What is the difference between a DSL and Util and API?

# announcements

[Gopal S Akshintala]

What is the difference between a DSL and Util and API?

[Mike]

DSL = Domain Specific Language. A huge undertaking to create a language on top of Kotlin. Lots of materials on DSL's available, and used to allow someone to 'write code' while 'speaking' a business language, or domain language they can understand.

If you truly want to create a DSL, JetBrains has a tool called MPS. It's even more focused on creating a DSL.

A Util generally is a collection of Utility functions defined in a project or library for simplifying execution of things you do in your project a lot.

For Kotlin, a number of the things in the stdlib could be considered Util.

The language is still Kotlin in this case.

[Gopal S Akshintala]

Thanks @Mike, but if I expose a utility function with a business domain name, that hides the underlying implementation and limits user action, can I call it an internal DSL?

[Mike]

I wouldn't. Depending on how far you take it, you're getting into Domain Driven Design (DDD) instead.

A DSL is an entire concept. What you're doing is a good practice, and as I say, more DDD. Makes it easier for dev and business to talk to each other as you're hopefully both using the same language. Less likely to have confusion.