When should you use ViewModel in Android development?

In Android development, the ViewModel is a part of the architecture components that is designed to store and manage UI-related data in a lifecycle-conscious way. You should use ViewModel in the following scenarios:

  • Configuration Changes: ViewModels survive configuration changes like screen rotations, ensuring that data is retained without needing to reload it.
  • Data Sharing: It allows data to be shared between fragments within the same activity, promoting a more modular approach.
  • Long-Running Operations: Use ViewModels to execute long-running tasks like network calls or database transactions without blocking the UI thread.
  • Separation of Concerns: ViewModels help in separating your UI logic from business logic, leading to better code organization and testability.

Below is a simple example of a ViewModel implementation in an Android application:

class MyViewModel : ViewModel() { private val userData: MutableLiveData by lazy { MutableLiveData() } fun getUserData(): LiveData { return userData } fun loadUserData() { // Simulate a long-running operation // For example: making a network request userData.value = fetchDataFromServer() } }

ViewModel Android development configuration changes data sharing long-running operations separation of concerns