Kotlin Tip #6: Explore Range Expressions with ‘..’— 100 Kotlin Tips in 100 Days
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Tip #5: Adopt the Safe Call & the Elvis Operators
In Kotlin, one of the handiest features you’ll come across is range expressions. They’re a simple yet powerful way to define a sequence of values for looping through numbers in a for loop or checking if a value falls within a certain boundary.
Basic Iteration
A Range Expression is like a shortcut for listing all the numbers from one point to another. Traditionally, you need a for-loop to achieve it, as in the example below where we're iterating between one and five (inclusive):
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
System.out.println(i);
}In contrast, Kotlin introduces a more straightforward and elegant syntax for defining ranges. Let's take a look at how it would look like when doing the iteration in Kotlin:
This loop prints numbers 1 through 5 using Kotlin’s range expression 1..5, which is concise and readable. For exclusive ranges, until can be used, enhancing clarity:
Value Checks within Ranges
Checking if a value falls within a range is straightforward in Kotlin. Traditionally, this check might be verbose:
In Kotlin, this check is concise:
Reverse Ranges and Skipping Numbers
Kotlin supports reverse ranges and stepping through ranges seamlessly:
Characters and Custom Objects
Kotlin extends range expressions to include characters:
For custom objects, Kotlin allows the creation of range expressions by defining a rangeTo operator function. This enables using the .. syntax with instances of custom classes:
Range Expressions cut down on code clutter and help prevent common mistakes, making it easier to write and maintain clean code. It’s a clear example of Kotlin’s ability to improve the coding process, showcasing why embracing such streamlined tools is crucial for clear, safe, and concise programming.
I hope you have enjoyed the sixth tip of our series! Don’t forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more Kotlin tips!
Stay curious!
Tip #7: Make Use Of Extension Functions
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