The recent announcement of Google might have surprised you. Unless you are a fan of programming languages or a tech guru, it would have certainly held your attention. Kotlin becoming the preferred programming language for Google. Surprised?
Well, if you are well aware of the etiquette of Google, you won’t be shocked. Least a bit surprised. What makes Kotlin so special? Let’s find out!
Will Android Development Become All About Kotlin?
As per Google, Kotlin can make Android programming development more user-friendly. Moreover, the presence of the latest Jetpack APIs and features make Kotlin a good choice. In addition, rather than using Javascript for a new project, you can go with Kotlin. Most importantly, Kotlin uses fewer codes. And few codes means less to type, test and even maintain.
Somewhat two years ago, the development took place. In 2017, Google announced its support for Kotlin. Of course, this came as a surprise for most people. Java had been the preferred language for Android apps development. However, over the course of the last two years, the popularity of Kotlin increased manifold. Currently, more than 50% of professional Android developers use it for developing their apps. Even as per Google, this is the fourth most liked programming language.
How Kotlin Became Google’s Favored?
►100% Interoperable With Java Programming
Do you know Kotlin was conceived to become interoperable with Java? So, it means that Android programming developers can make use of various Java libraries to write code in Kotlin. In addition, Java codes can be generated from Kotlin using converters which most of the custom software development company provides.
Moreover, it is quite beneficial for an organization. They can reuse the existing talent by training the current developers on Kotlin. Not only this will save an ample amount of time for them but also they won’t need to hire a new team. A win-win situation.
► Kotlin Makes Android Apps Faster
One of the best advantages of using Kotlin is that it supports inline functions. Not only it can increase the execution speed of Lambda function, but also has a compact runtime library. Furthermore, methods added at runtime is less compared to Java. So, this helps the apps to run faster on user’s devices.
► Safe Architecture
Do you know the biggest issue with Java? When you access a part of the null reference, you will get a null reference exception. With Kotlin, you can remove the null pointer exception from the code. This will lower the chances of the mobile app getting crashed mid-operation.
► More Concise & Compact
No doubt, a class written in a new Google official language is more compact. It is also a lot concise compared to Java. This is the major reason on why Kotlin is more popular and one of the accepted languages. For any developer, this is a jackpot as with fewer codes it means fewer bugs. Also, it will lead to faster development time and even reduces development costs.
► Efficient Coding
With Kotlin, Android app developers can write code- more efficiently. This is due to the presence of the robust IDEs which is not found in the Java programming. Compounds like Anko and Android apps extensions found in Kotlin makes it easy for developers to replace ViewByld() function. Frankly, this helps developers to write codes which are a lot more readable and cleaner.
Making Life Easier
There are an abundance of features present in Kotlin. It not only makes the lives of developers easier but even provides a better overall experience. So, there are certain doubts that might come in your mind. Has time come for the world to replace Java? Are we going to see Java become an obsolete programming language?
Well, the answer would be no. The community of Android app programming developers believes that the future of the two programming languages lies in growing together. It isn’t about one supplanting the other. Just check the present day scenario. It is true that Kotlin has a huge number of followers and users like Google. But it isn’t the perfect one and simply lags behind in certain areas compared to Java. It all depends on which stage your project is and the experience level your developers have.
Which is the best programming language for making Android apps?
Following are the best programming languages used for Android development –
1) Kotlin – Kotlin is the most recently introduced Android language and the secondary official Java language. This is similar to Java, but in many ways, a little easier to get your head around.
2) Java – This is the official language for Android development supported by Android Studio. It has a steep learning curve.
3) PhoneGap (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) – If you already know how to build interactive web pages, then you can use this knowledge with PhoneGap to build a more basic cross-platform app.
4) BASIC – A bonus option is to learn BASIC and try the B4S IDE from Anywhere Software. This is an easy but also really powerful tool, though definitely much more niche!
5) C# — C# is a slightly more beginner-friendly alternative to C or C++ that obfuscates more code. It’s supported by some very handy tools like Unity and Xamarin, which are great for game development and cross-platform development.
6) C/C++ — Android Studio supports C++ with the use of the Java NDK. This allows for native coding, which can be handy for things like games. C++ is more complicated, though.
7) Corona/LUA – Another cross-platform tool build on LUA, it massively simplifies the app-building process and allows you to call native libraries.
Is Kotlin better than Java?
What language is Kotlin written in?
Can I use Kotlin for web development?
What is Kotlin good for?
Kotlin is good for businesses and android development. For businesses, it is the confidence that is built-up on Kotlin as Google offically supporting this language. This support will widen the Android app development ecosystem that will provide enhanced technical support and other capabilities to the businesses.
