Kotlin vs Java: Why is kotlin better than Java?

Java quickly became one of the most popular programming languages in the world and is still widely used today. That’s because it’s simple to use compared to a “harder” language such as C++. Java is a versatile, Object-Oriented, high-level programming language with numerous features that make it an attractive choice for developers.

• First and foremost, despite their differences, both Java and Kotlin compile to bytecode.
• Kotlin offers some advantages over Java regarding syntax, null safety, extension functions, and support for functional programming concepts.
• The compiler is available on GitHub and supports compiling native code for the three major platforms—Android, Windows, and Mac OS X.
• It is multi-platform, meaning that code written in Java can be run on different types of devices and operating systems.
• Kotlin matches weak patterns, which makes it very complex to read the code.
• In Kotlin, as soon as you initiate a variable of a primitive type, it will be automatically considered an object.

But Kotlin has some performance advantages over Java in certain cases. For example, Kotlin’s null safety feature can help reduce the number of runtime exceptions and improve the overall performance of the https://www.globalcloudteam.com/tech/kotlin/ application. And Kotlin’s use of immutable data structures can also lead to improved performance. I hope that this article will help you decide which programming language you should pick, Java or Kotlin.

Wildcard Types

With Kotlin, you do not have to worry about NullPointerExceptions. The system of Kotlin will help us to avoid null pointer exceptions. If we compare Java vs Kotlin, the system of Kotlin easily refuses to compile code that assigns or returns null. This video monitoring app especially helps parents to check the suitable content for their kids. Juvi app also partnered with YouTube and uses their interface so that kids and parents have multiple video options.

For cross-platform development, Kotlin Native is a promising option, but still relatively new compared to other cross-platform frameworks. Java has a bit larger and more established community of developers. Kotlin has a growing community of developers, but the number is a bit smaller than in Java. With that in mind, let us now take a look at some pros and cons of these two languages. Kotlin code performs slightly better than Java code because Kotlin is a modern language designed for better code efficiency.

Kotlin vs Java Performance – Which is Better for Android Project?

That will give you a better understanding of how the language affects the experience if you’ve used these apps yourself. Before an object can be cast in Java, it is mandatory to check type. This is also true in scenarios where it’s obvious to cast the object. Kotlin supports composition over inheritance design pattern by means of the first-class delegation, also known as implicit delegation.

However, inJava programminglanguage the keyword static reflects that the particular member with which the keyword is used belongs to a type itself instead of an instance of that type. It is done by prefixing the name of the class that needs to be extended to the name of the function being created. In order to call the function on the instances of the extended class, one needs to use the ‘.’ notation. The developer needs to only include the data keyword in the class definition, and that’s it. One major difference between Java and Kotlin is that the latter has no provision for checked exceptions. Therefore, there is no need to catch or declare any exceptions.

Subscribe to Programiz PRO Blog!

You can start with Kotlin without having any knowledge of Java. You can find many resources on the internet to learn Kotlin. You can comparatively find fewer examples of codes in Kotlin than in Java. In Java, there are many useful scenarios where the colors of the things change according to the representation. Its approach to such fields divulges the illustration of the factor to the callers, Kotlin doesn’t have non-personal fields.

And sure, the Kotlin companion object can easily replace it. Below you can see how both classes are used as model classes in each language. I haven’t really used optional class yet, but the mechanism and purpose seems pretty similar to Kotlin’s null safety. Both help you identify which variable can be null and help you make sure the correct check is implemented. For as long as I can remember, Java has been using traditional null checking which is prone to human error.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Kotlin and Java

This means it can be accessed anywhere without initializing the class as an object. Kotlin is a mix of object-oriented and functional programming. Kotlin is much younger than Java, since https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ it was first introduced in 2016. It’s an open-source language that can also compile code to bytecode and run on Java Virtual Machine , enabling it to work on almost any platform.

I began my journey as a Ruby on Rails developer but decided to pursue my love for writing even more. There is very good support for beginning programmers to learn Java. Kotlin encourages programmers to exploit its unique capabilities to boost performance and reduce memory use. The beauty of Kotlin type system – Learn more about types, such as the Any supertype, the Nothing subtype, and more. Resolve Encoding Issues of Resource Files in Java Projects – This article offers effective solutions to help you solve common encoding issues in Java projects.

Functional Programming: Higher-Order Functions and Lambdas

Unlike other forms of ‘cross-platform’, Kotlin’s support is at the machine code level. This means that Kotlin is not wrapped in a container or needs bridging to work on supported platforms. For example, JavaScript frameworks that market themselves as cross-platform still require some sort of container to work. Cross-platform JavaScript apps are not a native app, they are merely running on a generated container with APIs that connect them to the various hardware features available on a device. As Kotlin is a statistically-typed language, it is easier to read and write.

Moreover, there are more aspects to consider than only the languages’ differences, such as the language the companies are using and how comfortable developers feel with Kotlin or Java. To extend the functionality of an existing class, one must create a new class and inherit the functions from the parent class. As mentioned at the beginning of the article, Kotlin is a mix of object-oriented and functional programming.

Java vs Kotlin: Which One Is Better To Learn In 2022?

While it is ranking highly in Google Trends, Java failed to make it on the list. Kotlin originated from Russia, therefore, a noteworthy percentage of Russian developers have opted for Kotlin, forming the core of the Kotlin community. Even so, the Kotlin community is around 20 times smaller than Java’s, and more developers are still inclined to using Java. One major strength of Kotlin compared to Java is the use of the extension function, which allows a programmer to add additional functionality to a class. This is achieved by prefixing the name of the class and function. Although Kotlin is also an established language, it is still younger than Java and has no versions with long-term support at the time of writing.