Kotlin is a modern open-source programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

What is Kotlin?

Kotlin was designed and developed as an alternative to Java. It aims to be concise, easy to read, and performant. It supports static, object-oriented, and functional programming paradigms. Although it was designed to run on the JVM, Kotlin can also be compiled to JavaScript and native machine code. Kotlin became widely used after it was added as one of the official languages supported by Google for Android development.

What Are the Advantages of Kotlin?

Kotlin gained popularity among programming languages due to the advantages it offers to developers. Some key benefits of Kotlin include:

• Kotlin is simple to learn, allowing new developers to quickly adapt and start building applications.
• Kotlin is designed to be straightforward and user-friendly, enabling developers to accomplish tasks with less code compared to Java.
• Kotlin is fully compatible with Java, making it easy to use alongside Java or convert existing Java projects to Kotlin.
• Kotlin is open source, with a vibrant community offering many plugins, libraries, example applications, and educational resources.
• Developers can seek community support when facing issues.
• Kotlin's versatility extends beyond Android, enabling development for various platforms.

Where is Kotlin Used?

Since Kotlin was officially supported for Android development in 2017, it has become primarily used in this domain. However, because it runs on the JVM, Kotlin is also applicable in many other areas where Java is used.

Today, Kotlin is employed in a wide range of applications, including mobile apps for Android and iOS, desktop applications, server-side development, web development, and data science projects.

• Kotlin can be used with frameworks like Spring Boot for server-side development.
• Kotlin/Wasm allows for frontend development, enabling you to create browser-based applications.
• With JavaFX, Swing, or TornadoFX, you can develop desktop applications for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• With Kotlin/Native, you can compile to native code without the JVM, supporting platforms like Linux, macOS, iOS, tvOS, watchOS, and various IoT devices.
• Kotlin is also used in data science with tools like Notebooks, DataFrame, and Kandy.

The History and Development of Kotlin

Kotlin was announced by JetBrains in July 2011. It was the result of a project led by Dmitry Jemerov at JetBrains to create a programming language that ran on the JVM but incorporated the features of modern languages. Although the JetBrains team initially considered Scala, its slow compilation times led them to develop Kotlin.

In 2012, Kotlin became open source, and its first stable version, Kotlin v1.0, was released in 2016. The significant rise in Kotlin's popularity came after Google announced at its 2017 I/O conference that Kotlin was an official language for Android development. With its advantages, Kotlin quickly became a valid programming language in the software world. Kotlin Multiplatform allows Kotlin to be used beyond Android, enabling development for iOS, desktop, and web applications.