There can’t be a single Android application development company using Java that hasn’t worked on thousands of snippets of code, whole programs, and full-fledged projects. While there’s no doubt as to Java is one of the most established programming languages, we now know that it is not the only option available to programmers.
Kotlin is a programming language that has especially caught the attention of the Android community all over the globe.
Many developers are considering switching from Java to Kotlin because of all the advantages offered by the latter. But anything with pros is bound to have some cons as well.
To help you make an informed decision on whether or not you should go for Kotlin, we have come up with a few major pros and cons of Kotlin over Java.
Table of Contents
Let’s first take a look at what makes Kotlin stand out in the crowd of programming languages of today…
- Kotlin is Interchangeable with Java
One of the biggest advantages of using Kotlin is that you can interchange it with Java without breaking a sweat. The level of interoperability that these languages have is the sight to see.
You can easily have codes in Java and Kotlin existing together, without it causing a single problem to the project.
Not just that, but even after the compilation is complete, it still won’t be distinguishable to the program users, which parts were written in Java, and which in Kotlin.
Since we can use Java and Kotlin classes right next to each other, as a programmer, you don’t have to worry about using Kotlin somewhere in between a Java program, or vice versa.
You’ll never feel the need to convert a whole project to use either language completely.
You will find it utterly easy to use most of the Java frameworks, even the advanced ones that rely on annotation processing, as well as libraries in your Kotlin-based projects.
- It Provides a Gentle Learning Curve for Java Developers
Kotlin is an easy language to learn, especially for those who have had their fair amount of experience with Java. It’s a language that strongly resembles Java and doesn’t feel like a whole rewrite of Java.
Whatever skills a developer must have honed while learning Java can be, to a large extent, applicable to working with Kotlin. It’s a great thing about Kotlin that it offers an easy learning curve for Java developers.
They even find the syntax at least lost if it, very similar to what they’d have already worked with.
On top of it all, Kotlin is also an intuitive language. Add to that easy readability, and you have a language that Kotlin programmers are bound to find popular.
Even if there’s a part in the code that they find very distinct from the ones in Java, they can still get a fair idea of what the code is meant to do.
- It Brings Together the Best of Procedural and Functional Approaches
Programming paradigms each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
There are times when functional programming sets the stage. While at other times, you would need a procedural approach instead.
The good thing about Kotlin is that you don’t have to make a choice between the two.
Just as we see with many current languages, Kotlin brings the best of both concepts to the fore, making it a great choice for both the Android app developers and the final users.
Now, nothing, including a programming language, can be a hundred percent perfect, now can it!
So, here are some of the cons that you might encounter while you choose to make Kotlin replace Java in your ongoing or upcoming project…
- The Runtime Size Could Exceed
The extra runtime could hurt the size of your APK by increasing it.
Though it would be more or less 800KB, the problem might arise if your program is already too large, and even an extra 800KB could easily tip it over the edge, making you realize you might have been better off without Kotlin.
- The Concise Code Can Be a Problem Sometimes
We talked about the easy learning curve that Kotlin provides for Java developers. It is also considered an upside that Kotlin code is very concise in nature.
But, sometimes, a concise code, even with that gentle learning curve, gets a little hard to understand. The greatest strength of this language, therefore, leaves many Android app developers with undecipherable code at times.
Java, on the other hand, is quite a verbose language. But the good thing is, it spells things out so clearly that it leaves little room for further doubt.
- Online Community Surrounding Kotlin is Fairly Small
Being a new language and such, the Kotlin community isn’t too large as of now.
Especially, if you compare it with developer communities surrounding languages such as Java, which is a more established one, it is fairly small.
So, switching to Kotlin for an individual developer or an Android application development company isn’t as easy as expected. Even though the language bears a phenomenal resemblance to Java.
There are fewer tutorials available, and user documentation on the same is difficult to find. And, of course, the community doesn’t readily provide prompt answers to queries right now.
In Conclusion…
So, we hope this post sheds some light on how making a switch from Java to Kotlin in Android development could have its own pros as well as cons. The advantages and disadvantages, as you can see, are unique in nature.
But in the end, it is solely the prerogative of a developer. They will decide whether they want to be one of the many Kotlin programmers or not.
