Flutter ListView Example: Complete Guide with Code and Best Practices

In Flutter, ListView is one of the most commonly used widgets for displaying a scrollable list of items. Whether you’re creating a dynamic list, implementing infinite scrolling, or optimizing a large dataset, ListView provides multiple options to handle data efficiently.

In this detailed guide, we’ll cover:

What is ListView in Flutter?
Types of ListView in Flutter
How to Create a Simple ListView
Using ListView.builder for Dynamic Data
ListView with Custom Widgets
Handling Large Lists Efficiently
Common Errors & Their Solutions

What is ListView in Flutter?

ListView is a scrollable list widget in Flutter that can display a collection of widgets vertically or horizontally. It automatically handles scrolling, making it ideal for rendering multiple elements dynamically.

Key Features of ListView:

✅ Scrolls automatically when items overflow.
✅ Supports both static and dynamic lists.
✅ Highly customizable (can be styled as per UI requirements).
✅ Efficient performance with ListView.builder().
✅ Handles long lists using ListView.separated().

Types of ListView in Flutter

Flutter provides multiple ways to implement a ListView:

1. Creating a Simple ListView in Flutter

The simplest way to use ListView is by providing a list of widgets directly inside children[].

Example Code:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MaterialApp(
    home: SimpleListView(),
  ));
}

class SimpleListView extends StatelessWidget {
  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text("Simple ListView Example")),
      body: ListView(
        children: [
          ListTile(title: Text("Item 1")),
          ListTile(title: Text("Item 2")),
          ListTile(title: Text("Item 3")),
          ListTile(title: Text("Item 4")),
        ],
      ),
    );
  }
}

Explanation:

This code creates a simple ListView with ListTile elements.
The list is static (not dynamically generated).
It’s best for short, predefined lists.

2. Using ListView.builder() for Dynamic Lists

If you have a large dataset (e.g., from an API or database), using ListView.builder() is a better choice because it creates list items only when needed, improving performance.

Example Code:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MaterialApp(
    home: DynamicListView(),
  ));
}

class DynamicListView extends StatelessWidget {
  final List<String> items = List.generate(50, (index) => "Item ${index + 1}");

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text("ListView.builder Example")),
      body: ListView.builder(
        itemCount: items.length,
        itemBuilder: (context, index) {
          return ListTile(
            title: Text(items[index]),
            leading: Icon(Icons.list),
          );
        },
      ),
    );
  }
}

Why Use ListView.builder()?

✔ More efficient than ListView() for large lists.
✔ Creates only the visible items, reducing memory usage.
✔ Ideal for lists with dynamic content like API data.

3. Adding Dividers Between List Items (ListView.separated)

To add separators between items (e.g., dividers or padding), use ListView.separated().

Example Code:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MaterialApp(
    home: SeparatedListView(),
  ));
}

class SeparatedListView extends StatelessWidget {
  final List<String> items = List.generate(10, (index) => "Item ${index + 1}");

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text("ListView.separated Example")),
      body: ListView.separated(
        itemCount: items.length,
        itemBuilder: (context, index) {
          return ListTile(
            title: Text(items[index]),
            leading: Icon(Icons.star),
          );
        },
        separatorBuilder: (context, index) => Divider(color: Colors.grey),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Why Use ListView.separated()?

✔ Helps organize lists by adding dividers.
✔ Useful for chat apps, settings pages, and menu lists.
✔ Saves performance compared to manually inserting dividers.

4. Custom ListView with Images and Buttons

To create a visually appealing ListView, we can use custom widgets.

Example Code:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() {
  runApp(MaterialApp(
    home: CustomListView(),
  ));
}

class CustomListView extends StatelessWidget {
  final List<String> titles = ["Apple", "Banana", "Cherry"];
  final List<String> images = [
    "https://via.placeholder.com/100",
    "https://via.placeholder.com/100",
    "https://via.placeholder.com/100"
  ];

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      appBar: AppBar(title: Text("Custom ListView Example")),
      body: ListView.builder(
        itemCount: titles.length,
        itemBuilder: (context, index) {
          return Card(
            child: ListTile(
              leading: Image.network(images[index], width: 50, height: 50),
              title: Text(titles[index]),
              trailing: Icon(Icons.arrow_forward),
            ),
          );
        },
      ),
    );
  }
}

Features of This Custom ListView:

✅ Uses images from the internet.
✅ Displays titles with icons.
✅ Uses a card layout for better UI.

5. Handling Large Lists Efficiently

For apps dealing with thousands of records, consider:

Using ListView.builder() instead of ListView().
Implementing pagination with APIs.
Using lazy loading to fetch more data as the user scrolls.

Common Errors & Their Solutions

Conclusion

Flutter’s ListView widget is a powerful tool for displaying lists, whether static or dynamic. By using ListView.builder() and ListView.separated(), you can optimize performance and create smooth, responsive UIs.

💡 Which type of ListView will you use in your Flutter project? Let me know! 🚀