Problem Statement
What is the difference between Provider.of(context) and context.watch()?
Explanation
Context.watch<T>() is a convenient extension method equivalent to Provider.of<T>(context, listen: true), making the code more readable and explicit about establishing a dependency that causes rebuilds. Context.read<T>() is equivalent to Provider.of<T>(context, listen: false), accessing the value without listening to changes.
Use context.watch in build methods when the widget should rebuild when the value changes. Use context.read in event handlers like button onPressed where you just want to trigger an action without establishing a listening dependency. Using context.read instead of context.watch in event handlers prevents unnecessary rebuilds and makes the code's intent clearer.
Context.select<T, R>() is even more specific, allowing you to listen to only a specific property of the provided value, rebuilding only when that particular property changes. This provides the finest-grained control over rebuilds, similar to using Selector widget. Understanding these differences helps write performant Flutter apps with minimal unnecessary rebuilds.
