Kotlin for Android: 10 Benefits You Didn't Know

Kotlin has quickly become one of the most sought-after languages for Android developers, and this popularity isn’t without merit. Many developers have already experienced the benefits of Kotlin, but you might be surprised to learn just how many there are in total!

Kotlin is a statically-typed programming language designed by JetBrains, the same folks behind the widely used Java IDE IntelliJ IDEA. Now it’s becoming more widely used in Android app development because of its numerous benefits, such as null safety, tool-less code generation, extension functions, and many more.

Read on to learn more about 10 benefits of Kotlin that you probably haven’t heard before.

1. Kotlin Makes The Code Readable and Efficient

Kotlin makes Android app development easier, more intuitive and a lot more efficient. With Kotlin, you get a better understanding of your code and increased confidence in its performance. But there’s another great thing about Kotlin—it makes your code significantly more readable than it was before.

It makes it clear that you are working with data rather than processing instructions and improves readability by curtailing syntactical noise. While Java uses verbose syntax to declare variables, Kotlin lets you specify types directly with less punctuation so that you can focus on what matters most: your business logic.

2. Less Coding, Less Errors

One of Kotlin’s biggest selling points is that it makes your code cleaner, and therefore less likely to contain mistakes.

It uses a data class model instead of Java’s verbose object modelIt eliminates boilerplate with default parameters, infix functions, and extension functionsIt allows you to use sensible defaults while retaining type safetyIt lets you create smaller interfaces with delegated propertiesIt gives your IDE more information about your code so it can make smart autocomplete suggestions, detect errors earlier, and do powerful refactoring tasks.

Your day-to-day job just got easier—and that means less time doing menial tasks like fixing bugs or spending hours on repetitive projects.

3. Build in Java and Use Kotlin Where it Makes Sense

If you’re an experienced Java developer, Kotlin is easy to pick up and has several features that are designed specifically with Java in mind. In some cases, it makes sense to build a new app entirely in Kotlin—for example, if you’re developing an app on which source code will be visible.

However, if you’re building an app that needs to be compatible with older versions of Android or other JVM-based technologies (including Java itself), it may make more sense to use Kotlin where it makes development easier while using other programming languages where they are more appropriate.

4. Seamless integration with Android Studio

Kotlin is seamlessly integrated with Android Studio, which makes it easy to use. The language, which was created by JetBrains and open-sourced in 2016, reads much like Java but also comes with an array of handy features.

For example, it lets you write less code while maintaining readability and can be used alongside existing Java files. Its compatibility with Java allows developers to transition their projects over relatively easily, as well.

Although Google officially supports Kotlin as a first-class language on Android in version 1.3 of Android Studio, Kotlin support goes back a few years further than that—in fact, it has been around since 2012 when JetBrains released it as an official plugin for IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse development environments.

5. Option to Create Standalone Libraries

Kotlin is completely interoperable with Java. Kotlin code can run alongside existing Java code, and both codebases can call one another freely. This means you can create standalone libraries from Kotlin projects and include them in other Java projects to speed up your development time while making sure that it still plays well with other languages.

It’s important to note that Kotlin was made by JetBrains, who are best known for their IDE software called IntelliJ IDEA. Having already invested significant resources into building out an ecosystem of support around IntelliJ IDEA, they also wanted to leverage a lot of that investment when they launched Kotlin as a first-class language option on Android!

6. Kotlin Can be Used Alongside Other Languages on the Same Project

Kotlin is a general-purpose programming language that can be used on the JVM or with JavaScript. This means you can use Kotlin as part of your existing Java application, allowing you to reap the benefits without forcing you to rewrite all your code.

However, if your project requires full interoperability between different modules written in multiple languages (i.e., you want everything compiled into one binary), Kotlin can be used alongside other languages on the same project, thanks to it being 100% interoperable with Java or any other JVM language (even Scala).

So, you're not forced to choose a single language for your project but have the freedom to write what is best for each piece of functionality.

7. Much safer than Java

While Java and Kotlin both compile to Java bytecode, Kotlin is much safer than Java. For example, types in Kotlin are much more strongly-typed. In Kotlin, variables must be initialized with a value at the time of declaration; in Java they can remain uninitialized.

Kotlin has stricter nullability checks than Java and allows you to specify nullability up front. If you have an array that contains only non-null values, it’s declared using a safe callout operator instead of unsafe code like in Java.

When working with collections in Kotlin, functions that return a collection or iterator won’t let any elements go out of scope before iterating them all—no more forgetting to .forEach() a list!

8. Compatible with Large Existing Codebases

Kotlin has been designed to be compatible with existing Java codebases, meaning you can use Kotlin and Java together, alongside other JVM languages. Combined with efficient learning curves, these two factors make Kotlin a great option for larger projects that are hesitant to switch from what they already know.

And while Kotlin will never fully replace Java on Android—the community is dedicated to supporting Java in its current capacity—it can stand alongside it as a powerful alternative in large applications. No longer will you need to worry about rewriting all of your existing source code; instead, you can adopt new technologies when and where they make sense.

9. Works Well with Unit Testing Frameworks (JUnit and Mockito)

Kotlin’s ability to work seamlessly with unit testing frameworks is a huge plus. Even though Kotlin is more concise than Java, there are times when writing tests requires more lines of code than developers would like.

Kotlin’s syntax allows you to write clean and elegant tests while having minimal code in your classes. The example below shows how easily tests can be written using JUnit 4 with Mockito and compares it to a similar test written in Java 8 (code courtesy of Ramotion)

10. Kotlin is multi-platform

Kotlin is one of the multi-platform languages and it can run on many platforms, including Android, JVM, and JavaScript. This means that you can use Kotlin to develop iOS or web apps as well as Android applications.

On top of that, your project's codebase will be shared across all platforms, so you’ll save money on hiring developers and have a smaller learning curve. With Kotlin, creating a project and maintaining it becomes easy for developers who are new to a platform or language because of its simple syntax.

Conclusion

So, are you ready to take your app to new heights? If so, Kotlin is waiting and it’s time to see what it can do. Our job as developers is always changing and evolving as technology itself changes and evolves. And one of these days, Google will make Kotlin a standard part of every Android developer’s toolkit.

So, there’s no better time than now to give it a try and explore all that it has to offer! Hire Kotlin developers in India or get in touch with us if you have any questions about working with Kotlin or would like some help getting started using it on your next project. Either way, we hope you enjoy exploring Kotlin for Android development just as much as we have!