Kotlin vs Java: It’s Time to Extend Android Development

Posted by Konstant Infosolutions on March 27th, 2020

We all are well aware of the fact that Java has been reigning the world for a programming language for long. But when Google announced Kotlin as the official programming language for Android App development, the programmers get into a dilemma, whether they should learn Kotlin or Java.

If you are a beginner, who is new in Android app development, you must go for Java. But if you are already a Java developer and want to do something new in Android development, go for Kotlin. Java has ruled for 20 years and still in use, but being the latest language; Kotlin is robust, statically typed, and much less verbose than Java.

Thus, choosing the one for your next application development is going to be tough because Java has its own place, which is hard to compete. So which language should you choose to learn? The answer depends upon the advantages and disadvantages of the language and your ultimate requirement.

Now, let’s talk about both Java and Kotlin in detail so that you can get more understanding of languages and usage.

A brief idea about Java

For Android app development, Java is a favourite language for many developers because Android itself written in Java.

Java is object-oriented programming developed by the Sun Microsystems and currently owned by Oracle. It has been around 20 years old programming language and still popular among developers. This is the reason it does a lot more than just developing an Android app. It also considered a go-to programming language for larger enterprises. It is the foremost choice of all kinds of enterprise-level application development due to features like interoperability and flexibility.

A brief idea about Kotlin

Kotlin is an open-source, statically typed programming language developed by the JetBrains developers. The primary purpose of designing the language was to append additional features to the existing programming language Java. But later in 2018, it announced as an official programming language by Google for Android app development. Kotlin is based on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and can also compile on to the JavaScript or native to build code so that the app show compatibility with iOS. You need to install the Kotlin Plugin and let it configure your project.

Pros and Cons of Java

Pros of Java

• It is easy to learn and understand.
• It works efficiently with native apps and cross-platform apps.
• Java is lighter and compact that delivers faster app experience.
• It provides a feasible coding in less time.
• It ensures the reusability of codes.
• Android is written in Java. Thus, it offers plenty of Java libraries for your convenience.

Cons of Java

• In Java, you need to write more code that results in heavy and increases the possibility of errors. It has some inheritance limitations that create a problem in the Android API design.
• It requires more memory and spaces, hence it tends to be slower than other languages.

Pros and Cons of Kotlin

Pros of Kotlin

• It is faster to write. If you use 50 lines of code in Java, then in Kotlin, you can do it only in 1-2 lines.
• It builds clean APIs.
• You can use Java libraries and frameworks in Kotlin.
• Due to the bytecode of Java, transforming codes from Java to Kotlin is hassle-free.
• Kotlin has a null in its system, which is not in Java.

Cons of Kotlin

• A deep and syntax specific learning is required for the language.
• The language is still in a growing phase. Thus, it is hard to get the desired solution.
• Kotlin developers are very less in quantity and also inexperienced.
• In comparison with Java, features like auto-complete and compilation (features of Android Studio) tend to run slower in Kotlin.

The Final Conclusion

Both Java and Kotlin have their advantages and disadvantages. But you need to think about your requirements first. Also, you need to remember that choosing the new language to build an Android app is not always that much exciting as it feels. It is because of less experience and less community support. So, you must be familiar with the opted language and evaluate all the pros and cons of your developer’s team.

With the above discussion, you get an idea about what each language is. So, it is your own choice to choose Kotlin vs Java.