Is there a way to use have a `MutableStateFlow<T : Any>` where the initial value is not set im...

# coroutines

[Rob]

Is there a way to use have a MutableStateFlow<T : Any> where the initial value is not set immediately? I am migrating from RxJava2 BehaviorSubject<T : Any>. The value is not initialized until some process finishes. Observers of the value are transient. I would rather it not be a T? where I filter out the initial null value. Thanks!

[Tijl]

SharedFlow

[Tijl]

MutableSharedFlow to be exact

[Rob]

Does SharedFlow replay values for late observers?

[Tijl]

yes

[Tijl]

see the replay parameter: https://kotlin.github.io/kotlinx.coroutines/kotlinx-coroutines-core/kotlinx.coroutines.flow/-mutable-shared-flow.html

[Tijl]

StateFlow extends SharedFlow in fact

[Rob]

Interesting. StateFlow is similar to SharedFlow with replay of 1

[Tijl]

yes, and conflated

[Tijl]

and with an initial value.

[gildor]

is similar to SharedFlow

It’s not just similar, it is essentially SharedFlow with replace 1 (though both MutableSharedFlow and MutableStateFlow have some own features, but both based on AbstractSharedFlow implementation)
https://github.com/Kotlin/kotlinx.coroutines/blob/master/kotlinx-coroutines-core/common/src/flow/StateFlow.kt#L76-L80

[Tijl]

yes that comment just describes exactly what I said, replay 1, conflated, and with an initial value