Can you explain the stages of the ViewModel component lifecycle in application architecture?

The lifecycle of a ViewModel in Android is closely related to the lifecycle of the UI component (Activity or Fragment), but the ViewModel itself lives longer and is preserved during UI re-creation.

Main stages:

1. Creation: The ViewModel is created when first accessed from an Activity or Fragment via ViewModelProvider.
2. Usage: The ViewModel stores and manages UI data, handles business logic, and ensures state preservation during screen rotations.
3. Clearing: When the associated UI component is finally destroyed (for example, when an Activity finishes), the onCleared() method in the ViewModel is called, where resources can be released.

Example of creating a ViewModel:

class MyViewModel : ViewModel() {
    override fun onCleared() {
        super.onCleared()
        // Cleanup resources
    }
}

// In Activity or Fragment
val viewModel = ViewModelProvider(this).get(MyViewModel::class.java)

Thus, the ViewModel helps to preserve state and logic independently of UI changes.