What does the compiler convert variables declared with the 'late' keyword into?

In the Dart language (used in Flutter), the keyword late is used for deferred initialization of variables. When compiled, variables declared with late are not initialized immediately but are given a special mechanism that ensures checking and initialization upon first access.

The compiler transforms such variables into fields with lazy initialization, adding hidden logic to store the state and check whether the variable has already been initialized. If the variable is accessed before being assigned a value, a runtime error is generated.

Example:

late String name;

void main() {
  name = "Flutter";
  print(name); // Will output Flutter
}

Here, name is not initialized at declaration, but upon first read, it checks whether the value has been assigned. If you try to read name before assignment, a LateInitializationError exception will be thrown.

Thus, late allows avoiding immediate initialization and guarantees safe access to the variable at runtime.