How to Pause And Resume Coroutine In Kotlin?

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In Kotlin, coroutines can be paused and resumed using the suspend keyword. By marking a function as suspend, you indicate that it is a coroutine and can be paused at certain points within the code. To pause a coroutine, you can use the suspendCoroutine function provided by the Kotlin coroutines library.


To resume a paused coroutine, you can use the resume function within the coroutine context. This allows you to resume execution from the point where the coroutine was paused. Additionally, you can use the yield function to yield the current value of the coroutine and then resume execution from the next point.


Overall, pausing and resuming coroutines in Kotlin allows you to write asynchronous code that is more readable and maintainable.

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What is the difference between launch and async in coroutines?

In coroutines, both launch and async are used to start a new coroutine. However, there are some key differences between the two:

  1. launch: This function is used to start a new coroutine without returning a result. It is typically used for performing background tasks or non-blocking operations. When using launch, you can simply start the coroutine and continue with the rest of the code without waiting for the coroutine to finish.


Example:

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val job = GlobalScope.launch {
    // Perform some background task
}


  1. async: This function is used to start a new coroutine that returns a Deferred object representing a future result. It is typically used when you need the result of the coroutine to continue with the rest of the code or when you want to combine the results of multiple coroutines.


Example:

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val deferred = GlobalScope.async {
    // Perform some task and return a result
    "Hello, World!"
}
val result = deferred.await()
println(result)


In summary, launch is used for fire-and-forget tasks, while async is used when you need the result of the coroutine.


What is the difference between launch and runBlocking in coroutines?

In Kotlin coroutines, launch and runBlocking are two different ways to start a coroutine and manage its execution.

  1. launch: This function is used to start a new coroutine asynchronously. It returns a Job object that can be used to control and interact with the coroutine. The launched coroutine runs concurrently with the rest of the code and does not block the main thread. It is typically used for running tasks in the background without blocking the program's main execution.


Example:

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import kotlinx.coroutines.*

fun main() {
    GlobalScope.launch {
        delay(1000)
        println("Hello from coroutine!")
    }
    
    println("Main thread is still running")
    Thread.sleep(2000)
}


  1. runBlocking: This function is used to start a new coroutine synchronously. It blocks the current thread until the coroutine completes its execution. It is commonly used in test cases or in scenarios where you need to wait for the coroutine to finish before proceeding with the rest of the code.


Example:

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import kotlinx.coroutines.*

fun main() {
    runBlocking {
        launch {
            delay(1000)
            println("Hello from coroutine!")
        }
        
        println("Main thread is still running")
    }
}


In summary, the main difference between launch and runBlocking is that launch starts a coroutine asynchronously without blocking the current thread, while runBlocking starts a coroutine synchronously and blocks the current thread until the coroutine finishes.


What is the difference between GlobalScope and CoroutineScope in Kotlin?

GlobalScope is a top-level scope that is available throughout the lifetime of the application. It is used to launch coroutines that have a global scope and can outlive the application itself.


CoroutineScope, on the other hand, is a scope that is typically tied to a specific component, such as an activity or a fragment in Android development. It is used to launch coroutines that are scoped to that specific component and are automatically cancelled when the component is destroyed.


In summary, GlobalScope is used for coroutines that need to outlive the application, while CoroutineScope is used for coroutines that are tied to a specific component and should be cancelled when that component is destroyed.


How to pass data between coroutines in Kotlin?

There are multiple ways to pass data between coroutines in Kotlin. Some of the common methods include using channels, shared mutable state, and coroutine scope.

  1. Using channels: Channels are a built-in primitive for communication between coroutines. You can create a channel using the Channel constructor and send data using the send function while receiving data using the receive function. Here's an example:
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val channel = Channel<Int>()

launch {
    val value = channel.receive()
    println("Received value: $value")
}

launch {
    val data = 42
    channel.send(data)
}


  1. Shared mutable state: You can also use shared mutable state to pass data between coroutines. However, this method is less recommended as it can lead to race conditions and synchronization issues. Here's an example:
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var sharedData = 0

launch {
    sharedData = 42
}

launch {
    println("Shared data: $sharedData")
}


  1. Coroutine scope: You can also pass data between coroutines using the coroutine scope. For example, you can launch a coroutine within a coroutine scope and pass data as arguments. Here's an example:
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val data = 42

coroutineScope {
    launch {
        println("Received data: $data")
    }
}


Each of these methods has its own use cases and advantages. It is important to choose the appropriate method based on the specific requirements of your application.

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