Table of contents
1.
Introduction
2.
What is Kotlin?
3.
Why should you learn Kotlin?
4.
 Advantages of Kotlin
4.1.
Performance
4.2.
Easy to learn
4.3.
Interoperability
4.4.
Free of cost
5.
 Disadvantages of Kotlin
5.1.
No Static Declaration
5.2.
Namespace declaration
6.
Official Kotlin Documentation
7.
Frequently Asked Questions
7.1.
What kind of development can be done using Kotlin?
7.2.
What is null safety in Kotlin?
7.3.
Can we use the "new" keyword in the Kotlin programming language?
8.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024

Getting Started with Kotlin

Author Vasu Bansal
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Introduction

This blog will introduce you to a famous programming language named Kotlin. It is an open-source programming language like Python, Javascript, etc. This language is commonly used for Android Development by developers. 

 

We will introduce the key features of Kotlin and discuss the various advantages and disadvantages associated with it.

What is Kotlin?

Kotlin is a programming language designed by JetBrains and released in 2016. It was developed under the Apache 2.0 license, and the source code is available on GitHub. Kotlin is a statically typed high-level language that combines Functional Programming and Object-Oriented Programming (OOPs). Kotlin runs on Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which is a runtime engine of Java Platform. 
 

Kotlin is influenced by other famous programming languages such as JavaScript, Java, Scala, and C#. Kotlin is internally reliant on the existing Java Class library to produce beautiful results for the programmers, although their syntaxes may differ at places. At the time when this blog was written, the latest Kotlin released version was 1.6.10. The version may upgrade to a higher version if you are reading this blog in the future.

Why should you learn Kotlin?

Kotlin is getting highly popular among all levels of developers/programmers due to its superior infrastructure. Almost all the tech giants of the modern era are using this language in some of their projects. Kotlin works on nearly all the available operating systems like Windows, Linux, Mac, etc. Following are some areas where Kotlin is used presently: 

  • Web and Android Application Development.
  • Cross-platform Mobile applications
  • Server and Client-Side Applications
  • Desktop Application Development

 Advantages of Kotlin

Just like any other language, Kotlin also has a lot of advantages associated with it. Some of them are listed as follows:

Performance

Kotlin gives high performance and small runtime for applications written in it. The size of a Kotlin application is also quite small compared to other languages used for Android development.

Easy to learn

Kotlin is a very easy to learn language. It supports object-oriented and functional programming constructs. Kotlin’s syntax has a high resemblance to Java, thus become especially easy for Java developers to learn this language. Kotlin also reduces a lot of boiler-plate code, which is generally used in other programming languages.

Interoperability

Interoperability refers to a computerized system's basic capacity to connect and communicate with other computerized systems, indifferent to the fact that different manufacturers created them from various industries. Kotlin is a smart language and builds interoperable applications in a less complex manner.

Free of cost

Kotlin, including its compiler, libraries, and other tools, is entirely free and open source. They are free and available for use on Github. Anyone can start building their applications without paying any fees. Kotlin has been recognized as the first official language of Android Application Development.

 Disadvantages of Kotlin

Following are some of the drawbacks of using Kotlin:

No Static Declaration

Unlike Java, the lack of a static handling modifier in Kotlin might present certain issues for traditional Java developers.

Namespace declaration

Developers can declare the functions at the top of their program in Kotlin. However, it's difficult to tell which function is being called when the same function is declared in multiple places across your program.

Official Kotlin Documentation

To learn this language in more detail, you can see the official documentation of Kotlin at this link. The official documentation is one of the best ways to learn about a language. It covers everything starting from the basic syntax and the hello world program of the language and going to the advanced topics of that language.

Must Read Elvis Operator Kotlin

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of development can be done using Kotlin?


Kotlin is a programming language that may be used for server-side, client-side web, and Android development.
 

What is null safety in Kotlin?


Null safety in Kotlin is a procedure for removing the risk of a null reference in the code. If any null argument is supplied without any additional statements being passed, the Kotlin compiler immediately throws NullPointerException.
 

Can we use the "new" keyword in the Kotlin programming language?


There is no new keyword in Kotlin. Call the constructor like any other method to generate a class instance.

Conclusion

Cheers if you reached here!! The purpose of this article was to introduce you to the Kotlin programming language, give some motivation to learn Kotlin, and understand the various advantages and disadvantages of programming in Kotlin.

Yet learning never stops, and there is a lot more to learn. So head over to our Android Development Course on the Coding Ninjas Website to dive deep into Android Development and build the applications of the future. Till then, Happy Learning!!

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