Solving Android Compose MVVM Multi Network Call Issues with Efficient ViewModel Practices

Discover how to effectively manage network calls in Android Compose using ViewModel with this comprehensive guide. Learn to optimize your code for efficient data handling and avoid unnecessary calls.
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Introduction

In modern Android development, Jetpack Compose has changed the way we build user interfaces, enabling developers to create declarative UI components with ease. However, as developers adapt to this new framework, issues can still arise, particularly when coupling it with the MVVM architecture for multi-network calls. This guide delves into a common problem faced while implementing Jetpack Compose with MVVM and offers an efficient solution to manage network calls in a Compose application without redundancy.

The Problem

As you begin building your app, you might create a bottom navigation structure using Jetpack Compose. In this example, a PlanesScreen is set up, where the PlanesViewModel handles network calls to fetch plane information.

Here’s a snippet of your navigation setup:

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

However, you encounter a situation where the PlaneScreen is invoked multiple times, leading to duplicate network calls. This issue persists even after transforming your data from Flow to LiveData within the ViewModel.

Problem Breakdown

Multiple Invocations: When the NavHost composable launches the PlaneScreen, it inadvertently triggers multiple calls to the database.

Recompositions: Each time the screen recomposes, the function that fetches data is executed again, resulting in duplicate data fetching.

Uncertainty: There is confusion around whether to pass the ViewModel directly to the navigation function to mitigate multiple calls.

The Solution

Upon investigation, you discover the key reason behind the redundancy in network calls lies in how you have defined your planeInfo function within the ViewModel. Initially, you had:

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

Refined Code Implementation

By changing this structure to a property in the ViewModel rather than a method call, you can optimize your network calls. So instead, define planeInfo like this:

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

Benefits of Using a Property

Single Source of Truth: By switching from a function to a property, you're telling Compose to listen to a specific LiveData instance. This eliminates redundant database calls.

Avoids Multiple Calls: As LiveData only observes changes, any recomposition does not lead to multiple triggers of your network call.

Updated PlanesScreen Implementation

With this new property in place, your PlanesScreen can remain largely the same, ensuring that the UI stays reactive without unnecessary data loading:

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

And the PlaneList can display the UI based on the states as follows:

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

Conclusion

By transitioning from a function call to a property in your ViewModel, you can effectively manage network calls in your Jetpack Compose application. This simple adjustment resolves the issue of multiple database calls, ensuring a smoother and more efficient user experience. As you continue to work with MVVM and Compose, always consider how your data fetching strategies can impact your app's performance and user experience.

Implementing best practices in handling LiveData and state management within your ViewModels is crucial to optimizing your applications. Happy coding!