What Is Kotlin Programming Language? History, Feature, Benefits, And Uses Of Kotlin Programming Language
What Is Kotlin Programming Language? History, Feature, Benefits, And Uses Of Kotlin Programming Language
With assistance from open source programmers, Kotlin was created in St. Petersburg, Russia, by JetBrains, a Czech company. The language’s initial official release took place in 2016. In order to be more effective than Java and work with Java, Kotlin was created.
The motivators for learning Kotlin were its interoperability and simplicity. The goal was to enable Java developers and their organizations to gradually switch to the new language without experiencing any compatibility issues. Google declared Kotlin would be the first officially supported program added to Android Studio at the 2017 Google I/O conference. Kotlin 1.2 was made available in the same year.
It had a brand-new function that allowed code sharing between JavaScript platforms and the JVM. Kotlin was declared by Google to be the preferred language for Android developers in 2019. As of this writing, Kotlin 1.7 is the most recent version.
The publication date was June 2022. The new Kotlin/JVM K2 compiler was introduced in it by Kotlin. For unified endpoint management in enterprise IT environments with Android devices, Kotlin expertise is required. Check out this collection of services and tools for managing devices that businesses can use to implement Android.
What Is Kotlin?
Jet Brains created the statically typed, general-purpose programming language known as Kotlin. It combines elements of functional and object-oriented programming. Since Kotlin and Java can communicate with each other and use each other’s data, they are interoperable.
Similar to the Java compiler, the Kotlin compiler creates byte code that is compatible with the JVM. Kotlin is frequently used to create mobile applications for multiple platforms, server-side applications, and more. It’s like Java with a few extra features; the Kotlin project can even use Java libraries.
Despite the fact that Java is a really cool language, Kotlin’s creators placed a greater emphasis on code simplification and transparency.
Features Of Kotlin
There are numerous features of the Kotlin language, some of them are as follows:
- The Kotlin language can be used on various platforms, which cuts down on the time needed to write and maintain code for various platforms. It is independent of the target platform’s virtual machine.
- Kotlin has some contemporary features, such as null safety, which is a feature to lessen the issues with null references. Kotlin supports features like the anonymous Lambda function and smart casts, which are used to add conditions to if statements.
- The Kotlin programming language offers a variety of extensions that let you add functionality without deriving it directly from a class or using any decorative patterns. The code is simple to read and maintain thanks to this feature.
- Kotlin allows functions to be passed as parameters to a function, which means a function can act like a variable and be passed just like a variable. A higher-order function is another name for it. It has two functions: one that accepts functions as parameters and another that returns a function.
- The Java file can be converted to the Kotlin file with just a script, and Kotlin is fully compatible and interoperable with Java. In addition, it supports JVM, and Kotlin libraries are compatible with Java.
- Kotlin has a data class. A data class is a class that does not perform any operation and only contains a state. The advantage of this class is that it provides self-generated code and avoids the implementation of methods within the class.
Benefits Of Kotlin
Some of the advantages of Kotlin are the following:
- Interoperability. Due to their shared byte code compilation, Kotlin and Java can communicate with one another. Programmers can perform just-in-time compiling with Kotlin to guarantee that code embedded in another program functions as intended by converting it into JavaScript or an LLVM encoder. Additionally, it uses Java’s tooling. Kotlin application migration from Java is made simple by these features.
- Safety. Kotlin was created to assist in avoiding common coding mistakes that can cause code to break or leave vulnerabilities. The language has null safety and corrects errors caused by null pointer exceptions.
- Clarity. The fundamental syntax of well-known languages like Java is reduced to some extent by Kotlin. Kotlin saves developers time because it produces shorter code. Developers’ productivity rises as a result of writing programs with less boilerplate code.
- Tooling support. Kotlin has tooling support from Android with tools optimized for Android development, including Android Studio, Android KTX and Android SDK.
- Community support. Although Kotlin is a relatively new language compared to Java, it has a community of developers who work to improve the language and provide documentation.
What Is Kotlin Used For?
Kotlin is super versatile. In 2021 alone, about 2 million programming professionals used Kotlin at least once. Among them, roughly 1 million use Kotlin as one of their 3 primary languages.
Here are some of the ways programming professionals are using Kotlin today:
1. Back-End Web Development
For back-end web development, many programmers use Kotlin/JVM because they write less code overall than they would with Java, even if the code is the same. Most of the Java-related vocabulary can be reduced using Kotlin. For instance, Kotlin-written code is typically shorter and more concise than Java-written code.
Particularly useful for large projects and teams is Kotlin. Efficiency levels can soar by sharing this common code on the back-end development between various modules.
2. Server-Side Development
In addition to the back-end, Kotlin is also great for server-side web development using Kotlin/JS.
Not only does Kotlin/JS allow you to access powerful browser and web APIs, but it makes sure you remain type-safe throughout.
3. Full-Stack Web Development
Kotlin enables full-stack web developers to write front- and back-end code in the same language. Both are compiled by Kotlin into JavaScript so they can run in a browser.
It makes it possible for programming paradigms, shared libraries, and syntax to be consistent on the front and back ends.
4. Android Development
Kotlin is the best programming language for Android development given that there are more than 2.5 billion active Android users in more than 190 countries. The official integrated development environment (IDE) for Android development, called Android Studio, supports Kotlin. Kotlin’s code can therefore be used with ease by programmers when working on Android development.
5. Cross-Platform Mobile Development
UKotlin’s Multiplatform Mobile (KMM), in contrast to other cross-platform app development tools, enables you to use both native iOS and Android device features. The best thing about KMM is that you can develop cross-platform applications without having to modify an existing codebase to use new programming languages.
This not only streamlines the process of developing mobile applications but also enables Android and iOS users to enjoy the experiences they desire.
6. Data Science
Data scientists extract knowledge and insight using scientific procedures, techniques, algorithms, and frameworks. They frequently use Java in their line of work to accomplish this. Because they can still use all the common Java libraries from earlier projects and write their code in Kotlin, it is the ideal substitute.
Companies Using The Kotlin Language
Many companies around the world have adopted Kotlin for various purposes, including mobile app development, backend services, and more. Here are some notable companies that use Kotlin in their software development:
- Google: Google has officially recognized Kotlin as a first-class language for Android app development and has integrated Kotlin into its official Android app development tools, including Android Studio, Android Jetpack libraries, and Firebase.
- JetBrains: JetBrains, the organization responsible for the creation of Kotlin, incorporates Kotlin into a number of its own software development tools and IDEs, including IntelliJ IDEA and the Kotlin compiler.
- Netflix: Netflix, a popular streaming service, has adopted Kotlin for building some parts of its backend services and APIs due to Kotlin’s concise syntax, null safety, and interoperability with Java.
- Trello: With the help of Kotlin’s expressive features and modern syntax, Trello, a well-known project management tool, built mobile apps for the Android and iOS platforms. This increased developer productivity.
- Uber: Kotlin has been adopted by Uber, a ride-hailing and transportation company, to create its Android apps. Due to Kotlin’s compatibility with Java, Uber is gradually transitioning its current Java codebase to Kotlin for increased development effectiveness.
- Pinterest: Kotlin is also being used by visual discovery platform Pinterest to create Android apps. To create reliable and effective Android apps, Pinterest makes use of Kotlin’s features like null safety, extension functions, and enhanced type inference.
- Square: Financial technology company Square has switched to using Kotlin to create its Android apps, including well-known ones like Cash App and Square Point of Sale (POS). Kotlin’s expressive syntax and compatibility with Java have made it possible for Square to create top-notch, feature-packed mobile apps.
- Airbnb: Kotlin is now being used by Airbnb, a well-known online marketplace for vacation rentals, to create Android apps. The developers at Airbnb were able to create cleaner, safer, and more effective code for their Android apps thanks to Kotlin’s cutting-edge syntax and robust features.
- American Express: A major provider of financial services, American Express, has chosen Kotlin for the creation of Android apps. The features of Kotlin, such as null safety, extension functions, and enhanced type inference, have aided the creation of robust and upgradable Android apps by American Express developers.
- Slack: The well-known team collaboration tool Slack has begun developing Android apps using Kotlin. Kotlin’s compatibility with Java and contemporary syntax have made it possible for Slack’s developers to create code that is both effective and expressive for their Android app.
This is not a comprehensive list, as many other businesses and organizations use Kotlin in their software development initiatives. More developers and businesses are becoming aware of Kotlin’s advantages for creating cutting-edge, effective, and scalable applications, which is causing its popularity to increase.