String templates

Learn to embed variables in strings with \$ and \${}.

String templates: $ and ${}

In Kotlin you use the $ sign to embed a variable or expression inside a string. Writing $name inserts the value of the name variable.

For more complex expressions use ${...}: "Sum: ${a + b}". This feature is called a string template and is more readable than string concatenation.

val name = "Alex"
println("Hello $name")          // Hello Alex
println("Sum: ${2 + 3}")         // Sum: 5

Exercise Greet the user

Write a fun main(). Inside it declare val name = "Alex". Print Hello $name with println.

Show example solution

fun main() {
    val name = "Alex"
    println("Hello $name")
}

Escaping the dollar sign

In a string template $ is always treated as a variable embed. To write a literal $, escape it with \$: println("Price: \$5") prints Price: $5.

You can also use ${'$'}. Both methods put a real dollar sign in the string safely. Without the escape, Kotlin looks for a variable name after $ and raises a compile error if it cannot find one.

Test yourself

What does this code print?
```
val name = "Alex"
println("Hello $name")
```
- Hello Alex
- Hello $name
- Hello val name
- It throws an error
Show answer

Hello Alex — $name is replaced by the value Alex.

Complete the expression

println("Sum: ${____}")

Show answer

println("Sum: ${a + b}")

String templates: match the terms

$

Variable embed
${}

Expression embed
"..."

String
println

Output

Next lesson: Summary - Kotlin basics

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