Yonatan Karp-Rudin

Kotlin Code Smell 3 - String Abusers

Kotlin Code Smell 3 - String Abusers

Cut the Strings: Embrace Objects for Simpler, Readable, and Maintainable Code

Yonatan Karp-Rudin's photo
Yonatan Karp-Rudin
Dec 2, 2022·

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Table of contents

TL;DR: Use actual objects and abstractions instead of random string manipulation.

Problems

  • Complexity

  • Readability

  • Maintainability

  • Lack of Abstractions

Solutions

  • Utilize objects instead of strings.

  • Replace strings with data structures that handle object relations.

  • Identify bijection problems between real objects and strings.

Examples

  • Serializers

  • Parsers

Sample Code

Wrong

val schoolDescription = "College of Springfield"

// location = "Springfield"
val location = """[^ ]*\$""".toRegex()
    .find(schoolDescription)?.value

// school = "College"
val school = """^[\w]+""".toRegex()
    .find(schoolDescription)?.value

Right

class School(
    private val name: String,
    private val location: Location
) {
    fun description() = "$name of ${location.name}"
}

class Location(
    val name: String
)

Conclusion

Avoid excessive reliance on strings. Prioritize actual objects. Establish clear protocols to differentiate them from strings.

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