10 Things You Must Know About Kotlin

Just to make Android app development easier, Google in May 2017 came up with a brand new programming language for it named Kotlin. Originally created by JetBrains, Kotlin is a statistically typed programming language that runs on Java Virtual Machine and compiles JVM byte code.

At Google I/O in 2017, it was announced as the official programming language for Android app development. It is basically used for backend development which gives a great edge to developers working on Kotlin. As a leading Mobile App Design Company in UK, have a look at the 10 things you should know about Kotlin .

1. Google Support Made Kotlin ‘Desirable’

Though Kotlin became popular prior to Google Adopted it, but there was always a risk factor considering Google might make changes in Android app development. But with Google’s support, all these risks are put to rest and allow developers to use it without any fear of their work getting waste.

2. It is Open Source

The prime purpose for creating this programming language came out of the programmers at JetBrains, who wanted to develop a more concise language which would be compatible with Java. The initial success of Kotlin language lies in it being open source. Moreover, among the community of developers, it has been widely recognised which led to Google supporting it for Android development.

3. Lesser Code to Write

As you know that in Java, you have to write everything in complete details compared to Kotlin, where it automatically writes some code. In fact, as per reports, you have to write about 80 percent of the code that you would originally write in Java. Isn’t it great? Indeed, it is great for developers. Moreover, it saves time as its compiler can automatically infer the types in variable declarations.

4. Interoperability with Java

The biggest advantage of learning Kotlin is that it is fully interoperable with Java. In fact, Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java to such an extent that you can use the codes from both languages and use them in one another. Moreover, you can start to work on Kotlin in the middle of any project. Various Java Commands, libraries, and frameworks can easily be used in any project.

5. Easy to Learn

Kotlin is a relatively easier programming language provided you know about Java. Moreover, most of the syntax used in Kotlin is very relevant to what you use in Java. Though Kotlin has taken something or the other from languages like C#, JavaScript, Scala and of course Java, it is still the easiest thing to learn for a Java Developer.

6. Use it for Server Side Development

As Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java, it makes it feasible to be used for server-side development. Moreover, you can develop server-side work with Kotlin as it provides full support to various frameworks of Java-like Spring, Vert.x, Ktor, Kotlinx.html, and many others.

7. Null Safety in Kotlin

One of the best advantages of Kotlin is that it provides Null safety. Particularly during development, efforts were concerted towards eliminating the possibilities of null references. This can be done as the Kotlin system does not compile the code that tries to return a null value or even a non-assigned value. The Kotlin type system can easily differentiate between null references and non-null ones.

8. Great Extension Functions

Extension functions help a user to extend the functionalities of code without even making changes in it. All the functions available in Kotlin can be used with extensions and operators. Moreover, it allows you to extend a class with new functionality without inheriting the class.

9. Where to Use Kotlin

The greatest thing to like about Kotlin is that it can be used in any kind of development, whether it is client-side, server-side, or Android. Developers can use its a variety of ways. Primarily developers as of now use it for client-side with the support of JavaScript or JavaFX. Moreover, Kotlin is compatible with various modules like AMD and CommonJS.

10. Setting up Kotlin

To set up Kotlin, you need to install a Kotlin Plugin. Kotlin plugin is wrapped up with Android Studio starting from version 3.0. The best part is that it is available for free i.e. you don’t need to pay anything no matter what kind of project you wish to build on it.

Final Thoughts

In short duration, Kotlin has become one of the best programming languages for android development. The reason is clearly mentioned above; moreover, various brands are already using Kotlin for development of Technologies such as Pinterest, Basecamp, etc. This is why Kotlin Android App Development, as well as iOS app development, is highly popular among developers.

Have an App Idea? Contact Fluper, a leading Mobile App Development Company in UK to get free mobile app consultation now.