Berlindroid: RxJava & Coroutines: A Practical Analysis

Kotlin has taken the Android world by storm, and is quickly becoming the most popular language, with coroutines approaching stability, does it make sense to replace your RxJava implementations for Coroutines?

Despite the hype, it may not make sense to jump on the bandwagon just yet, with RxJava having already proven its stability and usefulness, and in many cases the comparison between the two frameworks showing that they simply fit different purposes.

In this talk, you can learn how you can utilise the strengths of each framework, how to correctly choose the best solution for the requirements of your project, whether it may be beneficial to migrate or run them concurrently, and how you can start doing so for your project.

Transcript

1. RxJava & Coroutines
   A Practical Analysis
   @askashdavies
   

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2. @askashdavies
   

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3. @askashdavies
   

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4. !
   @askashdavies
   

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5. Adoption
   @askashdavies
   

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6. 7.7% (2015)
   @askashdavies
   

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7. 19.5% (2016)
   7.7% (2015)
   @askashdavies
   

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8. 46.8% (2017)
   19.5% (2016)
   7.7% (2015)
   @askashdavies
   

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9. blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2016/02/kotlin-1-0-released-pragmatic-language-for-jvm-and-android/
   

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10. Multi Platform
    @askashdavies
    

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11. Coroutines
    @askashdavies
    

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12. fun main() {
    GlobalScope.launch {
    delay(1000L)
    println("World!")
    }
    println("Hello,")
    Thread.sleep(2000L)
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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13. fun main() {
    GlobalScope.launch {
    delay(1000L)
    println("World!")
    }
    println("Hello,")
    Thread.sleep(2000L)
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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14. fun main() {
    GlobalScope.launch {
    delay(1000L)
    println("World!")
    }
    println("Hello,")
    Thread.sleep(2000L)
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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15. ⚖
    Stability
    @askashdavies
    

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16. @askashdavies
    

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17. async / launch
    @askashdavies
    

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18. val deferred: Deferred = async { "Hello" }
    @askashdavies
    

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19. val result: String = deferred.await()
    @askashdavies
    

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20. val job: Job = launch { "Hello" }
    @askashdavies
    

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21. job.join()
    @askashdavies
    

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22. @Annotations
    bit.ly/2BrxgKv
    @askashdavies
    

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23. !
    Here be dragons
    @askashdavies
    

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24. ⚠
    @ExperimentalCoroutinesApi
    @askashdavies
    

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25. ⚠
    @ObsoleteCoroutinesApi
    @askashdavies
    

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26. ☠
    @InternalCoroutinesApi
    @askashdavies
    

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27. @askashdavies
    

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28. @askashdavies
    

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29. Coroutines
    !
    Best thing since sliced bread
    @askashdavies
    

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30. Coroutines
    Best thing since ... brotchen?
    @askashdavies
    

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31. !
    Coroutines
    @askashdavies
    

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32. !
    Native first-party library
    @askashdavies
    

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33. !
    Easy-to-use
    @askashdavies
    

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34. !
    suspend fun
    @askashdavies
    

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35. Dispatchers.Main
    @askashdavies
    

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36. !
    History of Android
    @askashdavies
    

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37. Background Processes
    @askashdavies
    

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38. Background Processes
    !
    Runnable / Handler
    @askashdavies
    

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39. Background Processes
    !
    AsyncTask
    @askashdavies
    

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40. Background Processes
    !
    IntentService
    @askashdavies
    

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41. Background Processes
    !
    Loader
    @askashdavies
    

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42. Background Processes
    WorkManager
    @askashdavies
    

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43. Background Processes
    AlarmManager
    @askashdavies
    

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44. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer
    @askashdavies
    

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45. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask
    @askashdavies
    

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46. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager
    @askashdavies
    

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47. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread
    @askashdavies
    

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48. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread, JobDispatcher
    @askashdavies
    

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49. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread, JobDispatcher,
    JobScheduler
    @askashdavies
    

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50. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread, JobDispatcher,
    JobScheduler,
    ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor
    @askashdavies
    

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51. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread, JobDispatcher,
    JobScheduler,
    ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor, Timer
    @askashdavies
    

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52. Background Processes
    AlarmManager, CountDownTimer ,
    FutureTask, GcmNetworkManager,
    HandlerThread, JobDispatcher,
    JobScheduler,
    ScheduledThreadPoolExecutor, Timer,
    Task
    @askashdavies
    

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53. !
    @askashdavies
    

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54. xkcd.com/927/
    

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55. RxJava to the rescue
    @askashdavies
    

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56. ⛓
    Chained operations
    @askashdavies
    

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57. ⬆ ⬇
    Abstracted threading
    @askashdavies
    

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58. !
    Reactive programming
    @askashdavies
    

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59. !
    @askashdavies
    

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60. @askashdavies
    

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61. @askashdavies
    

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62. @askashdavies
    

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63. @askashdavies
    

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64. @askashdavies
    

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65. @askashdavies
    

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66. !
    Asynchronous API's
    @askashdavies
    

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67. !
    Synchronous API's
    @askashdavies
    

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68. Observable.fromIterable()
    @askashdavies
    

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69. Flowable / Observable
    Single / Completable / Maybe
    @askashdavies
    

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70. @askashdavies
    

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71. !
    Observable
    .fromIterable(resourceDraft.getResources())
    .flatMap(resourceServiceApiClient::createUploadContainer)
    .zipWith(Observable.fromIterable(resourceDraft.getResources()), Pair::create)
    .flatMap(uploadResources())
    .toList()
    .toObservable()
    .flatMapMaybe(resourceCache.getResourceCachedItem())
    .defaultIfEmpty(Resource.getDefaultItem())
    .flatMap(postResource(resourceId, resourceDraft.getText(), currentUser, resourceDraft.getIntent()))
    .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
    .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
    .subscribe(
    resource -> repository.setResource(resourceId, resource, provisionalResourceId),
    resourceUploadError(resourceId, resourceDraft, provisionalResourceId)
    );
    @askashdavies
    

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72. @askashdavies
    

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73. ⚙
    Hidden complexity
    @askashdavies
    

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74. !
    Hidden gotchas
    @askashdavies
    

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75. !
    Memory footprint
    @askashdavies
    

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76. ⤴
    Steep learning curve
    @askashdavies
    

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77. explosm.net/comics/3185/
    

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78. @askashdavies
    

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79. #RxMustDie
    pca.st/7IJG
    @askashdavies
    

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80. "If all you have is a hammer,
    everything looks like a nail"
    — Abraham Maslow, The Psychology of Science, 1966
    @askashdavies
    

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81. Reactive / Imperative
    @askashdavies
    

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82. Coroutine Use Cases
    @askashdavies
    

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83. Network Call Handling
    // RxJava2
    fun getUser(): Single = Single.fromCallable { /* ... */ }
    // Coroutine
    suspend fun getUser(): User = /* ... */
    @askashdavies
    

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84. Cache Retrieval
    // RxJava2
    fun getUser(): Maybe = Maybe.fromCallable { /* ... */ }
    // Coroutine
    suspend fun getUser(): User? = /* ... */
    @askashdavies
    

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85. Background Task Handling
    // RxJava2
    fun storeUser(user: User): Completable.fromCallable { /* ... */ }
    // Coroutine
    suspend fun storeUser(user: User) { /* ... */ }
    @askashdavies
    

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86. RxJava2 / Coroutines
    Single / T
    Maybe / T?
    Completable / Unit
    @askashdavies
    

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87. Thread Handling
    // RxJava2
    getUser()
    .subscribeOn(Schedulers.computation())
    .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
    .subscribe { /* Do something */ }
    // Coroutine
    launch(Dispatchers.Main) {
    val user = getUser()
    /* Do something */
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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88. !
    FlatMap
    // RxJava2
    getUser()
    .flatMap { doSomethingWithUser(it) }
    .subscribeOn(Schedulers.computation())
    .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
    .subscribe { /* Do something else */ }
    // Coroutine
    launch(Dispatchers.Main) {
    val user = getUser()
    val smth = doSomethingWithUser(user)
    /* Do something else */
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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89. Callback Consumption
    // RxJava2
    fun getSingle(): Single = Single.create { emitter ->
    doSomethingAsync(object: Callback {
    override fun onComplete(result: T) = emitter.onSuccess(result)
    override fun onException(exception: Exception) = emitter.onError(exception)
    })
    }
    // Coroutine
    suspend fun getCoroutine() : T = suspendCoroutine { continuation ->
    doSomethingAsync(object : Callback {
    override fun onComplete(result: T) = continuation.resume(result)
    override fun onException(exception: Exception) = continuation.resumeWithException(exception)
    })
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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90. !
    Continuation
    @askashdavies
    

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91. Task Cancellation
    // RxJava2
    val disposable: Disposable = Single
    .create { /* Do something */ }
    .subscribe { /* Do something else */ }
    disposable.dispose()
    // Coroutine
    val parent: Job = Job()
    launch(Dispatchers.Main + parent) { /* Do something */ }
    parent.cancelChildren()
    @askashdavies
    

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92. ViewModel.viewModelScope
    androidx.lifecycle:2.1.0-alpha01
    bit.ly/2FZ0FPN
    @askashdavies
    

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93. Lifecycle Task Cancellation
    class MainViewModel : ViewModel {
    fun init() {
    viewModelScope.launch {
    someSuspendFunction()
    }
    }
    }
    @askashdavies
    

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94. Value Streams
    // RxJava2
    val publisher = PublishSubject()
    publisher.subscribe { /* Do something */ }
    publisher.onNext("Hello")
    // Coroutine
    val channel = Channel()
    launch { channel.send("Hello") }
    launch { channel.consumeEach { /* Do something */ } }
    @askashdavies
    

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95. !
    Backpressure
    @askashdavies
    

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96. !
    Backpressure
    launch { channel.send("Hello") }
    @askashdavies
    

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97. !
    RxJava
    @askashdavies
    

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98. Channels
    bit.ly/2DQU7lb
    @askashdavies
    

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99. ↔
    Transformations
    @askashdavies
    

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100. ❄
     Cold Streams
     @askashdavies
     

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101. ⚙
     Complex Business Logic
     @askashdavies
     

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102. Asynchronicity Comparison
     Manuel Vivo (@manuelvicnt)
     bit.ly/2R27stP
     @askashdavies
     

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103. Is Coroutines a replacement for RxJava?
     @askashdavies
     

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104. Maybe...
     @askashdavies
     

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105. Should I migrate to Coroutines?
     @askashdavies
     

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106. Probably not...
     @askashdavies
     

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107. "Don't fix what ain't broke"
     — Some Guy
     @askashdavies
     

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108. © 2019 Viacom International Inc.
     

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109. Did you migrate to Coroutines?
     @askashdavies
     

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110. !
     Yes!
     @askashdavies
     

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111. How could I migrate to Coroutines?
     @askashdavies
     

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112. !
     Migration Policy
     @askashdavies
     

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113. Retrofit Services
     @askashdavies
     

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114. Retrofit2 Coroutines Adapter bit.ly/2TyGXOh
     com.jakewharton.retrofit:retrofit2-kotlin-coroutines-adapter:+
     @askashdavies
     

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115. interface UserService {
     @GET("/user")
     fun getUser(): Deferred
     }
     val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
     .baseUrl("https://example.com/")
     .addCallAdapterFactory(CoroutineCallAdapterFactory())
     .build()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val user = retrofit
     .create() // >= 2.5.0
     .getUser()
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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116. interface UserService {
     @GET("/user")
     fun getUser(): Deferred
     }
     val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
     .baseUrl("https://example.com/")
     .addCallAdapterFactory(CoroutineCallAdapterFactory())
     .build()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val user = retrofit
     .create() // >= 2.5.0
     .getUser()
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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117. interface UserService {
     @GET("/user")
     fun getUser(): Deferred
     }
     val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
     .baseUrl("https://example.com/")
     .addCallAdapterFactory(CoroutineCallAdapterFactory())
     .build()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val user = retrofit
     .create() // >= 2.5.0
     .getUser()
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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118. interface UserService {
     @GET("/user")
     fun getUser(): Deferred
     }
     val retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
     .baseUrl("https://example.com/")
     .addCallAdapterFactory(CoroutineCallAdapterFactory())
     .build()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val user = retrofit
     .create() // >= 2.5.0
     .getUser()
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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119. Retrofit bit.ly/2CU0LUK
     First-party "suspend" support
     @askashdavies
     

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120. Coroutines RxJava2 bit.ly/2DQ2ZYn
     org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-rx2:+
     @askashdavies
     

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121. Name Scope Description
     rxCompletable CoroutineScope Cold completable that starts
     coroutine on subscribe
     rxMaybe CoroutineScope Cold maybe that starts
     coroutine on subscribe
     rxSingle CoroutineScope Cold single that starts
     coroutine on subscribe
     rxObservable ProducerScope Cold observable that starts
     coroutine on subscribe
     rxFlowable ProducerScope Cold observable that starts
     coroutine on subscribe with
     backpressure support
     @askashdavies
     

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122. val service: UserService = /* ... */
     GlobalScope.rxSingle { service.getUser() }
     .observeOn(AndroidSchedulers.mainThread())
     .subscribeOn(Schedulers.io())
     .subscribe(
     { /* Do something with user */ },
     { /* Handle error ... maybe */ }
     )
     @askashdavies
     

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123. Completable.await()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     Completable
     .complete()
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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124. Maybe.await()
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val result: String? = Maybe
     .fromCallable { null as String? }
     .await()
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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125. Observable.await... bit.ly/2Tl37TK
     GlobalScope.launch {
     val observable = Observable.just(1, 2, 3, 4)
     // Await first item
     val item = observable.awaitFirst()
     // Print each item
     observable.consumeEach {
     println(it)
     }
     // Consume all items
     observable
     .openSubscription()
     .consume {
     println(it.size)
     }
     }
     @askashdavies
     

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126. !
     Conclusion
     @askashdavies
     

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127. @askashdavies
     

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128. Cheers!
     !
     @askashdavies
     

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129. @askashdavies
     

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