Style Rule Set
The Style ruleset provides rules that assert the style of the code. This will help keep code in line with the given code style guidelines.
AlsoCouldBeApply
Detects when an also
block contains only it
-started expressions.
By refactoring the also
block to an apply
block makes it so that all it
s can be removed
thus making the block more concise and easier to read.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
Buzz().also {
it.init()
it.block()
}
Compliant Code:
Buzz().apply {
init()
block()
}
// Also compliant
fun foo(a: Int): Int {
return a.also { println(it) }
}
BracesOnIfStatements
This rule detects if
statements which do not comply with the specified rules.
Keeping braces consistent will improve readability and avoid possible errors.
The available options are:
always
: forces braces on allif
andelse
branches in the whole codebase.consistent
: ensures that braces are consistent within eachif
-else if
-else
chain. If there's a brace on one of the branches, all branches should have it.necessary
: forces no braces on anyif
andelse
branches in the whole codebase except where necessary for multi-statement branches.never
: forces no braces on anyif
andelse
branches in the whole codebase.
Single-line if-statement has no line break (\n):
if (a) b else c
Multi-line if-statement has at least one line break (\n):
if (a) b
else c
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
singleLine
(default:'never'
)single-line braces policy
multiLine
(default:'always'
)multi-line braces policy
Noncompliant Code:
// singleLine = 'never'
if (a) { b } else { c }
if (a) { b } else c
if (a) b else { c; d }
// multiLine = 'never'
if (a) {
b
} else {
c
}
// singleLine = 'always'
if (a) b else c
if (a) { b } else c
// multiLine = 'always'
if (a) {
b
} else
c
// singleLine = 'consistent'
if (a) b else { c }
if (a) b else if (c) d else { e }
// multiLine = 'consistent'
if (a)
b
else {
c
}
// singleLine = 'necessary'
if (a) { b } else { c; d }
// multiLine = 'necessary'
if (a) {
b
c
} else if (d) {
e
} else {
f
}
Compliant Code:
// singleLine = 'never'
if (a) b else c
// multiLine = 'never'
if (a)
b
else
c
// singleLine = 'always'
if (a) { b } else { c }
if (a) { b } else if (c) { d }
// multiLine = 'always'
if (a) {
b
} else {
c
}
if (a) {
b
} else if (c) {
d
}
// singleLine = 'consistent'
if (a) b else c
if (a) { b } else { c }
if (a) { b } else { c; d }
// multiLine = 'consistent'
if (a) {
b
} else {
c
}
if (a) b
else c
// singleLine = 'necessary'
if (a) b else { c; d }
// multiLine = 'necessary'
if (a) {
b
c
} else if (d)
e
else
f
BracesOnWhenStatements
This rule detects when
statements which do not comply with the specified policy.
Keeping braces consistent will improve readability and avoid possible errors.
Single-line when
statement is:
a when
where each of the entries are single-line (has no line breaks \n
).
Multi-line when
statement is:
a when
where at least one of the entries is multi-line (has a break line \n
)
or has multiple statements.
Available options are:
never
: forces no braces on any entry.necessary
: forces no braces on any entry except where necessary for multi-statement entries.consistent
: ensures that braces are consistent withinwhen
statement. If there are braces on one of the entry, all entries should have it.always
: forces braces on all entries.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
singleLine
(default:'consistent'
)single-line braces policy
multiLine
(default:'consistent'
)multi-line braces policy
Noncompliant Code:
// singleLine = 'never'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'never'
when (a) {
1 -> {
f1()
}
2 -> f2()
}
// singleLine = 'necessary'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'necessary'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> { f2(); f3() }
}
// singleLine = 'consistent'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'consistent'
when (a) {
1 ->
f1()
2 -> {
f2()
f3()
}
}
// singleLine = 'always'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'always'
when (a) {
1 ->
f1()
2 -> {
f2()
f3()
}
}
Compliant Code:
// singleLine = 'never'
when (a) {
1 -> f1()
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'never'
when (a) {
1 ->
f1()
2 -> f2()
}
// singleLine = 'necessary'
when (a) {
1 -> f1()
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'necessary'
when (a) {
1 ->
f1()
2 -> {
f2()
f3()
}
}
// singleLine = 'consistent'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> { f2() }
}
when (a) {
1 -> f1()
2 -> f2()
}
// multiLine = 'consistent'
when (a) {
1 -> {
f1()
}
2 -> {
f2()
f3()
}
}
// singleLine = 'always'
when (a) {
1 -> { f1() }
2 -> { f2() }
}
// multiLine = 'always'
when (a) {
1 -> {
f1()
}
2 -> {
f2()
f3()
}
}
CanBeNonNullable
This rule inspects variables marked as nullable and reports which could be declared as non-nullable instead.
It's preferred to not have functions that do "nothing". A function that does nothing when the value is null hides the logic, so it should not allow null values in the first place. It is better to move the null checks up around the calls, instead of having it inside the function.
This could lead to less nullability overall in the codebase.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 10min
Noncompliant Code:
class A {
var a: Int? = 5
fun foo() {
a = 6
}
}
class A {
val a: Int?
get() = 5
}
fun foo(a: Int?) {
val b = a!! + 2
}
fun foo(a: Int?) {
if (a != null) {
println(a)
}
}
fun foo(a: Int?) {
if (a == null) return
println(a)
}
Compliant Code:
class A {
var a: Int = 5
fun foo() {
a = 6
}
}
class A {
val a: Int
get() = 5
}
fun foo(a: Int) {
val b = a + 2
}
fun foo(a: Int) {
println(a)
}
CascadingCallWrapping
Requires that all chained calls are placed on a new line if a preceding one is.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
includeElvis
(default:true
)require trailing elvis expressions to be wrapped on a new line
Noncompliant Code:
foo()
.bar().baz()
Compliant Code:
foo().bar().baz()
foo()
.bar()
.baz()
ClassOrdering
This rule ensures class contents are ordered as follows as recommended by the Kotlin Coding Conventions:
- Property declarations and initializer blocks
- Secondary constructors
- Method declarations
- Companion object
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class OutOfOrder {
companion object {
const val IMPORTANT_VALUE = 3
}
fun returnX(): Int {
return x
}
private val x = 2
}
Compliant Code:
class InOrder {
private val x = 2
fun returnX(): Int {
return x
}
companion object {
const val IMPORTANT_VALUE = 3
}
}
CollapsibleIfStatements
This rule detects if
statements which can be collapsed. This can reduce nesting and help improve readability.
However, carefully consider whether merging the if statements actually improves readability, as collapsing the statements may hide some edge cases from the reader.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val i = 1
if (i > 0) {
if (i < 5) {
println(i)
}
}
Compliant Code:
val i = 1
if (i > 0 && i < 5) {
println(i)
}
DataClassContainsFunctions
This rule reports functions inside data classes which have not been marked as a conversion function.
Data classes should mainly be used to store data. This rule assumes that they should not contain any extra functions
aside functions that help with converting objects from/to one another.
Data classes will automatically have a generated equals
, toString
and hashCode
function by the compiler.
Active by default: No
Debt: 20min
Configuration options:
conversionFunctionPrefix
(default:['to']
)allowed conversion function names
allowOperators
(default:false
)allows overloading an operator
Noncompliant Code:
data class DataClassWithFunctions(val i: Int) {
fun foo() { }
}
DataClassShouldBeImmutable
This rule reports mutable properties inside data classes.
Data classes should mainly be used to store immutable data. This rule assumes that they should not contain any mutable properties.
Active by default: No
Debt: 20min
Noncompliant Code:
data class MutableDataClass(var i: Int) {
var s: String? = null
}
Compliant Code:
data class ImmutableDataClass(
val i: Int,
val s: String?
)
DestructuringDeclarationWithTooManyEntries
Destructuring declarations with too many entries are hard to read and understand. To increase readability they should be refactored to reduce the number of entries or avoid using a destructuring declaration.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
maxDestructuringEntries
(default:3
)maximum allowed elements in a destructuring declaration
Noncompliant Code:
data class TooManyElements(val a: Int, val b: Int, val c: Int, val d: Int)
val (a, b, c, d) = TooManyElements(1, 2, 3, 4)
Compliant Code:
data class FewerElements(val a: Int, val b: Int, val c: Int)
val (a, b, c) = TooManyElements(1, 2, 3)
EqualsNullCall
To compare an object with null
prefer using ==
. This rule detects and reports instances in the code where the
equals()
method is used to compare a value with null
.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun isNull(str: String) = str.equals(null)
Compliant Code:
fun isNull(str: String) = str == null
EqualsOnSignatureLine
Requires that the equals sign, when used for an expression style function, is on the same line as the rest of the function signature.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun stuff(): Int
= 5
fun <V> foo(): Int where V : Int
= 5
Compliant Code:
fun stuff() = 5
fun stuff() =
foo.bar()
fun <V> foo(): Int where V : Int = 5
ExplicitCollectionElementAccessMethod
In Kotlin functions get
or set
can be replaced with the shorter operator — []
,
see Indexed access operator.
Prefer the usage of the indexed access operator []
for map or list element access or insert methods.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val map = mutableMapOf<String, String>()
map.put("key", "value")
val value = map.get("key")
Compliant Code:
val map = mutableMapOf<String, String>()
map["key"] = "value"
val value = map["key"]
ExplicitItLambdaParameter
Lambda expressions are one of the core features of the language. They often include very small chunks of
code using only one parameter. In this cases Kotlin can supply the implicit it
parameter
to make code more concise. It fits most use cases, but when faced larger or nested chunks of code,
you might want to add an explicit name for the parameter. Naming it just it
is meaningless and only
makes your code misleading, especially when dealing with nested functions.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
a?.let { it -> it.plus(1) }
foo.flatMapObservable { it -> Observable.fromIterable(it) }
listOfPairs.map(::second).forEach { it ->
it.execute()
}
collection.zipWithNext { it, next -> Pair(it, next) }
Compliant Code:
a?.let { it.plus(1) } // Much better to use implicit it
foo.flatMapObservable(Observable::fromIterable) // Here we can have a method reference
// For multiline blocks it is usually better come up with a clear and more meaningful name
listOfPairs.map(::second).forEach { apiRequest ->
apiRequest.execute()
}
// Lambdas with multiple parameter should be named clearly, using it for one of them can be confusing
collection.zipWithNext { prev, next ->
Pair(prev, next)
}
ExpressionBodySyntax
Functions which only contain a return
statement can be collapsed to an expression body. This shortens and
cleans up the code.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
includeLineWrapping
(default:false
)include return statements with line wraps in it
Noncompliant Code:
fun stuff(): Int {
return 5
}
Compliant Code:
fun stuff() = 5
fun stuff() {
return
moreStuff()
.getStuff()
.stuffStuff()
}
ForbiddenAnnotation
This rule allows to set a list of forbidden annotations. This can be used to discourage the use of language annotations which do not require explicit import.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
annotations
(default:['java.lang.SuppressWarnings', 'java.lang.Deprecated', 'java.lang.annotation.Documented', 'java.lang.annotation.Target', 'java.lang.annotation.Retention', 'java.lang.annotation.Repeatable', 'java.lang.annotation.Inherited']
)List of fully qualified annotation classes which are forbidden.
Noncompliant Code:
@SuppressWarnings("unused")
class SomeClass()
Compliant Code:
@Suppress("unused")
class SomeClass()
ForbiddenComment
This rule allows to set a list of comments which are forbidden in the codebase and should only be used during development. Offending code comments will then be reported.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
values
(default:['FIXME:', 'STOPSHIP:', 'TODO:']
)forbidden comment strings
allowedPatterns
(default:''
)ignores comments which match the specified regular expression. For example
Ticket|Task
.customMessage
(default:''
)error message which overrides the default one
Noncompliant Code:
val a = "" // TODO: remove please
// FIXME: this is a hack
fun foo() { }
// STOPSHIP:
ForbiddenImport
This rule allows to set a list of forbidden imports. This can be used to discourage the use of unstable, experimental or deprecated APIs. Detekt will then report all imports that are forbidden.
Active by default: No
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
imports
(default:[]
)imports which should not be used
forbiddenPatterns
(default:''
)reports imports which match the specified regular expression. For example
net.*R
.
Noncompliant Code:
import kotlin.jvm.JvmField
import kotlin.SinceKotlin
ForbiddenMethodCall
This rule allows to set a list of forbidden methods or constructors. This can be used to discourage the use of unstable, experimental or deprecated methods, especially for methods imported from external libraries. Detekt will then report all method or constructor invocations that are forbidden.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
methods
(default:['kotlin.io.print', 'kotlin.io.println']
)List of fully qualified method signatures which are forbidden. Methods can be defined without full signature (i.e.
java.time.LocalDate.now
) which will report calls of all methods with this name or with full signature (i.e.java.time.LocalDate(java.time.Clock)
) which would report only call with this concrete signature. If you want to forbid an extension function likefun String.hello(a: Int)
you should add the receiver parameter as the first parameter like this:hello(kotlin.String, kotlin.Int)
. To forbid constructor calls you need to define them with<init>
, for examplejava.util.Date.<init>
. To forbid calls involving type parameters, omit them, for examplefun hello(args: Array<Any>)
is referred to as simplyhello(kotlin.Array)
(also the signature for vararg parameters). To forbid methods from the companion object reference the Companion class, for example asTestClass.Companion.hello()
(even if it is marked@JvmStatic
).
Noncompliant Code:
import java.lang.System
fun main() {
System.gc()
System::gc
}
ForbiddenSuppress
This rule allows to set a list of rules whose suppression is forbidden.
This can be used to discourage the abuse of the Suppress
and SuppressWarnings
annotations.
Detekt will report suppression of all forbidden rules.
This rule is not capable of reporting suppression of itself, as that's a language feature with precedence.
Active by default: No
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
rules
(default:[]
)Rules whose suppression is forbidden.
Noncompliant Code:
package foo
// When the rule "MaximumLineLength" is forbidden
@Suppress("MaximumLineLength", "UNCHECKED_CAST")
class Bar
Compliant Code:
package foo
// When the rule "MaximumLineLength" is forbidden
@Suppress("UNCHECKED_CAST")
class Bar
ForbiddenVoid
This rule detects usages of Void
and reports them as forbidden.
The Kotlin type Unit
should be used instead. This type corresponds to the Void
class in Java
and has only one value - the Unit
object.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
ignoreOverridden
(default:false
)ignores void types in signatures of overridden functions
ignoreUsageInGenerics
(default:false
)ignore void types as generic arguments
Noncompliant Code:
runnable: () -> Void
var aVoid: Void? = null
Compliant Code:
runnable: () -> Unit
Void::class
FunctionOnlyReturningConstant
A function that only returns a single constant can be misleading. Instead, prefer declaring the constant
as a const val
.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
ignoreOverridableFunction
(default:true
)if overriden functions should be ignored
ignoreActualFunction
(default:true
)if actual functions should be ignored
excludedFunctions
(default:[]
)excluded functions
(default:excludeAnnotatedFunction
[]
)Deprecated: Use
ignoreAnnotated
insteadallows to provide a list of annotations that disable this check
Noncompliant Code:
fun functionReturningConstantString() = "1"
Compliant Code:
const val constantString = "1"
LoopWithTooManyJumpStatements
Loops which contain multiple break
or continue
statements are hard to read and understand.
To increase readability they should be refactored into simpler loops.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
maxJumpCount
(default:1
)maximum allowed jumps in a loop
Noncompliant Code:
val strs = listOf("foo, bar")
for (str in strs) {
if (str == "bar") {
break
} else {
continue
}
}
MagicNumber
This rule detects and reports usages of magic numbers in the code. Prefer defining constants with clear names describing what the magic number means.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
ignoreNumbers
(default:['-1', '0', '1', '2']
)numbers which do not count as magic numbers
ignoreHashCodeFunction
(default:true
)whether magic numbers in hashCode functions should be ignored
ignorePropertyDeclaration
(default:false
)whether magic numbers in property declarations should be ignored
ignoreLocalVariableDeclaration
(default:false
)whether magic numbers in local variable declarations should be ignored
ignoreConstantDeclaration
(default:true
)whether magic numbers in constant declarations should be ignored
ignoreCompanionObjectPropertyDeclaration
(default:true
)whether magic numbers in companion object declarations should be ignored
ignoreAnnotation
(default:false
)whether magic numbers in annotations should be ignored
ignoreNamedArgument
(default:true
)whether magic numbers in named arguments should be ignored
ignoreEnums
(default:false
)whether magic numbers in enums should be ignored
ignoreRanges
(default:false
)whether magic numbers in ranges should be ignored
ignoreExtensionFunctions
(default:true
)whether magic numbers as subject of an extension function should be ignored
Noncompliant Code:
class User {
fun checkName(name: String) {
if (name.length > 42) {
throw IllegalArgumentException("username is too long")
}
// ...
}
}
Compliant Code:
class User {
fun checkName(name: String) {
if (name.length > MAX_USERNAME_SIZE) {
throw IllegalArgumentException("username is too long")
}
// ...
}
companion object {
private const val MAX_USERNAME_SIZE = 42
}
}
MandatoryBracesLoops
This rule detects multi-line for
and while
loops which do not have braces.
Adding braces would improve readability and avoid possible errors.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
for (i in 0..10)
println(i)
while (true)
println("Hello, world")
do
println("Hello, world")
while (true)
Compliant Code:
for (i in 0..10) {
println(i)
}
for (i in 0..10) println(i)
while (true) {
println("Hello, world")
}
while (true) println("Hello, world")
do {
println("Hello, world")
} while (true)
do println("Hello, world") while (true)
MaxChainedCallsOnSameLine
Limits the number of chained calls which can be placed on a single line.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
maxChainedCalls
(default:5
)maximum chained calls allowed on a single line
Noncompliant Code:
a().b().c().d().e().f()
Compliant Code:
a().b().c()
.d().e().f()
MaxLineLength
This rule reports lines of code which exceed a defined maximum line length.
Long lines might be hard to read on smaller screens or printouts. Additionally, having a maximum line length in the codebase will help make the code more uniform.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
maxLineLength
(default:120
)maximum line length
excludePackageStatements
(default:true
)if package statements should be ignored
excludeImportStatements
(default:true
)if import statements should be ignored
excludeCommentStatements
(default:false
)if comment statements should be ignored
excludeRawStrings
(default:true
)if raw strings should be ignored
MayBeConst
This rule identifies and reports properties (val
) that may be const val
instead.
Using const val
can lead to better performance of the resulting bytecode as well as better interoperability with
Java.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Aliases: MayBeConstant
Noncompliant Code:
val myConstant = "abc"
Compliant Code:
const val MY_CONSTANT = "abc"
ModifierOrder
This rule reports cases in the code where modifiers are not in the correct order. The default modifier order is taken from: Modifiers order
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
lateinit internal val str: String
Compliant Code:
internal lateinit val str: String
MultilineLambdaItParameter
Lambda expressions are very useful in a lot of cases, and they often include very small chunks of
code using only one parameter. In this cases Kotlin can supply the implicit it
parameter
to make code more concise. However, when you are dealing with lambdas that contain multiple statements,
you might end up with code that is hard to read if you don't specify a readable, descriptive parameter name
explicitly.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val digits = 1234.let {
println(it)
listOf(it)
}
val digits = 1234.let { it ->
println(it)
listOf(it)
}
val flat = listOf(listOf(1), listOf(2)).mapIndexed { index, it ->
println(it)
it + index
}
Compliant Code:
val digits = 1234.let { explicitParameterName ->
println(explicitParameterName)
listOf(explicitParameterName)
}
val lambda = { item: Int, that: String ->
println(item)
item.toString() + that
}
val digits = 1234.let { listOf(it) }
val digits = 1234.let {
listOf(it)
}
val digits = 1234.let { it -> listOf(it) }
val digits = 1234.let { it ->
listOf(it)
}
val digits = 1234.let { explicit -> listOf(explicit) }
val digits = 1234.let { explicit ->
listOf(explicit)
}
MultilineRawStringIndentation
This rule ensures that raw strings have a consistent indentation.
The content of a multi line raw string should have the same indentation as the enclosing expression plus the
configured indentSize. The closing triple-quotes ("""
) must have the same indentation as the enclosing expression.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
indentSize
(default:4
)indentation size
Noncompliant Code:
val a = """
Hello World!
How are you?
""".trimMargin()
val a = """
Hello World!
How are you?
""".trimMargin()
Compliant Code:
val a = """
Hello World!
How are you?
""".trimMargin()
val a = """
Hello World!
How are you?
""".trimMargin()
NestedClassesVisibility
Nested classes inherit their visibility from the parent class and are often used to implement functionality local to the class it is nested in. These nested classes can't have a higher visibility than their parent. However, the visibility can be further restricted by using a private modifier for instance. In internal classes the explicit public modifier for nested classes is misleading and thus unnecessary, because the nested class still has an internal visibility.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.16.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
internal class Outer {
// explicit public modifier still results in an internal nested class
public class Nested
}
Compliant Code:
internal class Outer {
class Nested1
internal class Nested2
}
NewLineAtEndOfFile
This rule reports files which do not end with a line separator.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
NoTabs
This rule reports if tabs are used in Kotlin files. According to Google's Kotlin style guide the only whitespace chars that are allowed in a source file are the line terminator sequence and the ASCII horizontal space character (0x20). Strings containing tabs are allowed.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
NullableBooleanCheck
Detects nullable boolean checks which use an elvis expression ?:
rather than equals ==
.
Per the Kotlin coding conventions
converting a nullable boolean property to non-null should be done via != false
or == true
rather than ?: true
or ?: false
(respectively).
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
value ?: true
value ?: false
Compliant Code:
value != false
value == true
ObjectLiteralToLambda
An anonymous object that does nothing other than the implementation of a single method can be used as a lambda.
See SAM conversions, Functional (SAM) interfaces
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
object : Foo {
override fun bar() {
}
}
Compliant Code:
Foo {
}
OptionalAbstractKeyword
This rule reports abstract
modifiers which are unnecessary and can be removed.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
abstract interface Foo { // abstract keyword not needed
abstract fun x() // abstract keyword not needed
abstract var y: Int // abstract keyword not needed
}
Compliant Code:
interface Foo {
fun x()
var y: Int
}
OptionalUnit
It is not necessary to define a return type of Unit
on functions or to specify a lone Unit statement.
This rule detects and reports instances where the Unit
return type is specified on functions and the occurrences
of a lone Unit statement.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(): Unit {
return Unit
}
fun foo() = Unit
fun doesNothing() {
Unit
}
Compliant Code:
fun foo() { }
// overridden no-op functions are allowed
override fun foo() = Unit
OptionalWhenBraces
This rule reports unnecessary braces in when expressions. These optional braces should be removed.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val i = 1
when (i) {
1 -> { println("one") } // unnecessary curly braces since there is only one statement
else -> println("else")
}
Compliant Code:
val i = 1
when (i) {
1 -> println("one")
else -> println("else")
}
PreferToOverPairSyntax
This rule detects the usage of the Pair constructor to create pairs of values.
Using <value1>
to <value2>
is preferred.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val pair = Pair(1, 2)
Compliant Code:
val pair = 1 to 2
ProtectedMemberInFinalClass
Kotlin classes are final
by default. Thus classes which are not marked as open
should not contain any protected
members. Consider using private
or internal
modifiers instead.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class ProtectedMemberInFinalClass {
protected var i = 0
}
Compliant Code:
class ProtectedMemberInFinalClass {
private var i = 0
}
RedundantExplicitType
Local properties do not need their type to be explicitly provided when the inferred type matches the explicit type.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun function() {
val x: String = "string"
}
Compliant Code:
fun function() {
val x = "string"
}
RedundantHigherOrderMapUsage
Redundant maps add complexity to the code and accomplish nothing. They should be removed or replaced with the proper operator.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(list: List<Int>): List<Int> {
return list
.filter { it > 5 }
.map { it }
}
fun bar(list: List<Int>): List<Int> {
return list
.filter { it > 5 }
.map {
doSomething(it)
it
}
}
fun baz(set: Set<Int>): List<Int> {
return set.map { it }
}
Compliant Code:
fun foo(list: List<Int>): List<Int> {
return list
.filter { it > 5 }
}
fun bar(list: List<Int>): List<Int> {
return list
.filter { it > 5 }
.onEach {
doSomething(it)
}
}
fun baz(set: Set<Int>): List<Int> {
return set.toList()
}
RedundantVisibilityModifierRule
This rule checks for redundant visibility modifiers. One exemption is the explicit API mode In this mode, the visibility modifier should be defined explicitly even if it is public. Hence, the rule ignores the visibility modifiers in explicit API mode.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Aliases: RedundantVisibilityModifier
Noncompliant Code:
public interface Foo { // public per default
public fun bar() // public per default
}
Compliant Code:
interface Foo {
fun bar()
}
ReturnCount
Restrict the number of return methods allowed in methods.
Having many exit points in a function can be confusing and impacts readability of the code.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
max
(default:2
)define the maximum number of return statements allowed per function
excludedFunctions
(default:['equals']
)define a list of function names to be ignored by this check
excludeLabeled
(default:false
)if labeled return statements should be ignored
excludeReturnFromLambda
(default:true
)if labeled return from a lambda should be ignored
excludeGuardClauses
(default:false
)if true guard clauses at the beginning of a method should be ignored
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(i: Int): String {
when (i) {
1 -> return "one"
2 -> return "two"
else -> return "other"
}
}
Compliant Code:
fun foo(i: Int): String {
return when (i) {
1 -> "one"
2 -> "two"
else -> "other"
}
}
SafeCast
This rule inspects casts and reports casts which could be replaced with safe casts instead.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun numberMagic(number: Number) {
val i = if (number is Int) number else null
// ...
}
Compliant Code:
fun numberMagic(number: Number) {
val i = number as? Int
// ...
}
SerialVersionUIDInSerializableClass
Classes which implement the Serializable
interface should also correctly declare a serialVersionUID
.
This rule verifies that a serialVersionUID
was correctly defined.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.16.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class IncorrectSerializable : Serializable {
companion object {
val serialVersionUID = 1 // wrong declaration for UID
}
}
Compliant Code:
class CorrectSerializable : Serializable {
companion object {
const val serialVersionUID = 1L
}
}
SpacingBetweenPackageAndImports
This rule verifies spacing between package and import statements as well as between import statements and class declarations.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
package foo
import a.b
class Bar { }
Compliant Code:
package foo
import a.b
class Bar { }
StringShouldBeRawString
This rule reports when the string can be converted to Kotlin raw string. Usage of a raw string is preferred as that avoids the need for escaping strings escape characters like \n, \t, ". Raw string also allows us to represent multiline string without the need of \n. Also, see Kotlin coding convention for recommendation on using multiline strings
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
maxEscapedCharacterCount
(default:2
)maximum escape characters allowed
ignoredCharacters
(default:[]
)list of characters to ignore
Noncompliant Code:
val windowJson = "{\n" +
" \"window\": {\n" +
" \"title\": \"Sample Quantum With AI and ML Widget\",\n" +
" \"name\": \"main_window\",\n" +
" \"width\": 500,\n" +
" \"height\": 500\n" +
" }\n" +
"}"
val patRegex = "/^(\\/[^\\/]+){0,2}\\/?\$/gm\n"
Compliant Code:
val windowJson = """
{
"window": {
"title": "Sample Quantum With AI and ML Widget",
"name": "main_window",
"width": 500,
"height": 500
}
}
""".trimIndent()
val patRegex = """/^(\/[^\/]+){0,2}\/?$/gm"""
ThrowsCount
Functions should have clear throw
statements. Functions with many throw
statements can be harder to read and lead
to confusion. Instead, prefer limiting the number of throw
statements in a function.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 10min
Configuration options:
max
(default:2
)maximum amount of throw statements in a method
excludeGuardClauses
(default:false
)if set to true, guard clauses do not count towards the allowed throws count
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(i: Int) {
when (i) {
1 -> throw IllegalArgumentException()
2 -> throw IllegalArgumentException()
3 -> throw IllegalArgumentException()
}
}
Compliant Code:
fun foo(i: Int) {
when (i) {
1,2,3 -> throw IllegalArgumentException()
}
}
TrailingWhitespace
This rule reports lines that end with a whitespace.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
TrimMultilineRawString
All the Raw strings that have more than one line should be followed by trimMargin()
or trimIndent()
.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
"""
Hello World!
How are you?
"""
Compliant Code:
"""
| Hello World!
| How are you?
""".trimMargin()
"""
Hello World!
How are you?
""".trimIndent()
"""Hello World! How are you?"""
UnderscoresInNumericLiterals
This rule detects and reports long base 10 numbers which should be separated with underscores
for readability. For Serializable
classes or objects, the field serialVersionUID
is
explicitly ignored. For floats and doubles, anything to the right of the decimal point is ignored.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
(default:acceptableDecimalLength
5
)Deprecated: Use
acceptableLength
insteadLength under which base 10 numbers are not required to have underscores
acceptableLength
(default:4
)Maximum number of consecutive digits that a numeric literal can have without using an underscore
allowNonStandardGrouping
(default:false
)If set to false, groups of exactly three digits must be used. If set to true, 100_00 is allowed.
Noncompliant Code:
const val DEFAULT_AMOUNT = 1000000
Compliant Code:
const val DEFAULT_AMOUNT = 1_000_000
UnnecessaryAbstractClass
This rule inspects abstract
classes. In case an abstract class
does not have any concrete members it should be
refactored into an interface. Abstract classes which do not define any abstract
members should instead be
refactored into concrete classes.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
(default:excludeAnnotatedClasses
[]
)Deprecated: Use
ignoreAnnotated
insteadAllows you to provide a list of annotations that disable this check.
Noncompliant Code:
abstract class OnlyAbstractMembersInAbstractClass { // violation: no concrete members
abstract val i: Int
abstract fun f()
}
abstract class OnlyConcreteMembersInAbstractClass { // violation: no abstract members
val i: Int = 0
fun f() { }
}
UnnecessaryAnnotationUseSiteTarget
This rule inspects the use of the Annotation use-site Target. In case that the use-site Target is not needed it can be removed. For more information check the kotlin documentation: Annotation use-site targets
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
@property:Inject private val foo: String = "bar" // violation: unnecessary @property:
class Module(@param:Inject private val foo: String) // violation: unnecessary @param:
Compliant Code:
class Module(@Inject private val foo: String)
UnnecessaryApply
apply
expressions are used frequently, but sometimes their usage should be replaced with
an ordinary method/extension function call to reduce visual complexity
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.16.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
config.apply { version = "1.2" } // can be replaced with `config.version = "1.2"`
config?.apply { environment = "test" } // can be replaced with `config?.environment = "test"`
config?.apply { println(version) } // `apply` can be replaced by `let`
Compliant Code:
config.apply {
version = "1.2"
environment = "test"
}
UnnecessaryBackticks
This rule reports unnecessary backticks.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class `HelloWorld`
Compliant Code:
class HelloWorld
UnnecessaryFilter
Unnecessary filters add complexity to the code and accomplish nothing. They should be removed.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val x = listOf(1, 2, 3)
.filter { it > 1 }
.count()
val x = listOf(1, 2, 3)
.filter { it > 1 }
.isEmpty()
Compliant Code:
val x = listOf(1, 2, 3)
.count { it > 2 }
}
val x = listOf(1, 2, 3)
.none { it > 1 }
UnnecessaryInheritance
This rule reports unnecessary super types. Inheriting from Any
or Object
is unnecessary and should simply be
removed.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class A : Any()
class B : Object()
UnnecessaryInnerClass
This rule reports unnecessary inner classes. Nested classes that do not access members from the outer class do
not require the inner
qualifier.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class A {
val foo = "BAR"
inner class B {
val fizz = "BUZZ"
fun printFizz() {
println(fizz)
}
}
}
UnnecessaryLet
let
expressions are used extensively in our code for null-checking and chaining functions,
but sometimes their usage should be replaced with an ordinary method/extension function call
to reduce visual complexity.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
a.let { print(it) } // can be replaced with `print(a)`
a.let { it.plus(1) } // can be replaced with `a.plus(1)`
a?.let { it.plus(1) } // can be replaced with `a?.plus(1)`
a?.let { that -> that.plus(1) }?.let { it.plus(1) } // can be replaced with `a?.plus(1)?.plus(1)`
a.let { 1.plus(1) } // can be replaced with `1.plus(1)`
a?.let { 1.plus(1) } // can be replaced with `if (a != null) 1.plus(1)`
Compliant Code:
a?.let { print(it) }
a?.let { 1.plus(it) } ?.let { msg -> print(msg) }
a?.let { it.plus(it) }
val b = a?.let { 1.plus(1) }
UnnecessaryParentheses
This rule reports unnecessary parentheses around expressions. These unnecessary parentheses can safely be removed.
Added in v1.0.0.RC4
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
allowForUnclearPrecedence
(default:false
)allow parentheses when not strictly required but precedence may be unclear, such as
(a && b) || c
Noncompliant Code:
val local = (5 + 3)
if ((local == 8)) { }
fun foo() {
function({ input -> println(input) })
}
Compliant Code:
val local = 5 + 3
if (local == 8) { }
fun foo() {
function { input -> println(input) }
}
UntilInsteadOfRangeTo
Reports calls to '..' operator instead of calls to 'until'. 'until' is applicable in cases where the upper range value is described as some value subtracted by 1. 'until' helps to prevent off-by-one errors.
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
for (i in 0 .. 10 - 1) {}
val range = 0 .. 10 - 1
Compliant Code:
for (i in 0 until 10) {}
val range = 0 until 10
UnusedImports
This rule reports unused imports. Unused imports are dead code and should be removed. Exempt from this rule are imports resulting from references to elements within KDoc and from destructuring declarations (componentN imports).
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
UnusedParameter
An unused parameter can be removed to simplify the signature of the function.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.23.0
Debt: 5min
Aliases: UNUSED_VARIABLE, UNUSED_PARAMETER, unused, UnusedPrivateMember
Configuration options:
allowedNames
(default:'ignored|expected'
)unused parameter names matching this regex are ignored
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(unused: String) {
println()
}
Compliant Code:
fun foo(used: String) {
println(used)
}
UnusedPrivateClass
Reports unused private classes. If private classes are unused they should be removed. Otherwise, this dead code can lead to confusion and potential bugs.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Aliases: unused
UnusedPrivateMember
Reports unused private functions.
If these private functions are unused they should be removed. Otherwise, this dead code can lead to confusion and potential bugs.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.16.0
Debt: 5min
Aliases: UNUSED_VARIABLE, UNUSED_PARAMETER, unused
Configuration options:
allowedNames
(default:''
)unused private function names matching this regex are ignored
UnusedPrivateProperty
An unused private property can be removed to simplify the source file.
This rule also detects unused constructor parameters since these can become
properties of the class when they are declared with val
or var
.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.23.0
Debt: 5min
Aliases: UNUSED_VARIABLE, UNUSED_PARAMETER, unused, UnusedPrivateMember
Configuration options:
allowedNames
(default:'_|ignored|expected|serialVersionUID'
)unused property names matching this regex are ignored
Noncompliant Code:
class Foo {
private val unused = "unused"
}
Compliant Code:
class Foo {
private val used = "used"
fun greet() {
println(used)
}
}
UseAnyOrNoneInsteadOfFind
Turn on this rule to flag find
calls for null check that can be replaced with a any
or none
call.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
listOf(1, 2, 3).find { it == 4 } != null
listOf(1, 2, 3).find { it == 4 } == null
Compliant Code:
listOf(1, 2, 3).any { it == 4 }
listOf(1, 2, 3).none { it == 4 }
UseArrayLiteralsInAnnotations
This rule detects annotations which use the arrayOf(...) syntax instead of the array literal [...] syntax. The latter should be preferred as it is more readable.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
@PositiveCase(arrayOf("..."))
Compliant Code:
@NegativeCase(["..."])
UseCheckNotNull
Turn on this rule to flag check
calls for not-null check that can be replaced with a checkNotNull
call.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
check(x != null)
Compliant Code:
checkNotNull(x)
UseCheckOrError
Kotlin provides a concise way to check invariants as well as pre- and post-conditions. Prefer them instead of manually throwing an IllegalStateException.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
if (value == null) throw IllegalStateException("value should not be null")
if (value < 0) throw IllegalStateException("value is $value but should be at least 0")
when(a) {
1 -> doSomething()
else -> throw IllegalStateException("Unexpected value")
}
Compliant Code:
checkNotNull(value) { "value should not be null" }
check(value >= 0) { "value is $value but should be at least 0" }
when(a) {
1 -> doSomething()
else -> error("Unexpected value")
}
UseDataClass
Classes that simply hold data should be refactored into a data class
. Data classes are specialized to hold data
and generate hashCode
, equals
and toString
implementations as well.
Read more about data classes
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
(default:excludeAnnotatedClasses
[]
)Deprecated: Use
ignoreAnnotated
insteadallows to provide a list of annotations that disable this check
allowVars
(default:false
)allows to relax this rule in order to exclude classes that contains one (or more) vars
Noncompliant Code:
class DataClassCandidate(val i: Int) {
val i2: Int = 0
}
Compliant Code:
data class DataClass(val i: Int, val i2: Int)
// classes with delegating interfaces are compliant
interface I
class B() : I
class A(val b: B) : I by b
UseEmptyCounterpart
Instantiation of an object's "empty" state should use the object's "empty" initializer for clarity purposes.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
arrayOf()
listOf() // or listOfNotNull()
mapOf()
sequenceOf()
setOf()
Compliant Code:
emptyArray()
emptyList()
emptyMap()
emptySequence()
emptySet()
UseIfEmptyOrIfBlank
This rule detects isEmpty
or isBlank
calls to assign a default value. They can be replaced with ifEmpty
or
ifBlank
calls.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun test(list: List<Int>, s: String) {
val a = if (list.isEmpty()) listOf(1) else list
val b = if (list.isNotEmpty()) list else listOf(2)
val c = if (s.isBlank()) "foo" else s
val d = if (s.isNotBlank()) s else "bar"
}
Compliant Code:
fun test(list: List<Int>, s: String) {
val a = list.ifEmpty { listOf(1) }
val b = list.ifEmpty { listOf(2) }
val c = s.ifBlank { "foo" }
val d = s.ifBlank { "bar" }
}
UseIfInsteadOfWhen
Binary expressions are better expressed using an if
expression than a when
expression.
See if versus when
Active by default: No
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
ignoreWhenContainingVariableDeclaration
(default:false
)ignores when statements with a variable declaration used in the subject
Noncompliant Code:
when (x) {
null -> true
else -> false
}
Compliant Code:
if (x == null) true else false
UseIsNullOrEmpty
This rule detects null or empty checks that can be replaced with isNullOrEmpty()
call.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun foo(x: List<Int>?) {
if (x == null || x.isEmpty()) return
}
fun bar(x: List<Int>?) {
if (x == null || x.count() == 0) return
}
fun baz(x: List<Int>?) {
if (x == null || x.size == 0) return
}
Compliant Code:
if (x.isNullOrEmpty()) return
UseOrEmpty
This rule detects ?: emptyList()
that can be replaced with orEmpty()
call.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
fun test(x: List<Int>?, s: String?) {
val a = x ?: emptyList()
val b = s ?: ""
}
Compliant Code:
fun test(x: List<Int>?, s: String?) {
val a = x.orEmpty()
val b = s.orEmpty()
}
UseRequire
Kotlin provides a much more concise way to check preconditions than to manually throw an IllegalArgumentException.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
if (value == null) throw IllegalArgumentException("value should not be null")
if (value < 0) throw IllegalArgumentException("value is $value but should be at least 0")
Compliant Code:
requireNotNull(value) { "value should not be null" }
require(value >= 0) { "value is $value but should be at least 0" }
UseRequireNotNull
Turn on this rule to flag require
calls for not-null check that can be replaced with a requireNotNull
call.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.21.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
require(x != null)
Compliant Code:
requireNotNull(x)
UseSumOfInsteadOfFlatMapSize
Turn on this rule to flag flatMap
and size/count
calls that can be replaced with a sumOf
call.
Active by default: No
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class Foo(val foo: List<Int>)
list.flatMap { it.foo }.size
list.flatMap { it.foo }.count()
list.flatMap { it.foo }.count { it > 2 }
listOf(listOf(1), listOf(2, 3)).flatten().size
Compliant Code:
list.sumOf { it.foo.size }
list.sumOf { it.foo.count() }
list.sumOf { it.foo.count { foo -> foo > 2 } }
listOf(listOf(1), listOf(2, 3)).sumOf { it.size }
UselessCallOnNotNull
The Kotlin stdlib provides some functions that are designed to operate on references that may be null. These functions can also be called on non-nullable references or on collections or sequences that are known to be empty - the calls are redundant in this case and can be removed or should be changed to a call that does not check whether the value is null or not.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
val testList = listOf("string").orEmpty()
val testList2 = listOf("string").orEmpty().map { _ }
val testList3 = listOfNotNull("string")
val testString = ""?.isNullOrBlank()
Compliant Code:
val testList = listOf("string")
val testList2 = listOf("string").map { }
val testList3 = listOf("string")
val testString = ""?.isBlank()
UtilityClassWithPublicConstructor
A class which only contains utility variables and functions with no concrete implementation can be refactored
into an object
or a class with a non-public constructor.
Furthermore, this rule reports utility classes which are not final.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.2.0
Debt: 5min
Noncompliant Code:
class UtilityClassViolation {
// public constructor here
constructor() {
// ...
}
companion object {
val i = 0
}
}
open class UtilityClassViolation private constructor() {
// ...
}
Compliant Code:
class UtilityClass {
private constructor() {
// ...
}
companion object {
val i = 0
}
}
object UtilityClass {
val i = 0
}
VarCouldBeVal
Reports var declarations (both local variables and private class properties) that could be val, as they are not re-assigned. Val declarations are assign-once (read-only), which makes understanding the current state easier.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.16.0
Requires Type Resolution
Debt: 5min
Aliases: CanBeVal
Configuration options:
ignoreLateinitVar
(default:false
)Whether to ignore uninitialized lateinit vars
Noncompliant Code:
fun example() {
var i = 1 // violation: this variable is never re-assigned
val j = i + 1
}
Compliant Code:
fun example() {
val i = 1
val j = i + 1
}
WildcardImport
Wildcard imports should be replaced with imports using fully qualified class names. This helps increase clarity of which classes are imported and helps prevent naming conflicts.
Library updates can introduce naming clashes with your own classes which might result in compilation errors.
NOTE: This rule has a twin implementation NoWildcardImports in the formatting rule set (a wrapped KtLint rule). When suppressing an issue of WildcardImport in the baseline file, make sure to suppress the corresponding NoWildcardImports issue.
Active by default: Yes - Since v1.0.0
Debt: 5min
Configuration options:
excludeImports
(default:['java.util.*']
)Define a list of package names that should be allowed to be imported with wildcard imports.
Noncompliant Code:
import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.*
class DetektElements {
val element1 = DetektElement1()
val element2 = DetektElement2()
}
Compliant Code:
import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.DetektElement1
import io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt.DetektElement2
class DetektElements {
val element1 = DetektElement1()
val element2 = DetektElement2()
}