Many of Android developers are still in confusion about the new idea, why to choose Kotlin over Java for android app development? If you don’t know the differences between Kotlin vs Java, then Herein we have compared both the programming languages based on their advantages and disadvantages, so you can choose wisely better one for your Android development.
What is Kotlin?
Kotlin is the latest JVM programming language from the JetBrains. Google has made it the official language for Android Development along with Java. Developers say it addresses the issues faced in Java programming.
Advantages of Kotlin
- Kotlin includes smart extension functions to help developers build clean APIs.
- It has null in its type system. Nullability problems are a common pain point in Java. Since Android often uses null to represent the absence of a value. Kotlin solves it by placing null directly in its type system.
- Kotlin is more concise than Java. It means fewer opportunities for errors.
- Kotlin is compatible with all Java libraries and frameworks, the JVM (Java Virtual Machine) and can be integrated with Gradle or Maven build systems.
- It is easier to switch from Java to Kotlin.
- Adopting Kotlin does not cost anything.
Disadvantages of Kotlin
- It has a smaller developer community. This means limited learning resources and difficulty in finding answers to questions.
- Experienced Kotlin developers are still a rarity. So, finding a mentor for your team might be tricky.
- The Android Studio’s auto-complete and compilation inclines to run slower in comparison to pure Java project.
- Slower compilation speed than Java. Although, Kotlin was shown to beat Java.
What is Java?
Java is a widely-used programming language and is designed for the distributed environment of the internet. It is a general-purpose programming language that is concurrent, class-based, and object-oriented. It is free to access and we can run it on all the platforms. Java follows the principle of WORA (Write Once, Run Anywhere), and is platform-independent. It is also simple and easy to learn.
Advantages of Java
- Java apps are more compact as compared to Kotlin. Java apps tend to be lighter.
- Java possesses a faster build process than Kotlin.
- A good choice for cross-platform apps
- Java has a large open-source ecosystem
- Easy to learn, understand & flexible
Disadvantages of Java
- Java comes with limitations such as it causes problems with Android API design.
- Being a verbose language, Java requires writing more code as it carries a higher risk of bugs and errors.
- This programming language is slower in comparison to many other languages since it requires a lot of memory.
Other Resources you may like read it
Here we’re sharing some recently published documents(in PPT, PDF or Video format) that are relevant to this topic and which you may like to read it.
[PDF] Kotlin vs Java
[PPT] Kotlin vs. Java: Which Language Would You Choose For Android App Development?
[Video] Kotlin vs Java – Which is the best option for Android app development?
[Blog Post] Kotlin vs Java
[Blog Post] Java vs Kotlin – Compare the difference between Java and Kotlin
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