Handle android.view.InflateException: Error inflating class fragment

I am trying to build an app with a single activity that hosts multiple fragments. I am also using Nav Graph and Data Binding.

I am getting this error which I can't find a way around it even after reviewing similar questions on StackOverflow. All I am getting is old ways about using support fragment manager and maps fragment which are not helping my issue.

java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin/com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin.MainActivity}: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Error inflating class fragment Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Error inflating class fragment Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Error inflating class fragment Caused by: android.view.InflateException: Binary XML file line #9 in com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin:layout/activity_main: Error inflating class fragment

Caused by: kotlin.UninitializedPropertyAccessException: lateinit property adapter has not been initialized at com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin.MainListFragment.getAdapter(MainListFragment.kt:23) at com.uxstate.goldsearchkotlin.MainListFragment.onViewCreated(MainListFragment.kt:57)

This is my NavHostFragment which is the main cause of the crash.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<fragment xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/nav_host_fragment"
    android:name="androidx.navigation.fragment.NavHostFragment"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    app:defaultNavHost="true"
    app:navGraph="@navigation/nav_graph" />

Surprisingly, if I change <fragment> to FrameLayout the app is not crashing but the layout is not working right with FrameLayout.

This is how I inflate the layout for the home fragment.

class MainListFragment : Fragment() {
    private val viewModel: ListViewModel by activityViewModels()
    private var _binding: FragmentMainListBinding? = null
    private val binding get() = _binding!!
    lateinit var adapter: MainAdapter

    override fun onCreateView(
        inflater: LayoutInflater, container: ViewGroup?,
        savedInstanceState: Bundle?
    ): View {
        _binding = FragmentMainListBinding.inflate(inflater, container, false)
        val root: View = binding.root
        return root
    }

    override fun onViewCreated(view: View, savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState)
        // Add click listener to floating action button
        binding.fabMain.setOnClickListener {
            addListItem()
        }
        adapter = MainAdapter(viewModel.mainList)
        main_list_view.adapter = adapter
        main_list_view.layoutManager = LinearLayoutManager(requireContext())
    }

Need help on how to address this exception.

The error came about because I had not initialized lateinit var adapter: MainAdapter

I initialized this inside onCreateView() and the app did not crash.