Multiline strings with trimIndent in Kotlin - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a multiline string in Kotlin?

A multiline string in Kotlin is a string enclosed in triple quotes ("""), allowing the string to span multiple lines without needing escape characters.

beginner

What does the trimIndent() function do when used with multiline strings?

trimIndent() removes the common minimal indent from all lines in a multiline string, making the string's content aligned to the left without extra spaces.

intermediate

How does trimIndent() help with code readability?

It allows you to indent multiline strings in your code to match the surrounding code style, but still outputs the string without those indents, keeping the string clean.

beginner

Given this Kotlin code:<br>

val text = """
    Hello
    World
""".trimIndent()

<br>What will be the output of println(text)?

The output will be:<br>

Hello
World

<br>The trimIndent() removes the 4 spaces before each line.

intermediate

Can trimIndent() remove different amounts of spaces on each line?

No, trimIndent() removes the smallest common indent from all lines. Lines with less indent are not changed, and lines with more indent lose only the common part.

What symbol is used to start and end a multiline string in Kotlin?

A `

B "

C """

D '

Multiline strings in Kotlin are enclosed in triple double quotes: """.

What does trimIndent() do to a multiline string?

A Adds indentation to all lines

B Converts the string to uppercase

C Removes all spaces from the string

D Removes the smallest common indent from all lines

trimIndent() removes the smallest common indent from all lines in the string.

If a multiline string has lines with different indents, how does trimIndent() behave?

A Removes all indentation from every line

B Removes the smallest common indent from all lines

C Removes indentation only from the first line

D Leaves the string unchanged

trimIndent() removes only the smallest common indent shared by all lines.

Why is trimIndent() useful when writing multiline strings in code?

A It lets you indent strings in code for readability without affecting the actual string content

B It encrypts the string content

C It converts the string to a list

D It adds line numbers to the string

trimIndent() helps keep code readable by allowing indentation without adding spaces to the string.

What will this code print?<br>

val s = """
  Kotlin
    Rocks
""".trimIndent()
println(s)

A Kotlin Rocks

B Kotlin Rocks

C Kotlin Rocks

D skcoR niltoK

The smallest common indent is 2 spaces, so those are removed from each line. The second line keeps its extra 2 spaces.

Explain how trimIndent() works with multiline strings in Kotlin and why it is helpful.

Think about how indentation in code can affect string output.

Describe a situation where using a multiline string with trimIndent() would be better than a regular string.

Consider writing a message or template inside code.