5 Expert Jetpack Compose Techniques That Boosted My Productivity

As an Android developer working on production apps, I’ve discovered a few Jetpack Compose techniques that have drastically improved my workflow. These aren’t just fancy tricks — they’ve genuinely saved me hours and helped build clean, user-friendly UIs faster.

Whether you’re just getting into Compose or already deep in development, here are 5 powerful tricks that I use regularly. Let’s dive in 👇

1. Smart TopAppBar Title Visibility with derivedStateOf

Want your TopAppBar title to show only after the user scrolls past a header? Here's how I manage this dynamically using LazyListState and derivedStateOf.

val lazyListState = rememberLazyListState()

val showTitle by remember {
    derivedStateOf { lazyListState.firstVisibleItemIndex > 0 }
}

Then in your TopAppBar:

TopAppBar(
    title = {
        if (showTitle) {
            Text("Now Showing")
        }
    }
)

✅ Result: A responsive UI that adapts to scroll behavior, just like pro apps on the Play Store.

2. Dismiss the Keyboard Gracefully with KeyboardActions

Good UX means not having to tap outside a TextField just to dismiss the keyboard. Here’s my go-to way:

val focusManager = LocalFocusManager.current

TextField(
    value = text,
    onValueChange = { text = it },
    keyboardOptions = KeyboardOptions.Default.copy(imeAction = ImeAction.Done),
    keyboardActions = KeyboardActions(onDone = {
        focusManager.clearFocus()
    })
)

Benefit: Smoother user experience, especially in forms or login screens.

3. Animate UI States with updateTransition

Adding subtle animations to UI elements makes apps feel polished. For example, scaling an icon when toggled:

val isFavorite = remember { mutableStateOf(false) }

val transition = updateTransition(
    targetState = isFavorite.value,
    label = "favoriteTransition"
)
val scale by transition.animateFloat(label = "scale") {
    if (it) 1.2f else 1f
}

Then use it like this:

Icon(
    imageVector = Icons.Default.Favorite,
    contentDescription = null,
    modifier = Modifier.scale(scale)
)

Result: Delightful micro-interactions that users actually notice.

4. Avoid Callback Bugs with rememberUpdatedState

When using lambdas inside LaunchedEffect, stale state can sneak in. Here's how I prevent it:

val onTimeout by rememberUpdatedState(newValue = onTimeoutCallback)

LaunchedEffect(Unit) {
    delay(5000)
    onTimeout()
}

Why it’s useful: Keeps your lambda fresh and avoids unexpected behavior during recompositions.

5. Use State Hoisting for Clean, Reusable UI

Compose encourages separation of logic and UI. I always hoist state out of reusable components like this:

@Composable
fun LoginScreen() {
    var email by remember { mutableStateOf("") }

    LoginContent(email = email, onEmailChange = { email = it })
}
@Composable
fun LoginContent(email: String, onEmailChange: (String) -> Unit) {
    TextField(value = email, onValueChange = onEmailChange)
}

Result: Code that’s easier to test, preview, and maintain.

Final Thoughts

Jetpack Compose is a powerful toolkit — but the little tricks are what truly unlock productivity.

By applying techniques like derivedStateOf, updateTransition, and rememberUpdatedState, you’ll avoid common pitfalls and deliver clean, efficient UIs faster.

What are your favorite Jetpack Compose tips?

I’d love to hear what tricks you’ve discovered!
Drop a comment or connect with me on LinkedIn — let’s keep improving together.

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