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kotlinlang

Is there any reason to prefer `fun main(args: Array&lt;String&gt;)` over `fun main(vararg args: String)`?

Also, how often are you planning to call `main` explicitly?

What do you mean by "call `main` explicitly"? I pass parameters into many of my programs regularly when I run them.

I mean how often are you calling `main` _directly from Kotlin code_

That's the only time when allowing or disallowing varargs would affect it

Ah, I see what you're saying. Indeed, I basically never call `main` directly, but for some strange reason I find the `vararg` variant far more aesthetically pleasing when reading the source.

If you want to you can, but I'd recommend sticking with the idiomatic form

Fair enough. In general I tend to prefer idiomatic constructs, so that's compelling reason to stick with `Array`s. But the `vararg` just looks so good for some reason... :slightly_smiling_face:

Anyway, thanks for the (admittedly rather pointless) discussion.

The idiomatic way to write it in Java is `public static void main(String[] args)`. `fun main(args: Array&lt;String&gt;)` is the direct translation of that into Kotlin. It's also how the docs define `main` <https://play.kotlinlang.org/byExample/01_introduction/01_Hello%20world>

Idioms from there can sometimes carry over

For sure, I just wanna know what you think is more idiomatic about this one language feature instead of this other language feature

I'm not deciding what is idiomatic, I'm just saying what it the more common version

That seems different from saying “X is idiomatic [and therefore, Y is not]“, doesn’t it?

I mean I was taking "idiomatic" to mean commonly used and accepted

I think the first form is by far more common than the varargs form

Also, the fact that `maina` in IntelliJ generates the `Array` version, it's probably safe to assume it's considered the more idiomatic of the two.

It also makes searching for main easier for people who are new to your project

I hadn't thought of that. That's a good point.

I would say `Array` is much easier to understand that vararg. 
"Hey it's an array of arguments"
Vs
"Hey it's vararg? Hmm whats the type of it? Is it list? Array? Never mind, at least it says several args, so an Iterable, aha!"