Flutter Course: 14.7 Stream and StreamBuilder

Flutter is a powerful framework that supports asynchronous programming. Among its features, Stream and StreamBuilder are essential for handling the flow of data. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the concepts of Stream and StreamBuilder, their usage, and real examples.

1. What is Stream?

Stream is a concept in reactive programming that allows asynchronous data transmission. It can receive and process data whenever it is generated. For example, Stream can be used to continuously fetch data from a server or to handle user input in real-time.

1.1 Basic Concept of Stream

Stream generates a series of asynchronous events, and there are ‘listeners’ that consume these events. There are various types of Streams, with the two most common being Future, which produces a single value, and Stream, which produces multiple values.

1.2 Key Features of Stream

  • Data flow: Stream transmits data every time it is generated.
  • Asynchronous processing: Stream processes data asynchronously to keep the UI smoother.
  • Listeners: Stream requires listeners to consume the data.
  • Diverse sources: Stream can receive data from multiple sources, such as web sockets, HTTP requests, or user inputs.

2. What is StreamBuilder?

StreamBuilder is a widget in Flutter that is used to reflect Stream data in the UI. StreamBuilder is connected to a Stream and automatically updates the UI whenever new data is generated.

2.1 Structure of StreamBuilder

StreamBuilder is typically used in the following form:

StreamBuilder(
  stream: yourStream,
  builder: (BuildContext context, AsyncSnapshot snapshot) {
    // Process the data and build the UI.
  },
);

Here, yourStream is the location where data is generated, and a listener for this Stream is automatically created. The builder parameter is a function that receives the Snapshot and generates the UI.

2.2 AsyncSnapshot

The AsyncSnapshot object received in the builder function of StreamBuilder contains the status and data of the Stream. This allows for easy management of the data loading state, error occurrence, and more.

3. Examples of Using Stream and StreamBuilder

Now, let’s explore how to use Stream and StreamBuilder through actual code. In this example, we will create a simple application that periodically sends the current time as a stream and displays it using StreamBuilder.

3.1 Creating a Stream

First, let’s create a Stream that periodically sends the current time.

Stream<DateTime> getTimeStream() async* {
  while (true) {
    yield DateTime.now();
    await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 1));
  }
}

The above code returns a Stream that generates DateTime objects every second. It defines an asynchronous function using the async* keyword and triggers the value using yield.

3.2 Building UI with StreamBuilder

Now, let’s use StreamBuilder to display the Stream we created above in the UI.

class TimeDisplay extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return StreamBuilder<DateTime>(
      stream: getTimeStream(),
      builder: (context, snapshot) {
        if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.waiting) {
          return Text('Loading...');
        } else if (snapshot.hasError) {
          return Text('Error: ${snapshot.error}');
        } else {
          return Text('Current time: ${snapshot.data}');
        }
      },
    );
  }
}

The above code is an example of using StreamBuilder to display the time. When loading, it shows ‘Loading…’, when an error occurs, it displays the error message, and when the data is successfully received, it shows the current time.

4. Use Cases of Stream and StreamBuilder

Stream and StreamBuilder can be utilized in various contexts. Here are a few examples where they can be applied:

4.1 Real-time Data Communication

In a chat application, for instance, it must receive messages sent by users in real-time. In this case, Stream can be used to receive new messages, and StreamBuilder can be used to update the UI.

4.2 Periodic Data Updates

When fetching periodically updated data, such as stock prices or weather information, Stream can be used. This allows users to always receive the latest information.

4.3 User Event Handling

Apps that provide real-time feedback by detecting user inputs or actions can also utilize Stream. For example, while a user is filling out a form, it can perform real-time validation for each field and provide feedback.

5. Pros and Cons of Stream and StreamBuilder

5.1 Advantages

  • Asynchronous Processing: Increases the responsiveness of the UI by processing data asynchronously.
  • Real-time Updates: Automatically updates the UI every time the data changes.
  • Complex Data Flow Management: Easily manages multiple data sources and complex data flows.

5.2 Disadvantages

  • Complexity: Asynchronous programming can feel complex for beginners.
  • Resource Consumption: Maintaining unnecessary Streams can waste system resources.
  • Error Handling: Consistent handling of errors that can occur in asynchronous operations is necessary.

6. Conclusion

In this article, we explored Stream and StreamBuilder in Flutter in detail. Stream is a powerful tool for transmitting data asynchronously, and StreamBuilder is a widget that helps easily apply this to the UI. I hope this article has helped you understand these two concepts through real examples. Asynchronous programming can be somewhat challenging at first, but you will become more familiar with it through various use cases. Actively use these two concepts in developing fun and useful applications with Flutter!

7. References

Flutter Course: 14.6 Outputting Future in the App

In this course, we will explain in detail how to create and output Future in Flutter. Future is a core concept in Dart’s asynchronous programming, representing an object that returns a value or error when an asynchronous task is completed. This allows us to perform time-consuming tasks without blocking the UI.

1. What is Future?

Future is an object that represents a future result in asynchronous programming, allowing you to wait for the asynchronous task to complete and receive the result. For example, when fetching data through an HTTP request, you can proceed with other UI tasks without waiting for the request to finish.

1.1 States of Future

  • Pending: State where the task has not yet completed.
  • Completed: State where the task has completed and returned a result.
  • Error: State where an error occurred during the task.

2. Creating a Future

There are two main ways to create a Future. The first is to use built-in methods, and the second is to create it through custom functions.

2.1 Using Built-in Methods

You can create a Future object that completes after a certain time using the Future.delayed method. The following is an example that returns a message after 2 seconds.

Future fetchData() {
        return Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 2), () {
            return 'Data loading complete';
        });
    }

2.2 Creating Custom Functions

You can directly create a function that returns a Future to handle database or API requests. For example, let’s create a function to fetch user information from an API.

Future fetchUser(int userId) async {
        final response = await http.get('https://api.example.com/user/$userId');
        if (response.statusCode == 200) {
            return User.fromJson(json.decode(response.body));
        } else {
            throw Exception('Failed to load user');
        }
    }

3. Outputting Futures

Now, let’s look at how to output the values of the Future object we created in a Flutter app. To do this, we use the FutureBuilder widget. The FutureBuilder dynamically updates the UI based on the state of the Future.

3.1 Using FutureBuilder

To use FutureBuilder, you need to define the future and builder parameters. You specify the Future object that performs the asynchronous task in future, and define the function that builds the UI based on the state of the asynchronous task in builder.

class UserProfile extends StatelessWidget {
        final int userId;
        UserProfile(this.userId);
        
        @override
        Widget build(BuildContext context) {
            return FutureBuilder(
                future: fetchUser(userId),
                builder: (context, snapshot) {
                    if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.waiting) {
                        return CircularProgressIndicator();
                    } else if (snapshot.hasError) {
                        return Text('Error: ${snapshot.error}');
                    } else {
                        return Text('User Name: ${snapshot.data.name}');
                    }
                },
            );
        }
    }

3.2 Exception Handling

Since errors may occur during asynchronous tasks, it’s important to handle errors in FutureBuilder using snapshot.hasError. Proper exception handling can provide clear feedback to users.

4. Complete Code Example

Based on what we have learned so far, let’s look at a complete example. This example is a Flutter app that calls an API to fetch user information and displays it on the screen.

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'dart:convert';
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;

class User {
    final String name;
    
    User({required this.name});
    
    factory User.fromJson(Map json) {
        return User(name: json['name']);
    }
}

Future fetchUser(int userId) async {
    final response = await http.get('https://api.example.com/user/$userId');
    if (response.statusCode == 200) {
        return User.fromJson(json.decode(response.body));
    } else {
        throw Exception('Failed to load user');
    }
}

class UserProfile extends StatelessWidget {
    final int userId;
    UserProfile(this.userId);
    
    @override
    Widget build(BuildContext context) {
        return FutureBuilder(
            future: fetchUser(userId),
            builder: (context, snapshot) {
                if (snapshot.connectionState == ConnectionState.waiting) {
                    return CircularProgressIndicator();
                } else if (snapshot.hasError) {
                    return Text('Error: ${snapshot.error}');
                } else {
                    return Text('User Name: ${snapshot.data.name}');
                }
            },
        );
    }
}

void main() => runApp(MaterialApp(home: Scaffold(body: UserProfile(1))));

5. Conclusion

In this course, we learned how to create Future in Flutter and efficiently handle asynchronous operations using it. The UI composed with FutureBuilder can change dynamically based on data loading states, which is very useful. These asynchronous programming techniques greatly help improve user experience even in complex apps.

Tip: If you want to delve deeper into asynchronous programming, also study the concepts of Stream and async/await.

Flutter Course: 14.5 try/catch Block

Error handling is an important part of computer programming. It enhances the stability and reliability of programs, helping users to use the program smoothly even in unexpected situations. An important feature for error handling in Flutter is the try/catch block. In this tutorial, we will explore how to use the try/catch block in Flutter.

1. Importance of Error Handling

Error handling is a way to manage various exceptional situations that may occur while an application is running. For instance, it uses error handling to prevent the program from crashing abnormally in situations such as network request failures or incorrect user input. Flutter provides this error handling mechanism so that developers can create more reliable applications.

2. Basic Structure of try/catch Block

The try/catch block generally has the following structure:

    
    try {
        // Code that is likely to cause an error
    } catch (e) {
        // Code that runs when an error occurs
    }
    
    

In the above structure, the code within the try block executes normally. However, if an error occurs in this code, the error will be caught in the catch block. This allows the program to avoid abnormal termination and display an appropriate error message to the user.

3. Example: Basic use of try/catch

Below is a simple example of using a try/catch block in Flutter. This example assumes a situation where the user attempts to divide a number by 0. Normally this would cause an error, which can be handled using try/catch.

    
    void divideNumbers(int a, int b) {
        try {
            var result = a ~/ b; // Integer division
            print("Result: $result");
        } catch (e) {
            print("Error occurred: $e");
        }
    }
    
    

If the user inputs 0 in the above code, an error will occur during the execution of the ~/ operator, which will be handled in the catch block.

4. Handling Specific Errors

There are various types of errors that can occur in the catch block. Flutter provides ways to specify these errors. For example, specific errors like FormatException or IntegerDivisionByZeroException can be handled.

    
    void divideNumbers(int a, int b) {
        try {
            var result = a ~/ b;
            print("Result: $result");
        } catch (e) {
            if (e is IntegerDivisionByZeroException) {
                print("Error: Cannot divide by 0.");
            } else {
                print("Error occurred: $e");
            }
        }
    }
    
    

The code above provides clearer information to the user regarding the error that occurs when attempting to divide by 0.

5. Using try/catch in Asynchronous Code

In Flutter, try/catch blocks can also be used in asynchronous code. When errors occur in asynchronous code, the method for error handling when using the await keyword is as follows:

    
    Future fetchData() async {
        try {
            var response = await http.get('https://api.example.com/data');
            // Data processing code
        } catch (e) {
            print("Asynchronous error occurred: $e");
        }
    }
    
    

The code above demonstrates a situation where an error might occur while fetching data through an HTTP request.

6. Throwing Exceptions (throw)

Developers can throw exceptions directly when certain conditions are not met. The throw keyword can be used for this. For instance, if the user’s input is invalid, a custom exception can be created and thrown:

    
    void validateInput(String input) {
        if (input.isEmpty) {
            throw FormatException("Input is empty.");
        }
    }
    
    

The code above shows an example of throwing an exception directly when user input is found to be empty through validation.

7. Custom Exception Classes

In Flutter, developers can create custom exception classes for more detailed error handling. Below is an example of a custom exception class:

    
    class CustomException implements Exception {
        String cause;
        CustomException(this.cause);
    }

    void performOperation() {
        throw CustomException("Custom exception occurred");
    }
    
    

As shown in the example above, you can define the CustomException class and utilize it. This exception can be appropriately handled in the catch block.

8. Conclusion

The try/catch block is a very useful tool for error handling in Flutter. It helps maximize the program’s stability and user experience. I hope you have learned about various error handling mechanisms that can be applied to different situations, from basic usage to asynchronous handling and custom exceptions. May this be helpful for your future Flutter development.

9. References

Flutter Course: 14.4 Async and Await Keywords

Flutter is a framework based on the Dart language that helps in easily developing modern mobile applications. For efficient asynchronous processing of applications, the Dart language provides the async and await keywords. In this tutorial, we will cover a wide range of topics starting from the concept of asynchronous programming, how to utilize async and await in Flutter, their use cases, and precautions.

1. Concept of Asynchronous Programming

Asynchronous programming is a way for the processor to perform other tasks without waiting for the completion of a specific task. The asynchronous approach has the advantage of making the user interface (UI) smooth and responsive.

For example, when sending a network request, asynchronous programming is needed to ensure that the application does not freeze while waiting for the request to complete.

2. Asynchronous Programming in Dart

Asynchronous programming in Dart is achieved through Future and Stream. A Future can return a result or trigger an error when a specific task is completed. A Stream is a way to handle the flow of asynchronous data events.

2.1 Future

A Future object represents the result of an asynchronous operation. A Future can have two states:

  • Completed: The operation has been successfully performed and a result is returned.
  • Error: An error occurred during the operation.

A Future object can use the then method to define actions after the asynchronous operation is complete or the catchError method to handle errors.

2.2 Stream

A Stream is an object for handling multiple asynchronous events. For example, you can use a Stream to process data asynchronously in cases like web sockets, user input, and file reading. A Stream publishes events every time data is generated, allowing real-time data reception and processing.

3. async and await Keywords

The async and await keywords help write asynchronous programming in Dart more concisely. You can define an async function and use the await keyword within it to wait for the result of a Future object.

3.1 async Function

You can define an asynchronous function using the async keyword. An async function always returns a Future object, allowing you to handle the results of asynchronous operations.

Future fetchData() async {
    // Data fetching operation
}

3.2 await Keyword

The await keyword can only be used inside async functions, and it pauses and waits until a specific Future object is complete. This process does not block other tasks, so the UI does not freeze.

Future fetchData() async {
    var data = await fetchFromAPI();
    print(data);
}

4. Use Cases

Let’s look at various examples of using async and await.

4.1 Simple Network Request

import 'dart:convert';
import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;

Future fetchData() async {
    final response = await http.get(Uri.parse('https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts'));
    
    if (response.statusCode == 200) {
        var data = json.decode(response.body);
        print(data);
    } else {
        throw Exception('Failed to load data');
    }
}

4.2 Handling User Input

This is an example of asynchronously processing user input.

Future handleUserInput() async {
    String input = await getUserInput(); // Asynchronously get user input
    print('User input: $input');
}

4.3 Asynchronous Data Stream

This is an example of processing asynchronous data using a Stream.

Stream numberStream() async* {
    for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
        await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 1));
        yield i;
    }
}

void main() async {
    await for (int number in numberStream()) {
        print(number);
    }
}

5. Precautions in Asynchronous Programming

There are a few things to be mindful of when using asynchronous programming.

  • UI Updates: You need to call setState() to update the UI after an asynchronous operation is complete.
  • Error Handling: It is advisable to always use try-catch statements when using await to handle potential errors.
  • Performance Optimization: You can optimize performance by leveraging parallel processing of asynchronous tasks whenever possible.

6. Conclusion

In this tutorial, we explored how to use async and await in Flutter and the basic concepts of asynchronous programming. Asynchronous programming is a very important aspect of modern application development and can help provide a better experience for users. As you continue to work with Dart and Flutter, you will improve your skills in handling asynchronous programming.

Learning is ongoing, and understanding the characteristics of frameworks and languages is even more crucial. By understanding and utilizing the concepts of asynchronous programming, you can significantly enhance the performance and user experience of Flutter applications.

I hope this helps you greatly in your Flutter development journey!

Flutter Course: 14.3 Event Loop

Flutter is a powerful open-source UI framework for creating multi-platform applications. In this course, we will take a detailed look at one of Flutter’s important concepts: the Event Loop. The event loop plays a crucial role in asynchronous programming, and it is essential for enhancing UI responsiveness and performance. Understanding asynchronous programming is a vital element in developing Flutter applications.

What is an Event Loop?

An event loop is a mechanism that handles events occurring in the state of a running program. Asynchronous languages like JavaScript and frameworks like Flutter can execute code asynchronously through the event loop rather than in a synchronous, sequential manner. Here, ‘asynchronous’ means that the execution of the code is separate from the main flow, allowing for the processing or execution of tasks while other work is ongoing.

The Need for Asynchronous Programming

Today’s applications have a lot of interaction with users, and tasks such as network requests and file I/O are frequent. If the UI thread has to wait for each task to complete, the application will become slow and unresponsive, causing user discomfort. To prevent this, it is essential to use asynchronous programming and leverage the event loop to handle background tasks.

Flutter’s Event Loop

The event loop in Flutter is managed by the Dart runtime. Since the Dart language follows a single-threaded model, all events are executed on the main thread. This structure is designed to allow smooth interaction between the UI and business logic. The event loop consists of the following key components:

  • Event Queue: Holds the events that need to be processed. Various events such as keyboard input, mouse clicks, and network responses are stored and processed in this queue.
  • Microtask Queue: A special queue that holds tasks with higher priority. Microtasks are executed before regular tasks. For example, completion handlers for asynchronous tasks like Future instances are stored in this queue.
  • Asynchronous Functions: In Dart, you can define asynchronous functions using the async/await keywords. These functions play an important role in the event loop and control the flow of asynchronous tasks.

How the Event Loop and Asynchronous Functions Work

The Flutter event loop operates in the following manner:

  1. When the main event loop is running, it first checks the event queue and microtask queue.
  2. If the microtask queue is not empty, all microtasks are executed sequentially until they are complete. Microtasks have a higher priority than regular tasks.
  3. Once the microtasks are completed, it checks the event queue next to process any pending events.

By doing this, the UI can perform smoothly and responsively, allowing users to interact with the application without delays.

Sample Code Example

The following is a simple code example utilizing asynchronous programming and the event loop in Flutter:


import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() => runApp(MyApp());

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(title: Text('Event Loop Example')),
        body: Center(child: MyHomePage()),
      ),
    );
  }
}

class MyHomePage extends StatefulWidget {
  @override
  _MyHomePageState createState() => _MyHomePageState();
}

class _MyHomePageState extends State {
  String _data = "The result will appear here.";

  Future _fetchData() async {
    setState(() {
      _data = "Fetching data...";
    });

    // Perform asynchronous task
    await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 2));

    // Data fetching complete
    setState(() {
      _data = "Data fetched successfully!";
    });
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Column(
      mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
      children: [
        Text(_data),
        SizedBox(height: 20),
        ElevatedButton(
          onPressed: _fetchData,
          child: Text('Fetch Data'),
        ),
      ],
    );
  }
}

In this example, clicking the button simulates the process of fetching data asynchronously. When the user clicks the button, the UI shows the message ‘Fetching data…’, and once the asynchronous task is completed, the result is updated. This code demonstrates how the event loop and asynchronous programming work.

Conclusion

In this course, we explored Flutter’s event loop and asynchronous programming. Asynchronous processing is crucial in modern applications and is one of the powerful features of the Flutter framework. By understanding and utilizing the event loop, you can enhance user experience and develop applications with better performance.

In the next course, we will delve into more advanced concepts of asynchronous programming and various examples. I encourage you to continue learning, and feel free to leave any questions or comments!