I'm noticing a common thing that happens is ending...

# compose

[Filip Stanis]

I'm noticing a common thing that happens is ending up with split-second "loading" states in the app when some data retrieval is async, but the operation ends up being fast (e.g. network request normally, but cached data arrives). So for example, I press the refresh button, the thing being refreshed shows a spinner, but only for 200ms, then it actually loads, making the spinner flash which isn't nice.

Is there a recommended how to avoid this, i.e. skip displaying the loading state unless it's been loading for at least 0.5s?

First thought that comes to mind is debouncing a flow; but I wonder if there's other options which are more on the composable side? Maybe an animation with a delay if the state is loading (as the real state would cancel the animation)?

[Zoltan Demant]

I dont have the code for this anymore, but I used produceState with a delay of some period of time before the loading indicator would actually show up, and it worked really nicely!

[Oliver.O]

If the spinner pops up instantly, wouldn't delaying just postpone the problem instead of solving it? I mean, if you'd delay by 200ms and the load completes at 300ms, you'd still see the flash, just 200ms later than initially.

What about fading in a spinner instead?

[Filip Stanis]

True, I thought about that - this is exploratory, I suspect that a large number of requests will finish in under Xms, so the spinner would only appear for the long tail.