What is Kotlin?

The kotlin programming language is statically typed and runs on Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and JavaScript. The Kotlin language combines general-purpose features with Java interoperability. The Kotlin project was born from the desire to improve productivity. A practical and effective approach was sought to improve the coding experience.

Today’s, Kotlin is the second most used JVM language and is increasing in popularity because it is developed under an open-source license and is easy to use. Developers also like Kotlin for its-

  • Expressiveness
  • Interoperability
  • Language features
  • Structured concurrency

 

Advantages of Kotlin:

  • Since it is concise, it drastically reduces the amount of boilerplate code.
  • It is safe and allows avoiding entire classes of errors such as null pointer exceptions.
  • It is interoperable and leverages existing libraries for JVM, Android, and browsers.
  • As it is tool-friendly, you can choose any Java IDE (Integrated Development Environment) or build it directly from the command line.
  • You can quickly replace Java code with Kotlin as it is 100% Java and Android compatible.
  • Kotlin has a strong community, as JetBrains is constantly improving the language.

 

App Development for Android with Kotlin

As of now, Kotlin is the most recommended language for the development of Android mobile apps, according to Google. 70 per cent of the top 1000 apps on the Google Play Store are developed with Kotlin. The language offers better code safety, according to app developers.

 

Reasons for using Kotlin

These are the reasons why Kotlin is used widely.

  • Kotlin is a statically-typed language that is very easy to read and write.
  • Kotlin programs do not require semicolons in their code, making them easier to read.
  • Kotlin allows users to exchange and use information from Java in various ways.
  • Kotlin takes less time to write new codes.

 

Features of Kotlin

The following are a few features of Kotlin that will make you sure of its progress.

  • Open-Source: Kotlin for Android combines both OOPs and functional programming into one programming language.
  • Fast Compilation: when working with Kotlin, the code can be compiled easily, this results in better performance for android development. It will also clarify which type of data function can be used throughout the code.
  • Concise: Kotlin reduces the writing of unnecessary code. This makes Kotlin more concise. •
  • Interoperable: Kotlin easily calls Java code and Java code can be used in Kotlin.
  • Smart cast: By explicitly typecasting immutable values, it inserts the values into a safe cast automatically.
  • Compilation Time: It has better performance and a faster compilation time.
  • Tool-friendly: It is possible to create Kotlin programs using the command line as well as any Java IDE.
  • Extension functions: Kotlin allows you to extend the functionality of existing classes without touching the code.

 

Career in Kotlin

As long as there is future scope, then there will be career growth, as many companies are already using it, such as Pinterest, Basecamp, Netflix, Uber, etc. This boosts your career; all you need is a keen interest in learning the language. The companies are gradually shifting from Java to Kotlin, which indicates that there is a large scope for Kotlin in the future. Google is also investing heavily in Kotlin, which indicates that Google projects will be developed in Kotlin.