kotlin-null-defaults

(Compiler plugin) (Gradle Plugin)

( Currently pending approval)

A Kotlin compiler plugin that allows Java callers to pass in null for default parameters by automatically checking for nulls and substituting the default values .

In short, this plugin, through annotating any relevant declarations with @NullDefaults, allows you to treat your default parameters as if they were nullable. The annotation can be applied to a whole class (for constructors), a specific function/constructor, or even individual parameters.

The main use-case being supporting legacy Java code that expects being able to pass in null for certain parameters and having that being handled on its own. Note that this plugin specifically doesn't allow Kotlin callers to do the same thing due to the ease of use and idiomacy of default parameters in Kotlin and the fact that such a feature would go against most established conventions. However, in the future the plugin could support this limited use-case behind a flag.

Use with care!

Note: This plugin was created using Brian Norman's Kotlin IR Plugin Template and from guidance from his wonderful article series Writing Your Second Kotlin Compiler Plugin ( seriously like the articles were immensely helpful when I just knew absolutely nothing about IR) and it was created originally as part of the discussion on Kotlin Discussions: Feature Request: Constructor parameter default value when receiving null input to support the OP's use-case.