KotlinHow-ToBeginner · 3 min read

How to Create String in Kotlin: Syntax and Examples

In Kotlin, you create a string by enclosing text within double quotes using "your text". You can also create multi-line strings using triple quotes """your text""".

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Syntax

To create a string in Kotlin, use double quotes for a single-line string. For multi-line strings, use triple double quotes. Strings are immutable, meaning once created, they cannot be changed.

Single-line string: Enclose text in "".
Multi-line string: Enclose text in """ to keep line breaks and formatting.

kotlin

val singleLine: String = "Hello, Kotlin!"
val multiLine: String = """
This is a
multi-line string.
"""

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Example

This example shows how to create and print both single-line and multi-line strings in Kotlin.

kotlin

fun main() {
    val greeting: String = "Hello, Kotlin!"
    val poem: String = """
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Kotlin is fun,
And so are you!
"""
    println(greeting)
    println(poem)
}

Output

Hello, Kotlin! Roses are red, Violets are blue, Kotlin is fun, And so are you!

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Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes include using single quotes instead of double quotes, which is for characters, not strings. Also, forgetting to use triple quotes for multi-line strings causes errors or unwanted escape characters.

kotlin

fun main() {
    // Wrong: single quotes for string
    // val wrongString = 'Hello' // Error: Char expected

    // Right: double quotes for string
    val rightString = "Hello"

    // Wrong: multi-line string without triple quotes
    // val wrongMulti = "Line1\nLine2" // Works but escapes needed

    // Right: multi-line string with triple quotes
    val rightMulti = """
Line1
Line2
"""

    println(rightString)
    println(rightMulti)
}

Output

Hello Line1 Line2

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Quick Reference

Concept	Syntax	Description
Single-line string	"Hello"	Text enclosed in double quotes
Multi-line string	"""Text More text"""	Text enclosed in triple quotes preserving line breaks
Character	'a'	Single character enclosed in single quotes
Immutable	val text = "Hi"	Strings cannot be changed after creation

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Key Takeaways

Create strings using double quotes for single-line text in Kotlin.

Use triple double quotes for multi-line strings to preserve formatting.

Single quotes are for characters, not strings.

Strings in Kotlin are immutable and cannot be changed once created.

Remember to use println() to display strings in the console.