilled at tackling these challenges!

Happy coding!