Why Use cases / Interactors in Android Kotlin? - Purpose & Use Cases

The Big Idea

Discover how use cases can untangle your app's messy logic and make coding a breeze!

The Scenario

Imagine building an app where every screen directly talks to the database and handles all the business rules itself. For example, the login screen checks user credentials, updates user status, and fetches user data all in one place.

The Problem

This approach quickly becomes messy and confusing. When you want to change how login works, you have to hunt through many screens. Bugs hide easily because logic is scattered everywhere. It's like trying to fix a tangled ball of yarn.

The Solution

Use cases or interactors act like clear instructions for each task your app does. They keep business rules in one place, separate from screens and data storage. This makes your app easier to understand, test, and change without breaking other parts.

Before vs After

✗ Before

fun loginUser(username: String, password: String) {
  if (db.checkUser(username, password)) {
    db.updateStatus(username, "online")
    val data = db.getUserData(username)
    showData(data)
  }
}

✓ After

class LoginUseCase(private val repo: UserRepository) {
  fun execute(username: String, password: String): UserData? {
    if (repo.validateUser(username, password)) {
      repo.setUserOnline(username)
      return repo.fetchUserData(username)
    }
    return null
  }
}

What It Enables

It enables building apps where business logic is clear, reusable, and easy to maintain, making your code more reliable and your development faster.

Real Life Example

Think of a shopping app where adding an item to the cart involves checking stock, applying discounts, and updating totals. A use case handles all these steps cleanly, so the cart screen just calls it without worrying about details.

Key Takeaways

Use cases keep business logic separate from UI and data layers.

They make your app easier to test and maintain.

They help avoid tangled, hard-to-change code.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of a use case (interactor) in Android app development?

easy

A. To organize app actions and separate business logic from UI

B. To design the app's user interface layout

C. To handle database migrations automatically

D. To manage app permissions and security

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the role of use cases

   Use cases focus on organizing the app's business logic and actions clearly.

2. Step 2: Differentiate from UI and other concerns

   They separate this logic from the user interface and other layers like database or security.

3. Final Answer:

   To organize app actions and separate business logic from UI -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Use cases = organize logic separate from UI [OK]

Hint: Use cases handle app actions, not UI or database [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing use cases with UI components
• Thinking use cases manage database directly
• Assuming use cases handle permissions

2. Which Kotlin syntax correctly defines a simple use case class with an invoke operator function?

easy

A. class GetUserUseCase { fun call(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } }

B. class GetUserUseCase { operator fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } }

C. fun GetUserUseCase(id: Int): User { /*...*/ }

D. object GetUserUseCase { fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct class and operator syntax

   Use cases are often classes with an operator fun invoke to call them like functions.

2. Step 2: Check each option's syntax

   class GetUserUseCase { operator fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } } correctly defines a class with operator fun invoke. fun GetUserUseCase(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } is a function, not a class. class GetUserUseCase { fun call(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } } uses fun call, not invoke. object GetUserUseCase { fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } } uses object but lacks operator keyword.

3. Final Answer:

   class GetUserUseCase { operator fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } } -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use case class with operator invoke = class GetUserUseCase { operator fun invoke(id: Int): User { /*...*/ } } [OK]

Hint: Use operator fun invoke inside class for use cases [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Defining use case as a simple function instead of class
• Missing operator keyword for invoke function
• Using object without operator fun invoke

3. Given this use case code snippet, what will be printed?

class AddNumbersUseCase {
  operator fun invoke(a: Int, b: Int): Int = a + b
}

fun main() {
  val add = AddNumbersUseCase()
  println(add(3, 4))
}

medium

A. 7

B. 34

C. Error: invoke requires one parameter

D. null

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand operator fun invoke with two parameters

   The invoke function takes two Ints and returns their sum.

2. Step 2: Call add(3, 4) executes invoke(3, 4) returning 7

   Printing this result outputs 7.

3. Final Answer:

   7 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   3 + 4 = 7 [OK]

Hint: Invoke operator calls function with parameters directly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking parameters concatenate as strings
• Assuming invoke only takes one parameter
• Expecting null or error output

4. Identify the error in this use case implementation:

class MultiplyUseCase {
  operator fun invoke(a: Int, b: Int): Int {
    return a * b
  }
}

fun main() {
  val multiply = MultiplyUseCase()
  println(multiply.invoke(5))
}

medium

A. println cannot print Int values

B. Missing return statement in invoke function

C. MultiplyUseCase should be an object, not a class

D. invoke function called with wrong number of arguments

Solution

1. Step 1: Check invoke function parameters

   invoke expects two Int parameters: a and b.

2. Step 2: Analyze call multiply.invoke(5)

   Only one argument is passed, causing a compile-time error for wrong argument count.

3. Final Answer:

   invoke function called with wrong number of arguments -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   invoke needs 2 args, call has 1 [OK]

Hint: Check function parameter count matches call arguments [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring parameter count mismatch
• Thinking classes must be objects for use cases
• Assuming println can't print Int

5. You want to create a use case that fetches user details and then logs the action. Which approach best follows use case principles?

hard

A. Put fetching logic in UI code and logging in a separate utility class

B. Combine fetching, logging, and UI updates all inside the use case invoke function

C. Create a use case class that fetches user data and calls a logger inside invoke

D. Use a use case only for logging, and fetch data directly in the UI

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand use case responsibility

   Use cases should handle business logic like fetching and related actions such as logging.

2. Step 2: Evaluate options for separation and clarity

   Create a use case class that fetches user data and calls a logger inside invoke keeps fetching and logging together in use case, separating UI concerns. Others mix UI and logic or split related logic incorrectly.

3. Final Answer:

   Create a use case class that fetches user data and calls a logger inside invoke -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Use case = business logic + related actions [OK]

Hint: Keep related logic inside use case, UI handles display only [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing UI code with business logic
• Splitting related logic across unrelated classes
• Using use case only for one small task