Google announced its official support for Kotlin Android App Development in 2017. This landed the Android App developers in a dilemma on the future of Android Java. Moreover, the beginners were in a fix whether to pursue the classic backbone of Java or the upcoming trendy hipster Kotlin for Android App development.
A recent study shows that almost 66% of the Android App developers are using Kotlin. But what should be your approach? To put you Android savvy developers out of their misery, the experts have presented us with a simple solution. – That is to definitely brush up your basics with Java, but once you are skilled in this set of language, then only you should look up to Kotlin for expansion of your skill set.
Let us take a deep dive on what is Kotlin, why is it beneficial, and why to use it for your next Android App Development project?
Introduction to Kotlin
The Czech Development Company ‘JetBrains’ developed Kotlin in the year 2010. It is a statically-typed programming language that is 100% compatible with Java Virtual Machine and JavaScript. The main objective behind developing Kotlin was to make it adaptable for the existing Java-based Android projects.
Another reason was to eliminate the issues of Java programming like excessive coding and nullity. Kotlin also supports cross-platform development, which is the primary reason why 62% of mobile apps are developed using this. The sudden rise of this language in the development sphere has elevated its popularity rating to 2nd (after Java for android app development) for obvious reasons.
Benefits of Using Kotlin
- Less Coding Required: It requires less lines of coding as it is not as verbose as Java.
- Uses Low Memory: The memory space used by Kotlin is relatively low while developing Android Apps.
- Holds Null Value: NullPointerExceptions is a problem with Java language and not Kotlin. The reason being Kotlin holds null value by default.
- No Switching Hassle: Both Java and Kotlin are 100% interoperable since Kotlin is also a Java-based programming language. So, there will be no hassle while switching Kotlin to Java libraries.
- Opted by Popular Apps: With the upcoming wave of Kotlin, many popular apps like Evernote, Pinterest, Flipboard, and Twitter have updated their codes.
Efficiency: Along with being lightweight in it’s coding structure, the app also takes lesser deployment times, giving it the ‘swift’ title for Android apps.
Why Choose Kotlin for Android App Development?
Kotlin has shown versatile advantages and strength over Java, making it the first choice for app development companies. But if you are still not convinced, and want to gain a little more perspective, know that Kotlin supports a considerable amount of IDEs that include many SDKs as well as Android Studio. The Android Studio renders adaptation tools and extended support to the developers which helps them to work on Java and Kotlin respectively
JetBrains developed Kotlin to resolve real-time problems. It’s an enterprise language that understands the app-related problems and provides instant solutions to developers. So, it is not a gimmick but actually is adapting the Android App development ecosystem quickly.
We are excited to hear your take on this new tech-turnover. Don’t forget to comment below for any insights or questions.