auravibes-apps/dart-shorthand

Dart Shorthand

Use Dart dot shorthand syntax when the surrounding context type is clear and the shorter form improves readability.

Official reference: https://dart.dev/language/dot-shorthands

When to Use This Skill

• Writing Dart 3.11+ code
• Refactoring repetitive enum prefixes such as MyEnum.value
• Initializing typed fields or locals with constructors like .new() or .origin()
• Using static members where the target type is obvious from context
• Reviewing code for shorthand opportunities without reducing clarity

Preferred Uses

• Enum values in assignments, arguments, collection literals, and switch expressions
• Named and unnamed constructors when the variable, field, or return type is explicit
• Static methods and getters when the expected type is unambiguous

Examples

enum Status { idle, loading, success, failure }

Status status = .idle;

switch (status) {
  case .idle:
  case .loading:
  case .success:
  case .failure:
}

final ScrollController controller = .new();
final GlobalKey<FormState> formKey = .new();

int port = .parse('8080');

Rules

• Only use dot shorthand when the context type is immediately clear to the reader and compiler.
• Prefer shorthand for enums; this is the strongest and clearest use case.
• Use .new() for unnamed constructors only when the declared type is visible nearby.
• Use shorthand in const expressions when the target constructor or enum value is const.
• Fall back to the explicit type if shorthand makes the code harder to scan.

Limitations

• Requires language version 3.10 or later.
• An expression statement cannot start with ..
• Equality checks are asymmetric: shorthand must be on the right side of == or !=.
• Shorthand depends on context type, so avoid it where inference is weak, indirect, or surprising.
• Be careful in chained expressions; the whole expression still has to satisfy the original context type.

Review Checklist

• Is the expected type obvious at the usage site?
• Is the shorthand shorter without being less readable?
• Would an explicit type be clearer for someone unfamiliar with the code?
• Does the file already use shorthand consistently?
• Is the code running with Dart 3.10+ semantics?