Scala - Pass parameter by value or by name

In Scala function parameters are passed by value, that means that the parameters are evaluated before are passed to the function.

Sometimes this is not the best behaviour. Fortunately, Scala lets you pass parameters by name if you need it

Let’s see an example

We’re going to use the Scala REPL to see the example.

First of all, we define a function

scala> def optional(x: Int): Int = {
     |   println("Optional")
     |   x
     | }
optional: (x: Int)Int

An we call it to see what this function does

scala> optional(3)
Optional
res0: Int = 3

The function prints Optional in the console and returns the parameter we pass to it

Let’s define another function

scala> def myFunction(y: Int, f: Int => Int) = {
     |   if (y > 0)
     |     println(f(y))
     |   println("myFunction")
     | }
myFunction: (y: Int, f: Int => Int)Unit

Let’s see it in action

scala> myFunction(3, optional)
Optional
3
myFunction

scala> myFunction(-3, optional)
myFunction

The function prints the returned value from our optional function if the y parameter is greater than 0 and the prints myFunction

Let’s do a little change to our function

scala> def myFunction(y: Int, x: Int) = {
     |   if (y > 0)
     |     println(x)
     |   println("myFunction")
     | }
myFunction: (y: Int, x: Int)Unit

scala> myFunction(3, 5)
5
myFunction

scala> myFunction(-3, 5)
myFunction

Now the function takes two parameters and if the parameter y is greater than 0 it prints the value of the parameter x and the prints myFunction

But what happens is we want to use the value of our optional function to print it. Let’s see what happens

scala> myFunction(3, optional(5))
Optional
5
myFunction

scala> myFunction(-3, optional(5))
Optional
myFunction

As we can see the optional function is called whether the value is printed or not. That’s because Scala is evaluating the optional function to pass the value as a parameter

We can modify this changing the function definition like this

scala> def myFunction(y: Int, x: => Int) = {
     |   if (y > 0)
     |     println(x)
     |   println("myFunction")
     | }
myFunction: (y: Int, x: => Int)Unit

Note that we are adding a => before the type definition of the x parameter. This is telling Scala to evaluate the parameter only when we need it. Let’s see how our output changes

scala> myFunction(3, optional(5))
Optional
5
myFunction

scala> myFunction(-3, optional(5))
myFunction

Let’s do another change to see what happens if we need our value more than once

scala> def myFunction(y: Int, x: => Int) = {
     |   if (y > 0) {
     |     println(x)
     |     println(x)
     |   }
     |   println("myFunction")
     | }
myFunction: (y: Int, x: => Int)Unit

scala> myFunction(3, optional(5))
Optional
5
Optional
5
myFunction

As we see the parameter is evaluated both times so this code will be optimal if we pass our parameter by value. You must decide when you want to use parameter by value and when parameter by name in your code

Scala – Pass parameter by value or by name