Kotlin is a general-purpose programming language that is known for its reliability as well as features like open source, statically typed and practical language for programming. It was published in the year 2011 by JetBrains, and it functions well on different platforms, such as Android, macOS, Linux, Windows, CentOS and more. It was mainly designed for Java Virtual Machine (JVM). It also happens to be object-oriented and is completely interoperable with Java, Java libraries and Android. The native code implementations of the Kotlin programming language are now in use.
Kotlin has been dubbed as one of the most preferred languages for developing mobile applications, according to a Google Survey.
The Role and its Use
- Kotlin’s safety features reduce app bugs.
- It ensures that variables cannot be null and get discovered before production.
- Kotlin is mostly used for developing mobile applications for android, now expanding to other platforms too.
- It can run on any platform that supports JVM.
- Kotlin provides front-end programming.
- Companies that use this programming language: Pinterest, Google, Zomato, Bascamp, Netflix, AirBnb, etc.
How long will it take to learn it?
Kotlin is interoperable with Java and Java is interoperable with Kotlin. That being said, if you know how to program in Java, learning Kotlin might take approximately 2-3 weeks, only if you have a sound base in Java concepts. It is important to learn Java and understand it before you jump to Kotlin.
Otherwise, for a complete newbie, it might take about 1-2 months to understand it, given they have knowledge in any programming language and understand OOP concepts.
Is it hard to learn it?
It is easy to learn! For people having experience in the development environment, it will be quick and smooth. The syntax and structure are very simple to understand. It is the go-to for Android application development.
You can develop Android applications by exclusively using Kotlin, no further addition. It is a versatile programming language and some developers believe that it is better than Java in certain aspects.
How useful is the language?
It boosts productivity by making debugging easy for both a novice, as
well as a seasoned engineer. Here are some features where the programming language is useful and makes the coder’s job smooth:
1. Mobile Apps
The language simplifies Java’s syntax and reduces boilerplate. It can directly use Java libraries, so you can swap source code languages to get the most of both of them. Libraries not written in the language can be utilized directly via Java byte code, and its capabilities can simplify application business logic.
2. Frontend-building
Kotlin can be transpiled to JavaScript, allowing web-browser apps. This is possible with
Kotlin/JS. It has a Kotlin plugin interface which, then simplifies the projects that build
JavaScript front-end apps.
3. Gradle plugin-writing
A Gradle plugin describes part of your build logic, or how your Gradle-based project is built into
an executable. Gradle plugins can be created in any JVM-bytecode-compiling language. This is one of its best features.
Conclusion
The mature ecosystem of the language and numerous phases before its first release have made it bug-free. IDE plugins function smoothly. Many alpha and beta projects used it. Learning it will not be a task because the apps built on it require fewer libraries. The syntax is very easy to understand and remember. A lot of Google developers use Kotlin and newbie computer engineers have shown keen interest in it. This makes it a prominent choice of language among modern coders. So, in short, it will not take you long to learn it. You’ll enjoy learning it because it is fun and purely application based. Happy coding!
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