Migrating from XML to Jetpack Compose: Lessons Learned

Migrating from XML to Jetpack Compose: Lessons Learned

For years, I used XML for Android UI development. It worked well, but as apps got more complex, maintaining UI code became harder. I kept running into issues with state handling, nested layouts, and long build times. Then Jetpack Compose came along, offering a fresh, declarative approach. It seemed promising, so I decided to migrate my project Movieland and see how it performed in a real-world app. Here’s what I learned along the way.

Why I Decided to Migrate

When I started building Movieland, I went with XML because it was familiar. But as the app grew, it became clear that Jetpack Compose could solve many pain points:

• Easier UI Development: No more dealing with ViewBinding or manually updating views.
• Better State Management: Works seamlessly with Kotlin Coroutines and Flow.
• Faster Development: Writing UI in Compose felt more natural and flexible.
• Future-Proofing the App: Google is heavily investing in Jetpack Compose, making it a safer bet for long-term projects.

With these benefits in mind, I made the switch. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Challenges Faced During Migration

1. Changing How I Think About UI

Switching from XML to Jetpack Compose required a mindset shift. Instead of updating UI elements manually, I had to think of UI as a function of state. This meant I had to carefully manage state changes instead of directly modifying views.

Lesson learned: If you're moving to Compose, take time to understand state management and how it affects recompositions.

2. Fixing Nested Scrolling Issues

In Movieland, I originally used a vertical RecyclerView with multiple horizontal RecyclerViews inside. Managing scroll states was frustrating, and sometimes the state would jump unexpectedly. Compose’s LazyColumn and LazyRow made things way easier, eliminating those headaches.

Lesson learned: Compose simplifies nested scrolling. Using LazyColumn and LazyRow together made the UI much smoother.

3. Rethinking Navigation

I used the Navigation Component with Fragments before, but Jetpack Compose required a new approach. Handling navigation arguments and deep links felt different, and I had to tweak my logic to keep UI state when navigating between screens.

Lesson learned: Use rememberSaveable and ViewModel properly to maintain UI state across navigation changes.

4. Avoiding Unnecessary Recompositions

One of the biggest performance pitfalls I ran into was unnecessary recompositions. At first, my app re-rendered UI elements too often, which slowed things down.

Lesson learned:

• Use remember and rememberSaveable to keep state.
• Keep states as immutable as possible.
• Use LaunchedEffect for tasks that shouldn’t trigger recompositions.

Best Practices for a Smooth Migration

• Start Small: Convert one screen or feature at a time to avoid overwhelming changes.
• Break UI into Smaller Components: Writing modular Composables makes testing and reusability much easier.
• Use @Preview for Faster UI Iteration: Instead of running the app every time, Jetpack Compose’s @Preview lets you test layouts instantly.
• Follow Material 3 Guidelines: Compose works best with the latest Material Design recommendations.
• Don’t Rush the Migration: Some XML layouts might still be fine. Move gradually instead of rewriting everything at once.

Final Thoughts

Migrating to Jetpack Compose wasn’t just a code change—it was a new way of thinking about UI development. The transition had its challenges, but the benefits of simpler code, faster development, and better performance made it well worth it.

If you're considering the switch, my advice is: take it slow, experiment, and embrace the Compose way of building UI.

Are you migrating to Jetpack Compose? What’s your experience been like? Let’s chat in the comments! ??