Firestore DocumentReference Get Local First (fall back to Server if cache doesn't exist)

Why get local cache first?

DocumentReference.get(Source.DEFAULT) will always get the latest data (assuming there is network), but the response is slower as it needs to check the server if latest data exist.

DocumentReference.get(Source.CACHE) is fast if local cache exist. If it doesn't, we need fetch from server with DocumentReference.get(Source.SERVER). This is the reverse of Source.DEFAULT.

If local cache already exist, there is no guarantee DocumentReference.get(Source.CACHE) will return the latest data. To solve this issue, create DocumentReference.addSnapshotListener to make sure the latest data is always saved to local cache.

val firestore = FirebaseFirestore.getInstance()val docRef = firestore.collection("test").document("test_local_cache")docRef.addSnapshotListener { documentSnapshot, firebaseFirestoreException ->    // do nothing, just to make sure server will update local cache}

Kotlin Extension

fun DocumentReference.getCacheFirst(listener: (DocumentSnapshot?, Exception?) -> Unit) {    get(Source.CACHE).addOnCompleteListener { task ->        if (task.isSuccessful) {            listener(task.result, null)        }        else {            get(Source.SERVER).addOnCompleteListener { task ->                if (task.isSuccessful) {                    listener(task.result, null)                }                else {                    listener(null, task.exception)                }            }        }    }}

Usage

val firestore = FirebaseFirestore.getInstance()val docRef = firestore.collection("test").document("test_local_cache")docRef.getCacheFirst { documentSnapshot, exception ->    if (documentSnapshot != null) {        Timber.d("data=${documentSnapshot.data}")    }    else {        Timber.e(exception)    }}

Kotlin Coroutines Suspend Function

Using kotlinx-coroutines-play-services.

Include dependencies

dependencies {
    // https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/org.jetbrains.kotlinx/kotlinx-coroutines-play-services
    implementation 'org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-play-services:1.2.1'
}

Kotlin Extension

suspend fun DocumentReference.getCacheFirstSuspend(): DocumentSnapshot {    return try {        // com.google.firebase.firestore.FirebaseFirestoreException: Failed to get document from cache. (However, this document may exist on the server. Run again without setting source to CACHE to attempt to retrieve the document from the server.)        get(Source.CACHE).await()    }    catch (e: FirebaseFirestoreException) {        // com.google.firebase.firestore.FirebaseFirestoreException: Failed to get document because the client is offline.        get(Source.SERVER).await()    }}

Usage

val handler = CoroutineExceptionHandler { _, exception ->    Timber.e(exception, "handler")}GlobalScope.launch(Dispatchers.Main + handler) {    val firestore = FirebaseFirestore.getInstance()    val docRef = firestore.collection("test").document("test_local_cache")    val doc = docRef.getCacheFirstSuspend()    Timber.d("data=${doc.data}")}

Use suspendCoroutine

suspend fun DocumentReference.getCacheFirstSuspend() = suspendCoroutine<DocumentSnapshot> { cont ->    getCacheFirst { documentSnapshot, exception ->        if (documentSnapshot != null) {            cont.resume(documentSnapshot)        }        else {            cont.resumeWithException(exception!!)        }    }}

Usage same as Kotlin Coroutines Suspend Function.

Complete solution using Kotlin Coroutines

Send in lifecycleOwner to listen to addSnapshotListener, where it will be removed when lifecycleOwner is destroyed. Refer to Firestore addSnapshotListener with LifecycleOwner.
Only first time will try to check server for latest data
Subsequent call will will always read from cache (assuming addSnapshotListener is doing it's job in updating the local cache with latest data)
docRef.get().await() is using kotlinx-coroutines-play-services

private val userQuoteHistoryRegistration = AtomicReference<ListenerRegistration>()suspend fun getUserQuoteHistorySuspend(lifecycleOwner: LifecycleOwner? = null): DocumentSnapshot {    val docRef = ...    // only run on the 1st time, when addSnapshotListener not called yet    if (lifecycleOwner != null) {        if (userQuoteHistoryRegistration.compareAndSet(null,                docRef.addSnapshotListener(lifecycleOwner) { documentSnapshot, firebaseFirestoreException ->                    Timber.d("userQuoteHistory updated")                }            )        ) {            Timber.d("userQuoteHistory.addSnapshotListener")            // sadly, I can't return result from addSnapshotListener            // , as there is no way to tell if the result is cache or latest from server            // get from server if available, else return cache            return docRef.get().await()        }    }    // get cache 1st, if not available try server    return docRef.getCacheFirstSuspend()}

Usage

val lifecycleOnwer = ... // Actiivty or Fragmentlaunch(Dispatchers.Default) {    val doc = getUserQuoteHistorySuspend(lifecycleOnwer)}

NOTE: Alternatively, you can addSnapshotListener for the lifetime of the application (at Application.onStart), and getCacheFirst will always return cache with the latest data.

Firestore DocumentReference Get Local First (fall back to Server if cache doesn't exist) - Kotlin

Why get local cache first?

Kotlin Extension

Kotlin Coroutines Suspend Function

Use suspendCoroutine

Complete solution using Kotlin Coroutines