Kotlin Tip #3: Utilize Type Inference — 100 Kotlin Tips in 100 Days

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Tip #2: Leverage String Templates

In Kotlin, you don’t need to explicitly declare the type of a variable if it can be inferred from the initializer expression:

val name = "John Doe" // The compiler infers the type String
var age = 30 // The compiler infers the type Int

It also works with objects:

data class Person(val name: String, val age: Int)

val person = Person(name, age)

It can be used to infer the return type of a function:

fun square(number: Int) = number * number
// The compiler infers the return type Int

In lamba expressions:

val numbers = listOf(1, 2, 3)
val doubled = numbers.map { it * 2 }
// The compiler infers the lambda parameter type and return type

And generics:

fun <T> listOf(vararg items: T): List<T> {
    return items.toList()
}

val numbers = listOf(1, 2, 3) // The compiler infers listOf<Int>

By intelligently inferring types, developers are allowed to focus more on expressing their intentions and less on boilerplate-type declarations, making the overall development experience more enjoyable and productive.

Type inference isn’t a Kotlin exclusive, though. The var keyword was introduced in Java 10 in 2018 but hasn’t been widely adopted. In Kotlin, in contrast, type inference is embraced as a core feature and aligns with the philosophy of conciseness and clarity without compromising safety.

I hope you have enjoyed the third tip of our series! Don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more Kotlin tips!

Stay curious!

Tip #4: Utilized Named and Default Parameters

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