Lesson 2:
Functions
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About this lesson
Lesson 2: Functions
○ Programs in Kotlin
○ (Almost) Everything has a value
○ Functions in Kotlin
○ Compact functions
○ Lambdas and higher-order functions
○ List filters
○ Summary
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Programs in Kotlin
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Setting up
Before you can write code and run programs, you need to:
● Create a file in your project
● Create a main() function
● Pass arguments to main()(Optional)
● Use any passed arguments in function calls (Optional)
● Run your program
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Create a new Kotlin file
In IntelliJ IDEA's Project pane, under Hello World, right-click the src folder.
● Select New > Kotlin File/Class.
● Select File, name the file Hello, and press Enter.
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Create a Kotlin file
You should now see a file in the src folder called Hello.kt.
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Create a main() function
main() is the entry point for execution for a Kotlin program.
In the Hello.kt file:
fun main(args: Array<String>) {
println("Hello, world!")
}
The args in the main() function are optional.
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Run your Kotlin program
To run your program, click the Run icon ( ) to the left of the main() function.
IntelliJ IDEA runs the program, and displays the results in the console.
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Pass arguments to main()
Select Run > Edit Configurations to open the Run/Debug Configurations window.
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Use arguments in main()
Use args[0] to access the first input argument passed to main().
fun main(args: Array<String>) {
println("Hello, ${args[0]}")
}
⇒ Hello, Kotlin!
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(Almost) Everything has a value
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(Almost) Everything is an expression
In Kotlin, almost everything is an expression and has a value. Even an if
expression has a value.
val temperature = 20
val isHot = if (temperature > 40) true else false
println(isHot)
⇒ false
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Expression values
Sometimes, that value is kotlin.Unit.
val isUnit = println("This is an expression")
println(isUnit)
⇒ This is an expression
kotlin.Unit
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Functions in Kotlin
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About functions
● A block of code that performs a specific task
● Breaks a large program into smaller modular chunks
● Declared using the fun keyword
● Can take arguments with either named or default values
15
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Parts of a function
Earlier, you created a simple function that printed "Hello World".
fun printHello() {
println("Hello World")
}
printHello()
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Unit returning functions
If a function does not return any useful value, its return type is Unit.
fun printHello(name: String?){
println("Hi there!")
}
Unit is a type with only one value: Unit.
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Unit returning functions
The Unit return type declaration is optional.
fun printHello(name: String?): Unit {
println("Hi there!")
}
is equivalent to:
fun printHello(name: String?) {
println("Hi there!")
}
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Function arguments
Functions may have:
● Default parameters
● Required parameters
● Named arguments
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Default parameters
Default values provide a fallback if no parameter value is passed.
fun drive(speed: String = "fast") {
println("driving $speed")
}
Use "=" after the type
to define default values
drive() ⇒ driving fast
drive("slow") ⇒ driving slowly
drive(speed = "turtle-like") ⇒ driving turtle-like
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Required parameters
If no default is specified for a parameter, the corresponding argument is required.
Required parameters
fun tempToday(day: String, temp: Int) {
println("Today is $day and it's $temp degrees.")
}
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Default versus required parameters
Functions can have a mix of default and required parameters.
fun reformat(str: String,
divideByCamelHumps: Boolean,
wordSeparator: Char, Has default value
normalizeCase: Boolean = true){
Pass in required arguments.
reformat("Today is a day like no other day", false, '_')
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Named arguments
To improve readability, use named arguments for required arguments.
reformat(str, divideByCamelHumps = false, wordSeparator = '_')
It's considered good style to put default arguments after positional arguments,
that way callers only have to specify the required arguments.
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Compact functions
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Single-expression functions
Compact functions, or single-expression functions, make your code more concise
and readable.
fun double(x: Int): Int { Complete version
x * 2
}
fun double(x: Int):Int = x * 2 Compact version
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Lambdas and higher-order
functions
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Kotlin functions are first-class
● Kotlin functions can be stored in variables and data structures
● They can be passed as arguments to, and returned from, other
higher-order functions
● You can use higher-order functions to create new "built-in"
functions
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Lambda functions
A lambda is an expression that makes a function that has no name.
Parameter and type
Function arrow
var dirtLevel = 20
val waterFilter = {level: Int -> level / 2}
println(waterFilter(dirtLevel))
⇒ 10 Code to execute
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Syntax for function types
Kotlin's syntax for function types is closely related to its syntax for lambdas.
Declare a variable that holds a function.
val waterFilter: (Int) -> Int = {level -> level / 2}
Variable name Data type of variable Function
(function type)
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Higher-order functions
Higher-order functions take functions as parameters, or return a function.
fun encodeMsg(msg: String, encode: (String) -> String): String {
return encode(msg)
}
The body of the code calls the function that was passed as the second argument,
and passes the first argument along to it.
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Higher-order functions
To call this function, pass it a string and a function.
val enc1: (String) -> String = { input -> input.toUpperCase() }
println(encodeMsg("abc", enc1))
Using a function type separates its implementation from its usage.
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Passing a function reference
Use the :: operator to pass a named function as an argument to another function.
fun enc2(input:String): String = input.reversed()
encodeMessage("abc", ::enc2) Passing a named function,
not a lambda
The :: operator lets Kotlin know that you are passing the function reference as an
argument, and not trying to call the function.
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Last parameter call syntax
Kotlin prefers that any parameter that takes a function is the last parameter.
encodeMessage("acronym", { input -> input.toUpperCase() })
You can pass a lambda as a function parameter without putting it inside the
parentheses.
encodeMsg("acronym") { input -> input.toUpperCase() }
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Using higher-order functions
Many Kotlin built-in functions are defined using last parameter call syntax.
inline fun repeat(times: Int, action: (Int) -> Unit)
repeat(3) {
println("Hello")
}
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List filters
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List filters
Get part of a list based on some condition
bright
red red-orange dark red orange saffron
orange
Apply filter() on list
Condition: element contains “red”
red red-orange dark red
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Iterating through lists
If a function literal has only one parameter, you can omit its declaration and the
"->". The parameter is implicitly declared under the name it.
val ints = listOf(1, 2, 3)
ints.filter { it > 0 }
Filter iterates through a collection, where it is the value of the element during the
iteration. This is equivalent to:
ints.filter { n: Int -> n > 0 } OR ints.filter { n -> n > 0 }
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List filters
The filter condition in curly braces {} tests each item as the filter loops through.
If the expression returns true, the item is included.
val books = listOf("nature", "biology", "birds")
println(books.filter { it[0] == 'b' })
⇒ [biology, birds]
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Eager and lazy filters
Evaluation of expressions in lists:
● Eager: occurs regardless of whether the result is ever used
● Lazy: occurs only if necessary at runtime
Lazy evaluation of lists is useful if you don't need the entire result, or if the list is
exceptionally large and multiple copies wouldn't wouldn't fit into RAM.
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Eager filters
Filters are eager by default. A new list is created each time you use a filter.
val instruments = listOf("viola", "cello", "violin")
val eager = instruments.filter { it [0] == 'v' }
println("eager: " + eager)
⇒ eager: [viola, violin]
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Lazy filters
Sequences are data structures that use lazy evaluation, and can be used with
filters to make them lazy.
val instruments = listOf("viola", "cello", "violin")
val filtered = instruments.asSequence().filter { it[0] == 'v'}
println("filtered: " + filtered)
⇒ filtered: kotlin.sequences.FilteringSequence@386cc1c4
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Sequences -> lists
Sequences can be turned back into lists using toList().
val filtered = instruments.asSequence().filter { it[0] == 'v'}
val newList = filtered.toList()
println("new list: " + newList)
⇒ new list: [viola, violin]
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Other list transformations
● map() performs the same transform on every item and returns the list.
val numbers = setOf(1, 2, 3)
println(numbers.map { it * 3 })
=> [3, 6, 9]
● flatten() returns a single list of all the elements of nested collections.
val numberSets = listOf(setOf(1, 2, 3), setOf(4, 5), setOf(1, 2))
println(numberSets.flatten())
=> [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2]
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Summary
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Summary
In Lesson 2, you learned how to:
● Create a file and a main() function in your project, and run a program
● Pass arguments to the main() function
● Use the returned value of an expression
● Use default arguments to replace multiple versions of a function
● Use compact functions, to make code more readable
● Use lambdas and higher-order functions
● Use eager and lazy list filters
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Pathway
Practice what you’ve learned by
completing the pathway:
Lesson 2: Functions
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