Annotations get collapsed to the same line as code it affects

[ukarlsson]

We are using ktfmt with the following gradle config

ktfmt {
    kotlinLangStyle()
}

The issue that annotations get formatted on the same line, e.g. we get lines like

        @Serializable @SerialName("native:live") object NativeLive : SpecificSettings()

        @Serializable @SerialName("native:self-paced") object NativeSelfPaced : SpecificSettings()

The Kotlinx documentation all have the annotations on different lines and I noticed that in ktfmt you also have annotations on different lines.

We would very much like ktfmt to format this like

        @Serializable
        @SerialName("native:live")
        object NativeLive : SpecificSettings()

        @Serializable
        @SerialName("native:self-paced")
        object NativeSelfPaced : SpecificSettings()

Using ktfmt version 0.43.0

Many thanks.

[cgrushko]

@strulovich , I remember you have thoughts on this?

[strulovich]

If I recall correctly, the main reason we are at this state is since similar multiline formatting for annotated parameters look really bad.

• We went back and forth whether to handle annotations with params differently (as the Kotlin guidelines suggests). In the end I think we do not, since it created many awkward instances.
• Breaking annotations can make a list of annotated items look very awkward if the items are short. (It take a nicely formatted 5 lines turning them to 20 ones).
• We can consider treating formatting differently according to the annotated target (i.e. treat properties differently than top level objects), but I think that will be a time sink with very little value.

Overall, this is basically working as intended right now. Without really strong support and argument to do it the opposite way I think we should keep it as is.

[ukarlsson]

Ok thanks for your comments

[savl-2021]

Is there any progress?

[strulovich]

There's no progress here. Also see #226

[hick209]

See this comment here
#435 (comment)

Also this would violate this principle here that we try to follow for ktfmt