Method invocation
A method invocation is an operation that calls a method or callable operation, optionally with a receiver and arguments, causing its behavior to execute.
Kotlin in Action, 2E
The invoke method is a Kotlin function named invoke that enables instances of its containing type to be called with function-call syntax.
- How it is used
- Enables callable custom objects and flexible nested DSL syntax alongside ordinary method-call APIs.
- How deep it goes
- Explains call-syntax translation, overloads, FunctionN mechanics, nullable calls, reflection, and receiver-lambda DSL implementation.
- Examples
- Demonstrates a Greeter callable object, nullable transform callback, typed reflected sum function, and dependency-configuration DSL.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch by defining operator invoke methods that provide function-like calls or receiver-lambda DSL blocks.
Troubleshooting Java, Second Edition
A method invocation is an execution-time call to a method, including each occurrence of entering that method.
- How it is used
- Uses invocation counts during performance investigations to distinguish slow methods from methods that are called excessively.
- How deep it goes
- Measures execution counts through filtered profiling, stopping short of explaining method implementation internals.
- Examples
- Compares 1,000 calls taking 50 milliseconds each with one call causing five seconds of latency.
- What you can do after
- Diagnose performance by filtering profiler targets and interpreting invocation counts alongside execution time.
Read how Troubleshooting Java, Second Edition explains method invocation →
Related concepts
- thisuses · In JavaScript, the this value is determined by a function’s call context or, for an arrow function, inherited lexically.
- callkind of · A function call is an operation or expression that invokes a function or other callable, optionally supplies arguments, and initiates its execution.
- FunctionN interfacepart of · A FunctionN interface is a compiler-generated Kotlin interface representing a function value with a specific number of parameters and an invoke operation.
- object-oriented programminguses · Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm that organizes software around objects combining state and behavior, commonly using encapsulation, classes, inheritance, or polymorphism.
- safe-call operatorused by · A safe-call operator conditionally accesses or invokes an operation through a nullable receiver, producing null when the receiver is null.
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