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Kotlin brands itself as the programming language that makes developers happier. Do you want to be happier? Time to learn Kotlin!
Though we can’t actually guarantee any measurable effects of Kotlin programming on your happiness, we can dish out some of the major benefits of using this relatively new coding language. Read on to learn all about it!
Kotlin is one of the newest and fastest growing programming languages. It was first released in 2016 as an alternative to Java for fully functional use with the Java virtual machine. Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java, which it makes it easier for developers and organization to seamlessly adopt.
Compared to Java, Kotlin can be written more concisely. That means a Kotin program requires less code and less time to write. Despite some differences in methods and syntax, Kotlin can be used for pretty much any project that you might use Java for.
The creators of Kotlin are JetBrains, a Prague-based software development company that has produced advanced tools for developers since its founding in 2000. In 2011, CTO of Jetbrains, Dmitry Jemerov explained the origin of Kotlin:
“We want to become more productive by switching to a more expressive language. At the same time, we cannot accept compromises in terms of either Java interoperability… or compilation speed.”
Kotlin is based on Java and is meant to be easily learned and used by seasoned Java developers. This means there are lots of similarities between the two languages. However, there are also several differences between the old classic Java and modern Kotlin. Check out this side-by-side comparison:
1. Kotlin code can be more concise than Java code.
Kotlin programs are estimated to contain about 40% fewer lines of code than comparable Java programs. Fewer lines of code means fewer minutes typing by the programmer and easier QA by reviewers.
2. Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java and the JVM.
In order to make Kotlin easy to adopt, the creators designed it to be fully interoperable with Java and to run on the Java virtual machine. That means you can use any frameworks that already exist for Java like Spring Boot, JSF, and Apache.
3. Kotlin is Google’s officially preferred language for Android development.
In 2019, Google announced that Kotlin would be the officially preferred language for Android developers. That means that if you want to get the most out of Google support while developing an app for Androids, programming in Kotlin is your best course of action.
4. Kotlin is also great for web development.
Along with a web development framework like Spring, Kotlin is very well-designed for web development.
5. Kotlin is also useful for data science programming.
While Kotlin has not displaced Python as the number one language for data science, they do share some features like easy data processing functions. This makes Kotlin well-suited for data science projects, including machine learning and natural language processing.
6. Kotlin is the fastest growing programming language.
For several years, Kotlin has been the fastest growing programming language among developers. The more people use it, the more opportunities you will find for collaboration, troubleshooting, and brainstorming help. Also, as more companies adopt it as an organization-wide standard, the more job opportunities there will be for Kotlin pros.
Both Google and JetBrains offer free, online resources for learning Kotlin. Google’s offering is hosted on Udacity, while Jetbrains’ is hosted on O’reilly. There are also many developer bootcamps that cover Kotlin programming as part of their wider curriculum. The bootcamps listed below include Kotlin in their curriculums. Browse the list to find one that works for you!
