Kotlin vs Java for Android App Development

Sometimes, developing an android app isn’t as much a challenge as picking the best programming language for that matter, is. There’s a perpetual debate that goes around Kotlin vs Java, and Android app developers often find themselves in turmoil when choosing the best between the two. While some tag Java as an ideal choice for Android app development, some believe the more recent Kotlin has an upper hand.

Is Kotlin better than Java or does Java has an edge over Kotlin? If you are in the same dilemma, do not worry. Today, we will try our best to clear up this confusion around Java vs Kotlin so that you can decide which one suits your project requirements the most. We will walk you through both Kotlin and Java, their advantages and disadvantages, and explain which one you should prefer in which case for android app development. Let’s begin with Java.

Java

Developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems which was later acquired by Oracle, Java is a powerful, object-oriented programming language that served as the best programming language to develop android applications for years, even today. It’s the most widely used language as it possesses capabilities beyond just app development. Java is a general-purpose programming language that follows the write once, run anywhere methodology which means that the compiled Java code can be run across platforms (that are Java compatible) without requiring a recompilation.

Advantages of Java

1. Java has a very straightforward syntax, and thus is easy to write, learn, understand, maintain, and debug.

2. Java comprises a huge array of third-party libraries.

3. Java is multi-platform- it can run on all platforms for which there exists a JVM.

4. Java is robust, easy-to-use, and secure language.

5. Being object-oriented, Java allows developers to create modular programs and reusable code.

6. Java is platform-independent.

Disadvantages of Java

1. Java requires a lot of coding.

2. Java consumes ample system memory and thus is on a slightly slower side.

3. Java lacks support for low-level programming constructs like pointers.

4. No control over garbage collection.

5. Java, at times, causes problems with Android API design.

Kotlin

Kotlin is a modern android app development language developed by Jetbrains. It is a cross-platform, statically-typed, general-purpose programming language with type interference, and is entirely interoperable with Java. Kotlin can be called an enhanced version of Java with a multitude of new features. In fact, Google announced Kotlin as its preferred language for android app development in 2019. Based on JVM, Kotlin combines objected-oriented and functional programming features.

Advantages of Kotlin

1. Apps built with Kotlin are smaller in size as compared to Java.

2. Kotlin is more concise and expressive than Java, and thus is less susceptible to errors.

3. Kotlin involves writing lesser and safer code.

4. Kotlin detects errors at compile time and not runtime. Also reduces runtime errors.

5. Kotlin provides easy access to Java libraries.

6. Kotlin is safe against NullPointerException.

Disadvantages of Kotlin

1. Since Kotlin is new, the community of developers isn’t as strong as its counterparts though it’s growing each day.

2. The compilation speed is slower than Java.

3. Kotlin has fewer libraries.

Kotlin vs Java: Comparison

Java vs Kotlin for Android: Some Factors to Consider

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of Kotlin and Java, and also did a comparison overview, let’s now check in detail what factors can influence your choice between these two android programming languages.

1. NullPointerException

A key difference between Kotlin and Java revolves around NullPointerException, also known as the Billion Dollar Mistake. This has been one of the major drawbacks associated with Java. With Kotlin, this has been addressed, and handling NPEs has become much easier. Kotlin tries to handle NPEs at compile time instead of runtime. It addresses this issue by incorporating null, right in its type system.

2. Extension Functions

This is an important point to consider when choosing between Kotlin and Java. The former allows developers to add more functionality to the existing classes without having to inherit them. This can be achieved through the extensions feature.

3. Functional Programming

As we pointed out earlier in the comparison chart, Kotlin combines features of both object-oriented and functional programming while Java is restricted to only the former. Kotlin comprises plenty of useful methods including but not limited to lambda expressions, higher-order functions, operator overloading, and lazy loading.

The Bottom Line

Considering all the points, Kotlin seems a clear winner in this Kotlin vs Java debate. Java has more downsides while Kotlin being a modern language is more refined and thus has more upsides. As developers become more familiar with the latter, the adoption rate of Kotlin is likely to go higher in the coming years. Moreover, the interoperability of Kotlin with Java also makes it a preferred choice for Android app development. Not taking away anything from the superiority of Java over the years, but Kotlin brings much more advancements. It’s the future language for app development companies.

This doesn’t mean that Java is dead or Kotlin has completely replaced Java.  Both are good in their own ways and cater to different project requirements. At last, it’s up to you to decide which benefits you the most.

What’s your take on Java vs Kotlin?