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What is Kotlin

Welcome to the fascinating world of Kotlin - a modern, statically typed programming language that is fully interoperable with Java and Android. This tutorial will guide you through what Kotlin is, its history, features, benefits, and a brief comparison with Java. Let's dive in!

What is Kotlin?​

Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically typed, general-purpose programming language developed by JetBrains. It is designed to interoperate fully with Java, and the JVM version of Kotlin's standard library depends on the Java Class Library, but type inference allows its syntax to be more concise. Kotlin is primarily used by developers for Android app development, web development, server-side development, and much more.

History of Kotlin​

Kotlin was first introduced by JetBrains in 2011, the company behind the IntelliJ IDEA, a popular Integrated Development Environment (IDE). JetBrains wanted to create a language that could resolve issues faced by developers in other languages, particularly Java. After a year of development, the project was open-sourced in 2012. Finally, in 2016, the first stable version of Kotlin (v1.0) was released. The language has gained a significant amount of popularity since Google officially announced its support for Kotlin on the Android Operating System in 2017.

Features of Kotlin​

Kotlin comes with several features that make it a powerful and easy-to-use language. Here are some of the key features:

  • Interoperability with Java: Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java, which means developers can use all existing Java libraries, frameworks, and tools in Kotlin projects.

  • Null Safety: Kotlin aims to eliminate the NullPointer Exception (commonly known as the billion-dollar mistake) by distinguishing nullable types and non-nullable types.

  • Extension Functions: Kotlin allows developers to extend a class with new functionality without having to inherit from the class.

  • Coroutines: Kotlin supports coroutines, which are used for asynchronous programming and more.

  • Smart Casts: The Kotlin compiler tracks your logic and auto-casts types if possible, eliminating unnecessary checks and explicit casts.

Benefits of Kotlin​

  • Kotlin simplifies common programming tasks, which makes the code easy to read and write.
  • It improves the coding experience with less verbosity compared to Java.
  • It provides a fail-fast system that reduces bugs and errors in the code.
  • It is officially supported by Google for Android development, which makes it a good choice for Android developers.

Kotlin vs Java​

While Kotlin and Java are used for similar purposes, there are a few differences that give Kotlin an edge over Java:

  • Null Safety: Unlike Java, Kotlin differentiates between nullable and non-nullable data types. This feature can eliminate NullPointer Exceptions, a common error in Java.

  • Coroutines: Kotlin supports coroutines for managing long-running tasks that might otherwise block the main thread and cause your app to freeze. Java does not have built-in support for coroutines.

  • Extension Functions: Kotlin allows developers to add methods to classes without modifying their source code. In Java, you have to create a new class that inherits from the class you want to extend.

In conclusion, Kotlin is a powerful, modern language that offers several benefits over traditional languages like Java. Its ease of use, safety features, and full interoperability with Java make it an excellent choice for both new and experienced developers.

So, are you excited to start your journey with Kotlin? In the next tutorial, we will guide you on installing and setting up Kotlin on your system. Stay tuned!