I don't have to initialize a property right away i...

# getting-started

[Florian]

I don't have to initialize a property right away if I use lateinit or override the getter. Any other ways to get around immediate initialization? (It's a theoretical question)

[Nate]

does by lazy count? Which is a delegate 👇

[Ruckus]

Using a delegate

[Florian]

thank you I'll have to look up what that is

[Florian]

nothing else?

[Yago Lasse]

if you have a val you can initialize it inside the constructor (after some logic) so its kind of obrigatory lazy non lazy haha

[Florian]

I see, thanks a lot

[Florian]

they can also be initialized in init blocks, right?

[Ruckus]

The init blocks are the constructor (basically).

[Florian]

If I put an init block directly under a property I can initialize it there

[Florian]

is there something similar for secondary constructors?

[Florian]

the difference to Java is confusing me so maybe what I write doesn't make much sense

[Ruckus]

Secondary constructors will run after the primary constructor (if one exists):

class Thing(a: Int) {
    constructor(a: String) : this(a.length) {
        println(a)
    }

    init {
        println(a)
    }
}

Thing("thing")  // Will print "5" then "thing"

Basically, you need to ensure all properties are properly initialized no matter which constructor is called, which is why they are usually initialized in the primary constructor. You can, however, have a class without a primary constructor, in which case you can initialize the properties in the bodies of the secondary constructors:

class Thing {
    val s: String
    val i: Int

    constructor(a: String) {
        s = a
        i = a.length
    }

    constructor(a: Int) {
        i = a
        s = ".".repeat(a)
    }
}

[Florian]

Thanks, exactly what I wanted to know