Solving the RecyclerView Display Issue in Android with Kotlin Synthetics

Learn how to fix the common issue of `RecyclerView` not displaying properly in your Android app when using Kotlin Synthetics. Discover why view binding is the better alternative!
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Troubleshooting RecyclerView Not Displaying Properly in Android

As Android developers, we often encounter various issues while building our applications. One particularly frustrating problem is when a RecyclerView does not display any data, even though the adapter seems to be set correctly. If you find yourself questioning why onCreateViewHolder and onBindViewHolder methods are not being called, this guide is for you. Let's dive into the solution to this common scenario experienced by many developers.

Understanding the Problem

In this case, the issue arose within the context of an app that utilized a bottom navigation with multiple tabs. The app employed a custom back stack for each tab using a stack data structure, which is known to introduce its own complexities.

Here’s a summary of the specific signs of the problem:

The RecyclerView works fine the first time the fragment is displayed.

Upon returning to the fragment, the RecyclerView fails to display any data, despite the adapter being set correctly.

This situation can often lead to confusion, especially when it appears that everything is functioning as expected initially. However, the underlying issue may stem from how the views are being bound to the RecyclerView.

Exploring the Solution

When faced with the RecyclerView not displaying correctly, my initial thought was to create a new fragment instance each time the tab was switched. While this resolved the issue temporarily, it wasn't a practical solution due to the custom backstack its implementation.

The Real Culprit

Upon further investigation, the primary issue was traced back to using Kotlin synthetics for binding views. While Kotlin synthetics provide an easy way to access views, they can cause unexpected behavior in certain lifecycle scenarios, particularly when dealing with fragment transactions.

Transition to View Binding

To overcome this issue effectively, I made the decision to switch to view binding. This approach not only resolved the immediate concern but is also a more reliable way to handle view references in a lifecycle-aware manner.

Steps to Implement View Binding

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

Modify Fragment to use View Binding:
Replace Kotlin Synthetic access with view binding as follows:

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

Test the Application: After implementing view binding, run the application to check if the RecyclerView displays data correctly even when navigating back to the fragment.

Conclusion

Switching to view binding resolved the issue effectively, and it’s a change that enhances the overall reliability of your app by providing a safer and cleaner way to access views. This approach frees developers from issues tied to the lifecycle of fragments and activity, which makes your codebase much more maintainable.

If you encounter similar issues with RecyclerView in your Android apps, consider making the switch to view binding. It could be the solution you didn’t know you needed! Hopefully, this post helps other developers avoid the frustration I faced and navigate the intricacies of Android development with greater ease.