Do not use BuildContexts across async gaps

📝 Blog Post: The Dilemma of Using BuildContexts across Async Gaps

Are you facing a new lint issue in your Flutter project? Don't worry, you're not alone! One particular lint rule that often causes confusion is the prohibition on using BuildContexts across async gaps. In this blog post, we'll break down this common problem, provide easy solutions, and equip you with the knowledge to overcome this challenge. 😎✨

The Problem

Let's dive straight into the issue. Imagine you have a custom class in your Flutter project where you need to access the BuildContext. The lint tool goes haywire when you try to use BuildContext with an async method. Take a look at this simplified example:

MyCustomClass {
  final BuildContext context;

  const MyCustomClass({required this.context});

  myAsyncMethod() async {
    await someFuture();
    if (!mounted) return;
    Navigator.of(context).pop();
  }
}

In this scenario, the mounted check inside the myAsyncMethod has no effect, even if you pass the state to the constructor. 🙅‍♂️

The Solution

To tackle this issue, we have some good news! The Flutter team is planning to introduce a new property to BuildContext called mounted. 🎉 This new addition will allow StatelessWidgets to check their own mounted status. Though this feature is not yet available at the time of writing, it's worthwhile to keep an eye out for when it lands.

Once the mounted property is available, you can modify your code like this:

if (context.mounted) {
  Navigator.of(context).pop();
}

By using context.mounted, you can ensure that the widget is still alive before performing any operations on it within an async method. This will silence the lint tool's complaints and ensure smooth sailing in your codebase. 🚀

Stay Tuned!

As of now, the Flutter community eagerly awaits the addition of the mounted property to BuildContext. To learn more about the progress of this feature, you can refer to Remi Rousselet's tweet. Keep an eye on Flutter's official documentation and release notes to be the first to take advantage of it when it becomes available. 🧐📖

If you found this blog post helpful, don't forget to share it with your fellow Flutter developers! Together, let's solve these coding puzzles and make our Flutter projects even better. 💪🤝

Do you have any questions or other interesting insights about using BuildContext across async gaps? Share them in the comments below! Let's spark a discussion and learn from each other. ⌨️💡

Stay Fluttery! Until next time. Happy coding! 😄👋

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