Kotlin vs Java: Which is the Best Choice for Android App Development?
Android app development has been on the rise for a while now. This is due to the fact that Android has taken over as the most popular smartphone operating system in the world. With this new surge in demand, many businesses wonder which programming language they should use to build a leading and impactful mobile app.
Well, whenever anyone talks about Android app development, then in most experts’ minds, just two technologies’ names strike, i.e., Kotlin and Java. Both Kotlin and Java are excellent and popular languages, mainly known for their superior functionalities, features, and ability to develop great Android applications.
To develop any mobile application, we can’t use multiple languages, so it’s really important to find which one will be best among Kotlin vs Java. So let’s take a glance at the pros & cons of both languages, and what makes them better for certain types of Android application development projects.
An Overview To The Kotlin Technology
Kotlin is a programming language that JetBrains developed in 2010, and it’s open-source. Kotlin can be used on Android, iOS applications development projects as well as desktop apps. It provides interoperability with Java, which means you can use their existing skills and knowledge of Java; this also enables them to use Kotlin for Android application development projects.
- The top-5 programming languages developers are planning to adopt are Go, Kotlin, TypeScript, Python, and Rust.
- In just 3 years, Kotlin is now utilized by 7.8% of the industry specialists.
- Kotlin is used by global brands like Google, NetFlix, Amazon, Trello, and more.
Kotlin Key Features:
- Java Interoperability: Kotlin allows for the use of existing skills and knowledge in Java. This means developers can continue to write Android apps using their current programming language.
- Null Safety: Kotlin is null safe, which prevents errors that are usually caused by absent types or parameters that are not initialized correctly. It’s very important to make sure that you do not use a type as the default null value.
- Nullable Types: Kotlin has no need for ‘’null’’ or ‘’nil’’. This means it prevents errors caused by absent types and parameters. It also makes code more readable.
- Properties With Getters And Setters Automatically Created: Kotlin comes with properties that have getters and setters automatically generated. This means it makes coding a lot easier for developers to code and read the Android app more quickly.
- Concise Syntax: There are no unnecessary tokens or keywords, which helps make the code concise and easy for developers’ eyes.
An Overview To The Java Technology
Java was formed by Sun Microsystems in 1995. It’s object-oriented, imperative, and concurrent with automatic memory management. Java can be used for Android applications development projects as well as desktop apps etc., but it has to import java classes, which makes the code slightly more complicated than Kotlin’s.
Java Key Features:
- Memory Automatically Taken Care Of: With automatic memory management, developers don’t have to worry about allocating and deallocating memory in their code, as the garbage collector will take care of this automatically.
- Uses Garbage Collector: Java uses a garbage collector to automatically manage the memory in the code. This makes it simpler for businesses who want to focus on their Android projects rather than worrying about managing memory manually and allocating/deallocating resources.
- Supports Multiple Platforms: Java supports multiple platforms, which means that developers can start coding in Java and then switch over to Kotlin for Android app development projects.
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What Are The Similarities Between Java And Kotlin?
Kotlin and Java have many similarities. For example, Kotlin’s type system is a lot like that of Java, which means that developers can easily convert their existing code into the new language if they want to try it out.
- Type System: Both languages’ types are similar, so you don’t need to worry about converting your current code to the new language.
- Collections Library: Kotlin’s collections library is very similar to Java, and classes are easy to convert as well, which makes it really easy for developers who want to try out this programming language.
Kotlin vs Java: Comparison Between Both Android App Development Languages
1. Ease-of-use
Kotlin is much simpler to use and learn than Java. It also has a good collection of tools, IDEs, as well as tutorials which makes it easier for mobile application development. However, if you choose Kotlin developers for developing the application, then he would deliver your project fastly as they are pro at making use of Kotlin in Android app development.
2. Performance
Java is a mature language with excellent performance. Kotlin, on the other hand, performs better than Java for Android development due to its uses of immutability and properties as well as being 100% interoperable with Java.
3. Popularity
Kotlin is a newer language, but has quickly grown to be one of the most popular choices for Android app development. In addition, it’s backed by Google, which means that Kotlin will continue to see more support and improvement as time goes on. But if I talk about the current situation, then Java is popular than Kotlin.
4. Cross-Platform Development
Kotlin has the ability to cross-compile and run on multiple platforms, while Java is limited by its use of bytecode which can only be compiled for a single platform at once. There are many cases in mobile development where developers need to create an Android version as well as iOS versions or even Windows versions.
6. Mature Libraries
Java has a vast collection of libraries, frameworks, and tools available for Android development. Kotlin is starting to catch up with the introduction of newer libraries such as KTX and Coroutines but still has some catching up to do in this area.
7. Scalability
One downside to using languages like Java or C++ is that they are not as scalable. Due to this, the application can sometimes get bloated and affect performance, especially on older devices like Android phones. Kotlin has a stronger focus on scalability in its design, which improves the performance of an app by reducing bloat. So, if you want a scalable solution, then focus on Kotlin app development.
8. Community Support
Kotlin is a relatively new language, while Java has been around for quite some time. As such, there are more experts and development resources available to consult with when using Kotlin than Java, which had led it to be the preferred choice of many businesses in recent years.
Kotlin vs Java: Comparison Table
Viewing the table mentioned below, you will be easily able to analyze which programming language will best suit your Android app development project.
Java vs Kotlin: Which is Better for Android App Development?
Both languages are fantastic and offer a range of benefits that would make them excellent choices to use in developing leading mobile applications. However, if you’re looking more specifically at Java vs Kotlin, then there are certain types of apps where one might be better than the other.
Java is better for:
- Large applications with lots of features and functionality that need to function across all platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, or Linux. Java has mature libraries that support this type of application development well.
Kotlin is better for:
- Apps where performance matters a lot, such as those that need to run smoothly on older Android phones or ones that are used for photo editing. Kotlin has a more streamlined and efficient design than Java, so it will perform better in these types of situations, especially when scaling is concerned.
- Apps that need to maintain platform independence and be cross-compiled for multiple platforms as well as Android. Kotlin can perform these functions while Java cannot due to its use of bytecode which can only compile code for one specific platform at once.
Conclusion
So, which one is better and should you use it? The answer to that question depends on your needs. If you’re looking for a language with solid support from Google, then Kotlin may be the best choice, as Android Studio 3 now supports Kotlin development. However, if you need speed or want an open-source project with more flexibility (especially in terms of third-party libraries), Java might be the right option for you.
In order to use Java and Kotlin programming language efficiently in Android app development, hire technology-specific developers from the best Java development company and Kotlin app development company, respectively. By doing so, you will be able to build impactful and multifeatured Android applications.
