I am trying to create a generic http client class ...

# ktor

[Jeff]

I am trying to create a generic http client class with ktor and in my class I declare the HttpClient like this

private val _client: HttpClient = HttpClient {
    install(ContentNegotiation) {
        json(Json {
            this.isLenient = true
            this.ignoreUnknownKeys = true
        })
    }
}

and an example generic method I am trying to create is like this

suspend inline fun <reified T> get(builder: HttpRequestBuilder): T? {
    val response = _client.get(builder)

    ....

    return response.body()
}

Where when using this method you give the type the response should be (deserialized to an object from json). The IDE is telling me

Public-API inline function cannot access non-public-API

on the client object, I dont want that public to be used outside of this class so what are my options here

[phldavies]

You can make the _client internal and add the @PublishedApi annotation to allow it to be used from within a public inline method

[Jeff]

That makes client available outside of that class though, I need it so that no other class can access it

[phldavies]

You can make a public non-inline method that takes the typeinfo as a parameter that's ultimately passed in the .body() call.

[Jeff]

so it would be like this?

suspend fun <T> get(builder: HttpRequestBuilder, typeInfo: TypeInfo): T? {
    val response = _client.get(builder)

    ....

    return response.body(typeInfo)
}

myHttpClient.get<TestData>(builder, typeInfo<TestData>())

[phldavies]

Yes but that latter statement could be in an inline reified method to make normal call-sites simpler

suspend inline fun <reified T> get(builder: HttpRequestBuilder): T? = get(builder, typeInfo<T>())