Why You Should Switch to Kotlin from Java to Develop Android Apps?

All the new Android developers see Java as the ideal option because of many reasons given it is age-old language, there are a lot of resources when it comes to java and also it’s comfort levels are pretty high. But the time has come, we invite a change. The change is Kotlin. 

At Google I/O 2017, Google introduced Kotlin’s support on Android Applications, and ever since then, a majority of apps have been thinking to migrate their source code to Kotlin and a lot of open-source apps have been asking their contributors to code in Kotlin. But why has this sudden urge come to code only in Kotlin? There are many advantages to Kotlin compared to Java. Let’s see below:

1. The lines of code are less in Kotlin

When it comes to Kotlin, the number of lines of code is hugely less which saves not only time but also, in turn, the weight(APK size) of the app and gives you a light-weight app.

2. Java is error-prone

Java has the popular “NullPointerException” which prevents many apps from implementing their features. NullPointer exception is also called the famous “Billion Dollar Mistake” as since the day this was introduced, many apps have been facing this and it is so much which hasn’t got it even once during it’s development process which leads to endless try-catch blocks looping unnecessarily. Kotlin prevents this on a large-scale.

3. Clean code and safer code

Since the number of lines of code in Kotlin is less, it is less vulnerable to get errors. Kotlin language allows lesser errors and prevents common programming mistakes which saves a lot of time of developers debugging.

4.  Increased productivity

The fewer lines of code undoubtedly increase your productivity and help you to build one or more features at that time of writing the code. Kotlin has a lot of other powerful features that will increase your productivity like parameter values, indentation, etc.

5.  Completely Interoperable

Interoperability means the ability to exchange or convert and Kotlin can exactly do that. To use Kotlin, you need not convert your entire project to Kotlin but can have your Java code and code in Kotlin side-by-side. If you wish, you can then convert your Java code into Kotlin later on. By doing so, you need not worry about the development process getting disturbed. The existing features will still be the same.

6. It can be used for Server-side, Web development, Native development, etc.

Apart from Android, Kotlin can be used for many purposes like Server-side implementation such as JVM(Java Virtual Machine) along with other server-side languages, UI Frameworks, Web development for client-side coding, the native language for the development of native apps, etc.

7. Compatible by many IDEs 

Kotlin is supported by many IDEs like Android Studio, IntelliJ, Eclipse, Netbeans, Visual Studio Code, and even your command line. This makes it work on a large level without the extra pressure to download or install it, which is a pain

8. Smart Language/ Compiler

A compiler can be a boon to a lot of developers as it helps to detect a lot of errors in compile-time and not in run time. Kotlin was developed in the very idea to process a good compiler which will help in many ways like reducing the number of errors, detecting errors at compile-time and control the run time errors and produce a bug-free environment.