Abhinav Kulshreshtha

Posted on Oct 5, 2019

Can someone explain this Kotlin expression.

#kotlin #help #explainlikeimfive

I am learning android development using kotlin. Being primarily a web developer, I am new to both technology.

While looking for API-29 Connectivity Solution (NetworkInfo and getActiveNetworkInfo are deprecated in API-29), I ran across this expression for variable declaration.

 protected var callbackFunction: ((Boolean) -> Unit) = {}

 abstract fun startListening(callback: (Boolean) -> Unit)

How would I interpret this? Do I say, variable callbackFunction is of type Boolean, Or of type Unit. Or something else. In that abstract function, is callback type of Boolean or Unit or something else?

Also I am a bit confused, about the curly braces. Does it mean variable is initialized by an empty anonyms function ( something like in javascript ) or is it something entirely different concept?

Top comments (10)

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Oct 5 '19

Do I say, variable callbackFunction is of type Boolean, Or of type Unit
In that abstract function, is callback type of Boolean or Unit or something else?

The variable can be assigned a function that takes a boolean and returns Unit. The function takes as a parameter a function that takes a boolean and returns Unit

Does it mean variable is initialized by an empty anonyms function

{} is function that do nothing

Here you go:

Abhinav Kulshreshtha • Oct 6 '19

So callbackFunction is not a variable as such, it's a fancy way of declaring a function which can be defined later, and that function has a boolean parameter, and returns a unit value. Am i Getting this right?

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Oct 6 '19 • Edited

Not yet right :)

callbackFunction is really a variable, but what kind of value does it accept?
Answer: the value you assign to that variable is a function with a boolean argument.

The basic principle is that, like in Javascript, functions are first-class citizens that you can pass in a parameter of a function or in a variable. To do the same thing In Java, you would have to define a meaning-less interface with one function.

You can read the friendly documentation at kotlinlang.org/docs/reference/lamb...

Abhinav Kulshreshtha • Oct 6 '19

Thanks.. I was actually reading through documentation right now. But your explanation is so much simpler to understand. :)

I also asked this on StackOverflow and your answer along with explanation on internal working from SO, made lambdas so much clear to me.

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Oct 6 '19

Glad I could help, don't hesitate asking other #explainmelikeim5 Kotlin questions. I like the exercise of explaining useful things in simple words!

Jean-Michel 🕵🏻‍♂️ Fayard • Oct 6 '19

Follow-up:

Send me all the Kotlin questions you were too afraid to ask

Jean-Michel Fayard ・ Oct 6 ・ 1 min read

#kotlin #explainlikeimfive #help

Vishnu Haridas • Oct 6 '19

protected var callbackFunction: ((Boolean) -> Unit) = {}

This variable is of type "function". In Kotlin, functions are first-class citizens, that means, you can use functions just like other variables --- pass functions as parameters to other functions, store functions in variables etc.

You can read that expression like this: "The variable callbackFunction is of type Function --- that accepts a Boolean and returns a Unit."

Later you can assign a function to the variable like this:

callbackFunction = { b: Boolean ->
    println("The value is a $b")
}

...or this:

fun showResults(b: Boolean){
    println("The value is $b")
}

callbackFunction = ::showResults   // assign by reference

Also, the variable is initialized by assigning an anonymous function like {}.

Abhinav Kulshreshtha • Oct 6 '19

Special thanks for assign by reference example. It is a nice trick which I should use in future codes.

FunkyMuse • Oct 5 '19

It's a lambda function that's the callback, it gives you back a boolean value whilst the function itself is Unit.

So somewhere in your code you'll have

startListening { it // this it will be the boolean returned from the callback

}

For more clarification read high order functions in Kotlin

Abhinav Kulshreshtha • Oct 6 '19

Will read about them again. Thanks.

I have hated lambdas in every programming languages. Seems like they are unavoidable these days.

DEV Community

Can someone explain this Kotlin expression.

Top comments (10)

Send me all the Kotlin questions you were too afraid to ask

Jean-Michel Fayard ・ Oct 6 ・ 1 min read

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