How Does Kotlin Improve The Android App Development Process?

Kotlin has come out as a great alternative to Java for Android app development. In fact, in 2019, Google itself announced Kotlin as the preferred programming language for Android app developers. Year by year, the growth rate of Kotlin is inclining with more and more Android developers learning and shifting to the now official Android programming language.

Stats suggest that more than 50% of the Android app developers leverage Kotlin to develop Android applications. It is one of the fastest-growing and most loved programming languages around the world.

Kotlin is a modern language and caters to the present-day requirements which its predecessor Java lacked. The former is an enhanced version of the latter and thus makes Android app development relatively faster.

Kotlin comes with a multitude of amazing features. Let’s take a look at those features and see how they play their role in improving the android app development process and why it is the perfect language for that matter.

Kotlin features that make it a go-to option for Android development

If you are wondering why you should choose Kotlin over its counterparts and how does it help in android app development, here’s why and how it does so.

1. Interoperability with Java

For the amateurs to understand, Interoperability refers to the exchange of information between programming languages. Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java, which means that whenever a Java and Kotlin file coexists, they can share data with each other, that too very smoothly. This particular feature especially has persuaded Java developers to learn and migrate to Kotlin.

Kotlin runs on JVM and supports the Java tools and library, thereby offering 100% interoperability. This makes it easier for Android developers to compile one Android project in both languages. This also allows them to be more productive in their work as they can switch between languages without having to re-write the code.

2. Lazy-loading

The lazy-loading feature in Kotlin accelerates the startup speed. To put it in a different way, it significantly reduces the startup time so that the app’s content can be displayed faster. This is very crucial from the android app development perspective as slow loading can be a major turnoff. With lazy loading, developers can allow only necessary resources to be loaded in the main memory, while keeping the less important ones down the page.

3. Less Code

Kotlin requires writing lesser code as compared to the other programming languages used for Android application development. This is one of the main pros of Kotlin as it saves app developers from tiresome code and endless debugging. So, next time you hire an android app developer, hire the one who possesses more Kotlin expertise than Java.

Kotlin also has a simple and easy-to-understand syntax. The code is more readable, and amateurs can very easily get hands-on experience with this programming language.

4. No Null Pointer Exception

One of the most common reasons behind an app getting crashed is the null pointer exception. This has always been a drawback associated with Java, and it takes some time and effort to eliminate this error from the application.

Kotlin tackles this challenge exceptionally well by offering protection at the time of compilation. This prevents the app from getting crashed, and is the reason why it is considered relatively safe and reliable.

5. Data Classes

A data class in Java contains a lot of boilerplate code, which doesn’t come of any use for the majority of the operations. To first understand what a data class is, it is a class that only comprises a state and doesn’t perform any operation. Java developers, in order to identify the real use of a class, have to skip this boilerplate code.

With Kotlin, you can write the same level of code with fewer lines, thereby reducing time and complexity.

6. Collection Filtering

Developers quite often have to deal with collection while working with an API. A collection could contain numerous objects, and filtering makes it possible to deliver what’s required. Developers need to manage the collection while developing code for APIs. Using Kotlin, app developers can make use of the collection filtering, which makes it easy to decide what a resulting list must contain.

7. Extension Function

During android app development, a developer needs to edit the code several times. But the extension function of Kotlin offers developers the flexibility to add methods to classes without having to make any changes in the source code. Similar to Scala’s implicit methods, you can add methods on a per-user basis to classes in Kotlin too. What’s more is that the Kotlin extension function avoids the need for utility methods or classes, which helps improve the code readability significantly.

8. Capable IDE and Tooling Support

Kotlin is developed by JetBrains, which specializes in developing the best IDEs in the world. IDE support solves the critical favourability issue of a programming language. To start with Kotlin, one needs to install the related plug-in. The programming language offers support for all features of Android studio. You can even mix the features and codes of Kotlin and Java.

Kotlin is the only language to provide IDE support. It is preferred by Android developers because it offers better quality when it comes to converting Java files to Kotlin, that too in a jiff.

Final Thoughts

There are many other reasons why you can consider Kotlin for your next Android app development project. It is an open-source, free-to-use programming language leveraged by some of the big names in the market. Popular brands like Netflix, Tinder, Pinterest, and Uber have used Kotlin for their Android app. Although this is a relatively new language, its community has been continuously growing ever since it was launched. With a number of new and amazing features, Kotlin should surely be on your priority list to develop an android app.

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