Getting last location, so many ways

Question

When I check Android tutorials and/or the Android official documentation, it seems multiple different ways are there to query location. I am confused as I am not sure which way is the right way or if documentation is outdated.

For example,

1) GoogleApiClient: In this way, it uses the Google API client

 mGoogleApiClient = new GoogleApiClient.Builder(this)
                    .addConnectionCallbacks(this)
                    .addOnConnectionFailedListener(this)
                    .addApi(LocationServices.API)
                    .build();

and then it queries locations like this

LocationServices.FusedLocationApi.getLastLocation(mGoogleApiClient);

2) Location Manager: This way uses location Manager

LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager) this.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
Location lastKnownLocation = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(locationProvider);

3) FusedLocationApi (2nd style):

mFusedLocationClient = LocationServices.getFusedLocationProviderClient(this);
mFusedLocationClient.getLastLocation()
        .addOnSuccessListener(this, new OnSuccessListener<Location>() {
            @Override
            public void onSuccess(Location location) {
                // Got last known location. In some rare situations, this can be null.
                if (location != null) {
                    // Logic to handle location object
                }
            }
        });

Which way should we use?

score 4 · Accepted Answer · edited May 29 '18 at 05:09

FusedLocationProvider is the best way to get the location in Android right now. You have mentioned two ways to use FusedLocationManager

LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager) this.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);
Location lastKnownLocation = locationManager.getLastKnownLocation(locationProvider);

The problem with this approach above is it will provide you the last known location which may be null also so you need to check for null also.

 mFusedLocationClient = LocationServices.getFusedLocationProviderClient(this);
 mFusedLocationClient.getLastLocation()
    .addOnSuccessListener(this, new OnSuccessListener<Location>() {
        @Override
        public void onSuccess(Location location) {
            // Got last known location. In some rare situations this can be null.
            if (location != null) {
                // Logic to handle location object
            }
        }
    });

In this approach above, you are registering a fusedlocationListener which will on successfully registering will invoke the onSuccess method and will provide the location object which again may be null here.Usually in device reboot cases the last known location is null.There are some other cases also. I would advise you to use the second approach as it is using fusedlocationprovider to get the last known location as it is more efficeint.

So you are saying the LocationManager apporach is old way and simply not recommended any more just because the fusedLocation is newer. Correct? Also why would you use mFusedLocationClient not GoogleApiClient as both are fusedLocation? — Snake, Dec 28 '17 at 04:10
Btw getting Null is not on rare occasions. Simply turnng off the location service from the settings will also yeild null which majority of the cases — Snake, Dec 28 '17 at 04:11
mfusedlocationclient is an abstracted way which provides you the fusedlocationprovider which you can directly use while using the googleapiclient you have to manage the connection and then disabling the connection when the activity or fragment destroy in which you have made the connection — Pramod Yadav, Dec 28 '17 at 04:13

Getting last location, so many ways

1 Answers1