
Kotlin Development Patterns
FreeApply idiomatic Kotlin practices for robust applications.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Kotlin Development Patterns does
Kotlin Development Patterns is a skill designed to help developers and designers apply idiomatic Kotlin practices when building applications. It focuses on essential principles such as null safety, immutability, and structured concurrency, ensuring that your Kotlin code is robust, efficient, and maintainable. The skill provides guidance on using features like coroutines, data classes, sealed classes, and DSL builders, which are crucial for modern Kotlin development.
This skill is particularly useful when writing new Kotlin code, reviewing existing code, or refactoring projects. It emphasizes best practices that leverage Kotlin's type system and functional programming capabilities, making it easier to create clean and understandable code. The skill also includes practical examples that illustrate the application of these principles in real-world scenarios, helping you to grasp their importance and implementation.
Whether you are designing modules or libraries in Kotlin or configuring builds with Gradle Kotlin DSL, this skill serves as a valuable reference. It covers seven key areas that enhance the quality of your code, ensuring that you adhere to Kotlin's conventions and idioms. By following the guidelines provided, you can improve the maintainability and efficiency of your applications, making them more reliable and easier to work with over time.
When to use it
Use this skill when you are writing new Kotlin code, reviewing existing code, or designing libraries and modules.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for projects that require non-idiomatic Kotlin or those that do not prioritize best practices in Kotlin development.
What you can build with it
Writing New Kotlin Code
When starting a new Kotlin project, use this skill to ensure that you are following idiomatic practices from the outset.
Reviewing Existing Code
Leverage this skill during code reviews to identify areas where code can be improved by applying Kotlin best practices.
Refactoring for Maintainability
Utilize the guidance in this skill to refactor existing Kotlin code, making it more efficient and easier to maintain.
How to install Kotlin Development Patterns
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add affaan-m/ecc/kotlin-patterns --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
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Inside SKILL.md
Written by affaan-mPatrones de Desarrollo Kotlin
Patrones idiomáticos de Kotlin y buenas prácticas para construir aplicaciones robustas, eficientes y mantenibles.
Cuándo Usar
- Escribir nuevo código Kotlin
- Revisar código Kotlin
- Refactorizar código Kotlin existente
- Diseñar módulos o librerías Kotlin
- Configurar builds con Gradle Kotlin DSL
Cómo Funciona
Este skill aplica convenciones idiomáticas de Kotlin en siete áreas clave: null safety usando el sistema de tipos y operadores de llamada segura, inmutabilidad mediante val y copy() en data classes, clases selladas e interfaces para jerarquías de tipos exhaustivas, concurrencia estructurada con coroutines y Flow, funciones de extensión para agregar comportamiento sin herencia, builders de DSL type-safe usando @DslMarker y receptores lambda, y Gradle Kotlin DSL para configuración de build.
Ejemplos
Null safety con el operador Elvis:
fun getUserEmail(userId: String): String {
val user = userRepository.findById(userId)
return user?.email ?: "unknown@example.com"
}
Sealed class para resultados exhaustivos:
sealed class Result<out T> {
data class Success<T>(val data: T) : Result<T>()
data class Failure(val error: AppError) : Result<Nothing>()
data object Loading : Result<Nothing>()
}
Concurrencia estructurada con async/await:
suspend fun fetchUserWithPosts(userId: String): UserProfile =
coroutineScope {
val user = async { userService.getUser(userId) }
val posts = async { postService.getUserPosts(userId) }
UserProfile(user = user.await(), posts = posts.await())
}
Principios Fundamentales
1. Null Safety
El sistema de tipos de Kotlin distingue tipos nullable de no-nullable. Aprovecharlo al máximo.
// Bien: Usar tipos no-nullable por defecto
fun getUser(id: String): User {
return userRepository.findById(id)
?: throw UserNotFoundException("User $id not found")
}
// Bien: Llamadas seguras y operador Elvis
fun getUserEmail(userId: String): String {
val user = userRepository.findById(userId)
return user?.email ?: "unknown@example.com"
}
// Mal: Desempaquetar forzadamente tipos nullable
fun getUserEmail(userId: String): String {
val user = userRepository.findById(userId)
return user!!.email // Lanza NPE si es null
}
2. Inmutabilidad por Defecto
Preferir val sobre var, colecciones inmutables sobre mutables.
// Bien: Datos inmutables
data class User(
val id: String,
val name: String,
val email: String,
)
// Bien: Transformar con copy()
fun updateEmail(user: User, newEmail: String): User =
user.copy(email = newEmail)
// Bien: Colecciones inmutables
val users: List<User> = listOf(user1, user2)
val filtered = users.filter { it.email.isNotBlank() }
// Mal: Estado mutable
var currentUser: User? = null // Evitar estado global mutable
val mutableUsers = mutableListOf<User>() // Evitar a menos que sea realmente necesario
3. Cuerpos de Expresión y Funciones de Una Sola Expresión
Usar cuerpos de expresión para funciones concisas y legibles.
// Bien: Cuerpo de expresión
fun isAdult(age: Int): Boolean = age >= 18
fun formatFullName(first: String, last: String): String =
"$first $last".trim()
fun User.displayName(): String =
name.ifBlank { email.substringBefore('@') }
// Bien: When como expresión
fun statusMessage(code: Int): String = when (code) {
200 -> "OK"
404 -> "Not Found"
500 -> "Internal Server Error"
else -> "Unknown status: $code"
}
// Mal: Cuerpo de bloque innecesario
fun isAdult(age: Int): Boolean {
return age >= 18
}
4. Data Classes para Objetos de Valor
Usar data classes para tipos que principalmente contienen datos.
// Bien: Data class con copy, equals, hashCode, toString
data class CreateUserRequest(
val name: String,
val email: String,
val role: Role = Role.USER,
)
// Bien: Value class para type safety (cero overhead en tiempo de ejecución)
@JvmInline
value class UserId(val value: String) {
init {
require(value.isNotBlank()) { "UserId cannot be blank" }
}
}
@JvmInline
value class Email(val value: String) {
init {
require('@' in value) { "Invalid email: $value" }
}
}
fun getUser(id: UserId): User = userRepository.findById(id)
Clases Selladas e Interfaces
Modelar Jerarquías Restringidas
// Bien: Sealed class para when exhaustivo
sealed class Result<out T> {
data class Success<T>(val data: T) : Result<T>()
data class Failure(val error: AppError) : Result<Nothing>()
data object Loading : Result<Nothing>()
}
fun <T> Result<T>.getOrNull(): T? = when (this) {
is Result.Success -> data
is Result.Failure -> null
is Result.Loading -> null
}
fun <T> Result<T>.getOrThrow(): T = when (this) {
is Result.Success -> data
is Result.Failure -> throw error.toException()
is Result.Loading -> throw IllegalStateException("Still loading")
}
Sealed Interfaces para Respuestas de API
sealed interface ApiError {
val message: String
data class NotFound(override val message: String) : ApiError
data class Unauthorized(override val message: String) : ApiError
data class Validation(
override val message: String,
val field: String,
) : ApiError
data class Internal(
override val message: String,
val cause: Throwable? = null,
) : ApiError
}
fun ApiError.toStatusCode(): Int = when (this) {
is ApiError.NotFound -> 404
is ApiError.Unauthorized -> 401
is ApiError.Validation -> 422
is ApiError.Internal -> 500
}
Funciones de Scope
Cuándo Usar Cada Una
// let: Transformar resultado nullable o delimitado
val length: Int? = name?.let { it.trim().length }
// apply: Configurar un objeto (retorna el objeto)
val user = User().apply {
name = "Alice"
email = "alice@example.com"
}
// also: Efectos secundarios (retorna el objeto)
val user = createUser(request).also { logger.info("Created user: ${it.id}") }
// run: Ejecutar un bloque con receptor (retorna resultado)
val result = connection.run {
prepareStatement(sql)
executeQuery()
}
// with: Forma no-extensión de run
val csv = with(StringBuilder()) {
appendLine("name,email")
users.forEach { appendLine("${it.name},${it.email}") }
toString()
}
Anti-Patrones
// Mal: Anidar funciones de scope
user?.let { u ->
u.address?.let { addr ->
addr.city?.let { city ->
println(city) // Difícil de leer
}
}
}
// Bien: Encadenar llamadas seguras en su lugar
val city = user?.address?.city
city?.let { println(it) }
Funciones de Extensión
Agregar Funcionalidad Sin Herencia
// Bien: Extensiones específicas del dominio
fun String.toSlug(): String =
lowercase()
.replace(Regex("[^a-z0-9\\s-]"), "")
.replace(Regex("\\s+"), "-")
.trim('-')
fun Instant.toLocalDate(zone: ZoneId = ZoneId.systemDefault()): LocalDate =
atZone(zone).toLocalDate()
// Bien: Extensiones de colecciones
fun <T> List<T>.second(): T = this[1]
fun <T> List<T>.secondOrNull(): T? = getOrNull(1)
// Bien: Extensiones delimitadas (sin contaminar el namespace global)
class UserService {
private fun User.isActive(): Boolean =
status == Status.ACTIVE && lastLogin.isAfter(Instant.now().minus(30, ChronoUnit.DAYS))
fun getActiveUsers(): List<User> = userRepository.findAll().filter { it.isActive() }
}
Coroutines
Concurrencia Estructurada
// Bien: Concurrencia estructurada con coroutineScope
suspend fun fetchUserWithPosts(userId: String): UserProfile =
coroutineScope {
val userDeferred = async { userService.getUser(userId) }
val postsDeferred = async { postService.getUserPosts(userId) }
UserProfile(
user = userDeferred.await(),
posts = postsDeferred.await(),
)
}
// Bien: supervisorScope cuando los hijos pueden fallar independientemente
suspend fun fetchDashboard(userId: String): Dashboard =
supervisorScope {
val user = async { userService.getUser(userId) }
val notifications = async { notificationService.getRecent(userId) }
val recommendations = async { recommendationService.getFor(userId) }
Dashboard(
user = user.await(),
notifications = try {
notifications.await()
} catch (e: CancellationException) {
throw e
} catch (e: Exception) {
emptyList()
},
recommendations = try {
recommendations.await()
} catch (e: CancellationException) {
throw e
} catch (e: Exception) {
emptyList()
},
)
}
Flow para Streams Reactivos
// Bien: Flow frío con manejo de errores adecuado
fun observeUsers(): Flow<List<User>> = flow {
while (currentCoroutineContext().isActive) {
val users = userRepository.findAll()
emit(users)
delay(5.seconds)
}
}.catch { e ->
logger.error("Error observing users", e)
emit(emptyList())
}
// Bien: Operadores de Flow
fun searchUsers(query: Flow<String>): Flow<List<User>> =
query
.debounce(300.milliseconds)
.distinctUntilChanged()
.filter { it.length >= 2 }
.mapLatest { q -> userRepository.search(q) }
.catch { emit(emptyList()) }
Cancelación y Limpieza
// Bien: Respetar la cancelación
suspend fun processItems(items: List<Item>) {
items.forEach { item ->
ensureActive() // Verificar cancelación antes del trabajo costoso
processItem(item)
}
}
// Bien: Limpieza con try/finally
suspend fun acquireAndProcess() {
val resource = acquireResource()
try {
resource.process()
} finally {
withContext(NonCancellable) {
resource.release() // Siempre liberar, incluso al cancelar
}
}
}
Delegación
Delegación de Propiedades
// Inicialización diferida
val expensiveData: List<User> by lazy {
userRepository.findAll()
}
// Propiedad observable
var name: String by Delegates.observable("initial") { _, old, new ->
logger.info("Name changed from '$old' to '$new'")
}
// Propiedades respaldadas por Map
class Config(private val map: Map<String, Any?>) {
val host: String by map
val port: Int by map
val debug: Boolean by map
}
val config = Config(mapOf("host" to "localhost", "port" to 8080, "debug" to true))
Delegación de Interfaces
// Bien: Delegar implementación de interfaz
class LoggingUserRepository(
private val delegate: UserRepository,
private val logger: Logger,
) : UserRepository by delegate {
// Solo sobreescribir lo que necesitas agregar logging
override suspend fun findById(id: String): User? {
logger.info("Finding user by id: $id")
return delegate.findById(id).also {
logger.info("Found user: ${it?.name ?: "null"}")
}
}
}
Builders de DSL
Builders Type-Safe
// Bien: DSL con @DslMarker
@DslMarker
annotation class HtmlDsl
@HtmlDsl
class HTML {
private val children = mutableListOf<Element>()
fun head(init: Head.() -> Unit) {
children += Head().apply(init)
}
fun body(init: Body.() -> Unit) {
children += Body().apply(init)
}
override fun toString(): String = children.joinToString("\n")
}
fun html(init: HTML.() -> Unit): HTML = HTML().apply(init)
// Uso
val page = html {
head { title("My Page") }
body {
h1("Welcome")
p("Hello, World!")
}
}
DSL de Configuración
data class ServerConfig(
val host: String = "0.0.0.0",
val port: Int = 8080,
val ssl: SslConfig? = null,
val database: DatabaseConfig? = null,
)
data class SslConfig(val certPath: String, val keyPath: String)
data class DatabaseConfig(val url: String, val maxPoolSize: Int = 10)
class ServerConfigBuilder {
var host: String = "0.0.0.0"
var port: Int = 8080
private var ssl: SslConfig? = null
private var database: DatabaseConfig? = null
fun ssl(certPath: String, keyPath: String) {
ssl = SslConfig(certPath, keyPath)
}
fun database(url: String, maxPoolSize: Int = 10) {
database = DatabaseConfig(url, maxPoolSize)
}
fun build(): ServerConfig = ServerConfig(host, port, ssl, database)
}
fun serverConfig(init: ServerConfigBuilder.() -> Unit): ServerConfig =
ServerConfigBuilder().apply(init).build()
// Uso
val config = serverConfig {
host = "0.0.0.0"
port = 443
ssl("/certs/cert.pem", "/certs/key.pem")
database("jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/mydb", maxPoolSize = 20)
}
Secuencias para Evaluación Diferida
// Bien: Usar secuencias para colecciones grandes con múltiples operaciones
val result = users.asSequence()
.filter { it.isActive }
.map { it.email }
.filter { it.endsWith("@company.com") }
.take(10)
.toList()
// Bien: Generar secuencias infinitas
val fibonacci: Sequence<Long> = sequence {
var a = 0L
var b = 1L
while (true) {
yield(a)
val next = a + b
a = b
b = next
}
}
val first20 = fibonacci.take(20).toList()
Gradle Kotlin DSL
Configuración de build.gradle.kts
// Verificar las últimas versiones: https://kotlinlang.org/docs/releases.html
plugins {
kotlin("jvm") version "2.3.10"
kotlin("plugin.serialization") version "2.3.10"
id("io.ktor.plugin") version "3.4.0"
id("org.jetbrains.kotlinx.kover") version "0.9.7"
id("io.gitlab.arturbosch.detekt") version "1.23.8"
}
group = "com.example"
version = "1.0.0"
kotlin {
jvmToolchain(21)
}
dependencies {
// Ktor
implementation("io.ktor:ktor-server-core:3.4.0")
implementation("io.ktor:ktor-server-netty:3.4.0")
implementation("io.ktor:ktor-server-content-negotiation:3.4.0")
implementation("io.ktor:ktor-serialization-kotlinx-json:3.4.0")
// Exposed
implementation("org.jetbrains.exposed:exposed-core:1.0.0")
implementation("org.jetbrains.exposed:exposed-dao:1.0.0")
implementation("org.jetbrains.exposed:exposed-jdbc:1.0.0")
implementation("org.jetbrains.exposed:exposed-kotlin-datetime:1.0.0")
// Koin
implementation("io.insert-koin:koin-ktor:4.2.0")
// Coroutines
implementation("org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-core:1.10.2")
// Pruebas
testImplementation("io.kotest:kotest-runner-junit5:6.1.4")
testImplementation("io.kotest:kotest-assertions-core:6.1.4")
testImplementation("io.kotest:kotest-property:6.1.4")
testImplementation("io.mockk:mockk:1.14.9")
testImplementation("io.ktor:ktor-server-test-host:3.4.0")
testImplementation("org.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-test:1.10.2")
}
tasks.withType<Test> {
useJUnitPlatform()
}
detekt {
config.setFrom(files("config/detekt/detekt.yml"))
buildUponDefaultConfig = true
}
Patrones de Manejo de Errores
Tipo Result para Operaciones de Dominio
// Bien: Usar Result de Kotlin o una sealed class personalizada
suspend fun createUser(request: CreateUserRequest): Result<User> = runCatching {
require(request.name.isNotBlank()) { "Name cannot be blank" }
require('@' in request.email) { "Invalid email format" }
val user = User(
id = UserId(UUID.randomUUID().toString()),
name = request.name,
email = Email(request.email),
)
userRepository.save(user)
user
}
// Bien: Encadenar resultados
val displayName = createUser(request)
.map { it.name }
.getOrElse { "Unknown" }
require, check, error
// Bien: Precondiciones con mensajes claros
fun withdraw(account: Account, amount: Money): Account {
require(amount.value > 0) { "Amount must be positive: $amount" }
check(account.balance >= amount) { "Insufficient balance: ${account.balance} < $amount" }
return account.copy(balance = account.balance - amount)
}
Operaciones de Colecciones
Procesamiento Idiomático de Colecciones
// Bien: Operaciones encadenadas
val activeAdminEmails: List<String> = users
.filter { it.role == Role.ADMIN && it.isActive }
.sortedBy { it.name }
.map { it.email }
// Bien: Agrupación y agregación
val usersByRole: Map<Role, List<User>> = users.groupBy { it.role }
val oldestByRole: Map<Role, User?> = users.groupBy { it.role }
.mapValues { (_, users) -> users.minByOrNull { it.createdAt } }
// Bien: Associate para creación de maps
val usersById: Map<UserId, User> = users.associateBy { it.id }
// Bien: Partition para dividir
val (active, inactive) = users.partition { it.isActive }
Referencia Rápida: Modismos de Kotlin
| Modismo | Descripción |
|---|---|
val sobre var | Preferir variables inmutables |
data class | Para objetos de valor con equals/hashCode/copy |
sealed class/interface | Para jerarquías de tipos restringidas |
value class | Para wrappers type-safe con cero overhead |
when expresión | Pattern matching exhaustivo |
Llamada segura ?. | Acceso a miembros null-safe |
Elvis ?: | Valor por defecto para nullables |
let/apply/also/run/with | Funciones de scope para código limpio |
| Funciones de extensión | Agregar comportamiento sin herencia |
copy() | Actualizaciones inmutables en data classes |
require/check | Aserciones de precondiciones |
Coroutine async/await | Ejecución concurrente estructurada |
Flow | Streams reactivos fríos |
sequence | Evaluación diferida |
Delegación by | Reutilizar implementación sin herencia |
Anti-Patrones a Evitar
// Mal: Desempaquetar forzadamente tipos nullable
val name = user!!.name
// Mal: Fuga de tipos de plataforma desde Java
fun getLength(s: String) = s.length // Seguro
fun getLength(s: String?) = s?.length ?: 0 // Manejar nulls de Java
// Mal: Data classes mutables
data class MutableUser(var name: String, var email: String)
// Mal: Usar excepciones para control de flujo
try {
val user = findUser(id)
} catch (e: NotFoundException) {
// No usar excepciones para casos esperados
}
// Bien: Usar retorno nullable o Result
val user: User? = findUserOrNull(id)
// Mal: Ignorar el scope de coroutine
GlobalScope.launch { /* Evitar GlobalScope */ }
// Bien: Usar concurrencia estructurada
coroutineScope {
launch { /* Correctamente delimitado */ }
}
// Mal: Funciones de scope profundamente anidadas
user?.let { u ->
u.address?.let { a ->
a.city?.let { c -> process(c) }
}
}
// Bien: Cadena null-safe directa
user?.address?.city?.let { process(it) }
Recuerda: El código Kotlin debe ser conciso pero legible. Aprovecha el sistema de tipos para seguridad, prefiere la inmutabilidad y usa coroutines para concurrencia. Ante la duda, deja que el compilador te ayude.
Frequently asked questions about Kotlin Development Patterns
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