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Kotlin vs. Java: A Complete Comparison for Android App Development

by iWeb Services - 07 Sep 2021, Tuesday 223 Views Like (0)
Kotlin vs. Java: A Complete Comparison for Android App Development

Are you thinking of investing in Android mobile application development for your business? Don't think twice. It is an excellent way to boost the performance of your company. However, selecting a programming language for this purpose is an actual challenge. Many of us believe that Java is the greatest programming language for android app development since it is widely used and renowned among the android app development community. However, this confidence apparently seems to be shattering with the introduction of Kotlin in the line of Android mobile app development. Therefore, with this blog, we will compare both Android programming languages and will try to address different common queries around them. Let's get started.


Understanding Java

Java is Android's native language that enables mobile applications to interface with the operating system and runs directly on the hardware. One of the prominent advantages of the Java language is that you can build any type of mobile application using it. Plus, it is practically compatible with all types of machines and operating systems, including Windows, Android, and Linux. You can also use Microservices with Java. Java was created by Sun Microsystems, which is now acquired by Oracle.


Benefits of using Java for Android Mobile Application development

  •  Java offers cross-platform compatibility, which implies that it can run on almost all devices, operating systems, and servers.
  • Java provides strong coding, and its instructions neither cause memory corruption nor lead to data compromise from other OS X apps.
  • Java is an object-oriented language; thus, it simplifies the process of creating modular applications while the reusability of its elements contributes towards its robustness.
  • It is a ready-to-use programming language. Along with it, it also offers ready-to-use third-party code. 
  • On comparing the performance of both Kotlin and Java with other programming languages, Java outweighs others in terms of usage, compiling, debugging, and deployment.
  • Java is an open-source language that provides secure libraries which are managed by reputable firms such as Apache, Google, and others.



Disadvantages of using Java

  • When compared to other languages such as C + or Python, Java's syntax can be a touch difficult or cumbersome.
  • Accessing data on devices or equipment becomes challenging and impossible if they are incompatible with Java.
  •  It is challenging to understand and access the latest improvements in Java regarding mobile app development.
  • Java is also known to interfere with the design of Android APIs on several occasions.
  • For test-driven development, Java codes tend to be lengthy. This increases the chance of errors in the application code.
  • When compared with other programming languages, Java is comparatively slower and consumes more system memory.

Understanding Kotlin and Its Working

Kotlin comes under statically typed programming language. It is a general-purpose programming language that offers detailed syntaxes which are highly readable and concise while its working is based on the Java class library. The basic idea behind the development of Kotlin is to enhance overall productivity while providing a coding experience that is more practical and can function as both object-oriented and functional programming (FP) language. Kotlin's ultimate aim is to make mixed-language projects possible. Thus, it offers concise expressions and abstractions along with improved syntax. When used with Java, Kotlin provides reduced boilerplate code, which is a substantial advantage for Android app developers.


Advantages of using Kotlin

  •  Kotlin Application Deployment is lightweight, fast to compile, and stops apps from growing in size.
  •  Kotlin offers less verbosity, which means any code written in it will be smaller when compared to Java. Minimal code also results in fewer bugs.
  • Kotlin generated Java bytecode during compilation that runs on JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Therefore, all associated java libraries and frameworks run and execute in its project.
  • Kotlin provides immunity to NullPointerException.
  • Configuring the Android Studio project is relatively easy with Kotlin script. It also helps in the reduction of compilation time by detection.

 For web development, Kotlin offers coroutines and JavaScript interoperability.


Disadvantages of using Kotlin

 Since Kotlin is not as popular as other well-established languages such as Java, the android app developer community that support it is small.


  • It is tough to read and understand the first few lines of code using Kotlin as it matches weak patterns.
  • In addition to limited community support, it also has fewer libraries, tutorials, and blog posts to aid developers.
  • Kotlin is not easy to learn due to compact syntaxes.
  • There are few developers available for Kotlin android app development. Thus, finding the right candidate for your project might not be easy.

Is Java Heading Towards Its End?


Android app developers have differing opinions.

Java is a well-known programming language that comes with a plethora of open-source tools and libraries to aid programmers. That being stated, no language is perfect, and even Java has issues that can make an android app developer's job more difficult. However, Kotlin definitely resolves standard programming problems and also enhances the Java ecosystem.


Kotlin has evolved into a more stable and consistent development alternative for Android Studio during the last two years. Some android app developers anticipate that in the future years, Kotlin will supplant Java as the preferred language for Android development. Others believe that Kotlin and Java can coexist without one overpowering the other.


For the most part, Kotlin's advantages exceed its disadvantages. There are some constraints in Java that make designing Android APIs difficult. Kotlin is intrinsically lightweight, tidy, and significantly less verbose when it comes to data classes, developing callbacks, and getters/setters. In other words, Kotlin was created to improve current Java models by addressing API design flaws.


Transitioning From Java to Kotlin

While opting for Kotlin for your mobile application development, keep two things in mind. First of all, ensure that your development team is ready for the transition. This will require extra efforts from your team in terms of learning a new language, rewriting code, and optimizing your product.


Your team must be prepared to adjust to any challenges that arise during the learning process. It's also crucial to consider how the transfer will affect your current architecture. The deletion, creation, and merger of specific artifacts and classes can occur when programming languages are changed. This might compromise the architecture of your product.


Another option is to hire an Android app developer from a reputable and experienced company. iWebSerivces can help in creating scalable, user-friendly, and feature-enriched Android app for your mobile application.