Kotlin vs Java: Understanding Closures

The article explores the concept of closures in Kotlin and Java, highlighting the differences between the two languages. In Kotlin, closures are seen when using higher-order functions and lambdas, allowing functions to access and manipulate variables from the scope in which they were created. However, in Java, there is a compilation error when trying to access local variables from an inner class, as they must be declared as final or effectively final. The article explains that this restriction exists in Java due to the nature of closures, where captured variables are independent copies of variables in the enclosing scope. Enforcing these variables to be final ensures consistent behavior and prevents changes from being reflected in the outer scope. Kotlin, on the other hand, does not have this restriction, allowing for more flexibility when working with closures. This article provides valuable insights for developers comparing Kotlin and Java and seeking to understand the differences in their handling of closures.