Since Google announced official support for this language, many businesses have opted for Kotlin for the Android app development services they offer. In addition, many developers are switching from Java to Kotlin, and apps are being rewritten. If you are considering hiring app developers for your latest Android app development project, ensure they are well-versed in Kotlin.
Kotlin is giving tough competition. Kotlin is an open-source, pragmatic, and multipurpose programming language that Google chose to use for Android app development. This indicates that Kotlin has a bright future for Android app development. Below, we have discussed some top advantages of Kotlin in the Android app.
Top Advantages of Kotlin in Android App Development Services
Companies are adopting Kotlin for their Android app development projects for all the right reasons. It is a supported language that can help write Android application programs. Now is the right time to transition to Kotlin, as it will benefit the organization. Here are some of the advantages of Kotlin in Android app development services.
Conciseness
Conciseness is one of the top advantages Kotlin offers and why developers prefer it over Java in Android app development projects. Java is repetitive in comparison to Kotlin. The less code ensures there are fewer chances of errors. And it also implies faster app development.
Open-source
JetBrains, the developer of Kotlin, announced the programming language as an open-source project in 2012. Kotlin open-source has extensive support from a vast community of developers. So a developer can expect high-quality development and take help from the Kotlin slack team whenever they need anything.
Easy to learn
Kotlin is much easier to learn, like any other Java-compatible programming language. The code is easy to understand by someone new to the language, as it does not have any boilerplate code like Java. The Kotlin program is much similar to reading English sentences, which makes it easier to understand for even non-technical people. Moreover, as it does not contain any programming conventions like semicolons or curly braces, coding with Kotlin is much faster.
Reliable
The story behind Kotlin’s invention is interesting. JetBrains, the company that developed Koltin, has specific requirements from a programming language they wanted to use for themselves. And they arrived at the solutions as Kotlin. Moreover, the language offers practical value for its parent company, which uses it for its line of products. This motivates them for further development, and with Google’s support, currently, two companies are working towards its development.
JetBrain has put significant efforts into the initial idea of the language and made considerable improvements for the language’s future success. JetBrain is committed towards the future development of Kotlin. And this is obvious through various features they have built, like Kotlin Android Extension, Anko Libraries, Constant library size optimization, and build time optimization.
Mature language
Though Kotlin was developed in 2011, it finally saw its first official release in 2016. Throughout this time, it went through several alpha and beta improvements. This means that Kotlin was already used in several projects before its release. As a result, the language is practical, with proven features from various other programming languages. Moreover, it has world-class IDE support, which allows it to use many Java features.
Offer a natural way to build Android apps
Kotlin is a simple yet relatively powerful language compared to many other programming languages. Java is notorious for some rigid issues, while Scala is dense with slow compilation time. The libraries needed for Android app development using Kotlin are small, lightweight, and do not increase method count much.
Faster for Android app development
Kotlin’s integration with Android Studio makes it faster. You can quickly set up a fully functional Kotlin project in less than 10 minutes. Android 2.3 needs a plugin to integrate with Kotlin, but Android 3.0 integrates. Kotlin can work from an IDE like Java and debug without hassle. All these features work well with many other things that Java can do.
Safer than Java
Kotlin is a much safer option than Java. One of the top problems with Java lies in its design, which leads to extra work. Hence it takes more time, effort, and expense to develop Android applications using Java. Specifically, the null pointer is the most error-prone concept in Java. Bug manager deals with 90% of the problems associated with null pointers.
As opposed, Null pointers do not exist unless otherwise stated. No variable can be set to null by default in Kotlin. If a developer wants to put a variable that accepts Null, he must mark the type with ‘?’. The compiler will compel the developer to check null before doing anything with the variable. Hence the Null Pointer Exception does not occur in Kotlin.
Why businesses choose Kotlin
For a business, shifting to a new tool is a well-thought decision. Any new tool being deployed aims to solve any existing problem more straightforwardly and better. Recently, many businesses have shown their support towards Kotlin for Android app development services. The most common reasons are:
Google’s support
Google officially supports that language, which widens the Android app development ecosystem and offers the company enhanced technical support and capabilities. Moreover, it also means more knowledge sharing across the Android app developers’ community.
Easy migration
Kotlin makes migration easier, making the whole process seamless for everyone. In addition, Kotlin eases learning and removes any barriers to adoption.
Lower development & maintenance cost
Kotlin has become capable of the future in the Android app development ecosystem. The lower development and maintenance cost in Android app development using Kotlin is a big plus for every business. In addition, the language is packed with many features. It offers brevity that ensures high quality with a faster turnaround time.
So these are some of the benefits of Kotlin for Android app development and why businesses choose it over Java. If you want to hire an app developer for your upcoming android app development project. Then ensure your potential tech partner has good skills in Android technology.
