kotlin-flows

Choose StateFlow for stateful UI requiring a single latest value, and SharedFlow for broadcasting events to multiple collectors. This ensures correct lifecycle handling and clean architecture in Kotlin Multiplatform and Android applications.

Use lifecycle-safe collection patterns like repeatOnLifecycle in Android to ensure Flow collection only happens when the lifecycle is active. This prevents hidden side effects and improper lifecycle handling during UI state management.

Migrate Channels to SharedFlow by evaluating trade-offs between ensured delivery and potential missed emissions. Assess event handling requirements to select the correct operator and avoid hidden side effects inside transforms.

Use operators like flatMapLatest, catch, and retry to manage data streams while avoiding side effects inside transforms. Selecting correct operators ensures clean error handling and prevents hidden behaviors in Kotlin coroutines.

Test Flow-based architectures using Turbine to verify cold and hot streams. Apply testing approaches to validate StateFlow, SharedFlow, and Channel event handling without blocking coroutines in Android and Multiplatform projects.

Use cold Flow for on-demand data streams that restart per collector, and hot SharedFlow for sharing emissions across multiple collectors. Selecting the correct type ensures proper stateful UI and lifecycle-safe collection in Kotlin Multiplatform.