Considering the fact that Java has been ruling the Android world for decades, the presence of other languages did not pose a significant impact on the existence of Java.
However, after the preview of Android Studio 3.0, Google has acknowledged Kotlin as one of the emerging languages in the domain of Android app development.
Though Google I/O regarded Kotlin as the second official language for development of Android apps, it would not be strange go predict Kotlin overpowering Java in near future. Post the above announcement, Android app development companies started looking for Java alternatives and delve into specs of both Java development and Kotlin Development.
Needless to state that notifying Kotlin as the alternative to Java gave birth to a plethora of buzz and rumors and compelling app developers to dive deep into studying both the languages.
Enveloping all the debates related to Kotlin vs Java, here we strive to see what exactly these two languages are, their respective plus and minus and lastly commenting on terms Kotlin might be the next language for Android app development and of course superior to Java.
Kotlin - What Is It?
Kotlin a project by the JetBrains aim to add modern features to the existing official language Java making it more handy for development of mobile application. Predominantly, Kotlin is a programming language being typed statistically and compatible with both JVM and JavaScript. Features added by the geeks at JetBrains enhance the interoperability along with the code integrity.
Developers thought of leveraging the performance of apps developed along with improving the experience of coding and hence added functional features to Java. Owing to the fact that Kotlin is both Functional programming and Object-oriented, it effectively incorporates the function of both forms of programming. This eases the task of developers when they need high order functions.
And to your comfort, Kotlin is simply a fusion of known languages, Java and Objective C, so you would not find it hard to embrace Kotlin. Kotlin has improved syntax, expression and varied abstraction that makes coding a better job.
Pros & Cons of Java Development
Undoubtedly Java is the voice of Android app development company. Owing to the fact that Android itself is Java-based, mobile app development companies have always preferred Java over any other language. Twenty years and still counting, Java has a long way to go.
It becomes imperative to see why Java is deemed to be the first official language for Android app development
Benefits:
- Easy to grasp and learn
- Write once, run everywhere. Java is the topmost flexible language. It offers developers the ease to reuse code and run on multiple operating systems.
- Compatibility with cross-platform app development
- Android itself is Java reliant.
- Java has a faster process buildup as compared to Kotlin.
- Java has a Gradle oriented accelerated assembly and hence reduces overheads while developing large projects.
- Java comprises of an ecosystem that is largely open source owing to the adoption of JVM by Google for Android.
- When compared to Kotlin, Java apps are predominantly compact and way too light. This is justified by the fact that Kotlin Development induces complex structures that reduce its overall performance.
Drawbacks:
Though Java owns a pool of benefits, yet it has some loopholes that leave a way for other languages to delve into providing a better coding experience. Few of these includes:
- Being verbose, Java Development has more requirements for drafting code and this accounts for bugs as well as errors.
- Comparatively slow and necessitate the need for extensive memory.
- Limitations, as posed by Java, lead to problems API design of Android.
Pros & Cons of Kotlin Development
As of now, you might be well versed and determined to go for Java development. But wait, hold on. Before you incline yourself, take a look at what Kotlin Development has in-store for you.
Benefits:
- Concise
Many Android App Development Company considers Kotlin Development having brevity. Though readability has it's placed above precision, yet Kotlin has concision which Java Development lacks. Also, the nature of Kotlin reduces development overheads and is a boon for all mobile app development companies. Where a Java code needs 10 lines of code for calculator function, Kotlin needs half. Additionally, Kotlin Development does not compromise on comprehension while attaining brevity. - Interoperability
Kotlin has this extensive aim of exchanging information and seek to attain maxim interoperability. Right from the start phase, Kotlin developers focus on leveraging performance by improving the existing knowledge and further induce features turning Kotlin the prime choice for all Android app development company. Simple modules drafted on Kotlin function seamlessly on Java codes. Further, Kotlin compiler eliminates bytecode and hence fuses two languages in the same project.
- Has an internal null safety
One of the most crucial drawbacks, Java witnesses is NullPointerException. Well, don't worry, mobile app development company now shift to Kotlin Development. This is because Kotlin has an inbuilt safety for Null. Android is Null reliant, however, the same can lead to app destruction. Kotlin has reduced this error with its inherent null safety. Alternatively, developers cut a lot of time and efforts.
Apart from the above-stated benefits, Kotlin has a plethora of advantages that compel Android app development company to give it a thought.
- Kotlin eliminates the induction of raw data types and leads to a better code.
- Kotlin does not own place for ClassCastException minimizing verbosity and leveraging safety of code.
- Has smart extended functions to enable developers to build better APIs.
- It is too easy to switch from Java to Kotlin and all you need to do is install its plugin.
Drawbacks:
- Kotlin induces complex structures and hence the overall speed reduces.
- It is hard to find Kotlin developers.
- Kotlin auto-complete features are less effective as compared to the performance of Java projects.
- Kotlin has a limited community and so if you are stuck by a bug, you need to take the pain to decode it all by yourself.
Why Google Supports Kotlin Development
High chances that your determination to choose Java has mingled a little and you are somewhere debating in your mind whether to choose Java or Kotlin for developing your next mobile app. Well, you can carry on with all you are doing, just to give you the information that Google has supported Kotlin to be the best programming language for Android.
Astonished?
You should be!
Just give me a moment and I would show you why Google has taken such a step!
- Kotlin’s Modernity
True that Java has overpowered the minds of all android app development company but sometimes it might so happen that app developers probe themselves thinking if Java is the only option for Android app development. So, no Java is not the only option and here are have Kotlin loaded with modern features. Lambda functions, nulla system, method reference along with a lot more that betters the productivity and performance.
- 100% interoperability
Kotlin and java both are extremely interoperable. At no point in time, will the developer code more in Java or less in Kotlin. They are totally equal and work altogether. Further a tool AS that promptly help convert Java to Kotlin and this helps you get a look of how Java turns to Kotlin look like.
- Open Source
Java has been into functioning since long and won a huge developer base. Additionally, it is compact and not available on GitHub as open source. Kotlin, on the other hand, is the sole project of JetBrains and available on open source GitHub, so developers and other software geeks can have a glimpse at it.
Further, Kotlin is totally native and is a success for the team of JetBrains. It helps developers run Kotlin code on multiple platforms eliminating the need of JVM and hence improving the overall performance of the app. So this simply suggests that learning one language and effectively run it across multiple platforms.
Kotlin 2019 Outlook
Having said all above, it is now totally your call as to which language you want to choose. Both have its own set of advantages and disadvantage. As a beginner, it might seem quite challenging however you could expose your skills with the modern feature based Kotlin.
Considering the fact that multiple brands as Amazon, Netflix, Uber, and Trello have joined hands with Kotlin with added support from JetBrains and Google, it would not surprise to see Kotlin development grow exponentially in the coming year. With the write once run everywhere protocol, Kotlin is soon expected to surpass Java and be the best programming language being easy to grasp. Well, how Android app development company, benefit from Kotlin is what we would look forward to in 2019.
