Kotlin vs Java | Know Their Differences and Which Should You Learn?

• In this article you will learn:
• 1.Introduction to Kotlin and its Benefits.
• 2.Challenges of Kotlin and its applications.
• 3.Features of a Kotlin and java.
• 4.Difference between Kotlin and Java.
• 5.Conclusion.

What is Kotlin?

In Kotlin vs Java Kotlin is newly created language which is inspired by a Java, but it is an improved version of it with the many additional features. It is a clean, relatively simple, and has a fewer formalities and rules than Java and the other programming languages. To use this language to a program Android apps, developers still need to understand a basic programming concepts and structures.

What are benefits of a Kotlin?

• Kotlin application deployment is fast to be compile, lightweight, and prevents the applications from growing in size.
• Any piece of a code written in Kotlin is much smaller than in a Java, because it is less verbose and a less code means fewer bugs.
• Kotlin compiles a code into a bytecode that can be executed in a JVM. Thus, all the libraries and frameworks built in a Java are transferred and run in Kotlin project.
• Kotlin scripts help to configure a projects in Android Studio to support an automatic completion, and it helps to reduce a compile-time error detection.
• It is protected from the NullPointerException .
• Kotlin incorporates the coroutines, as well as interoperability with a JavaScript, for the web development.

Challenges of a Kotlin and its applications:

Challenges of a Kotlin language:

• Kotlin is not that famous and therefore a developer community is sparse compared to the other well established languages like Java.
• Kotlin matches a loosely and initial code readability becomes a bit complex to read and understand at a first.
• It has small support community because a Kotlin is smaller than Java. In addition, it has a fewer libraries, blog posts, and tutorials.
• Kotlin has steep learning curve, and converting teams to the Kotlin can be a real challenge due to language’s concise syntax.
• There are few Kotlin developers available in a market. Therefore, it is quite complex to find an experienced mentor.

Applications of a Kotlin:

• Pinterest.
• Trello.
• Evernote.
• Twidere for Twitter.
• Shadowsocks.

Features of a Kotlin and java:

• Provides a Sorting Coding.
• Kotlin uses a JVM, which combines features of a OOP and functional-oriented programming.
• Provides a fast compilation.
• Kotlin can support wide variety of an extension functions without any changes to code.
• Can write a Kotlin code using the IDE or using command-line interface.
• Smart feature casting helps to cut application cost and improve the speed or performance.

Features of a Java:

• Write a code once and run it on almost any computing platform.
• It is designed for a building object-oriented applications.
• It is the multithreaded language that allows an automatic memory management.
• Facilitates a distributed computing in its network-centric form.

Difference between the Kotlin and Java:

Kotlin	Java
Kotlin allows users to create extension function.	Java does not provide the any extension functions.
Kotlin doesn’t need a lot of work for a data class.	Java developers write and build a lot of the elements to develop classes.
Kotlin does not offer an implicit conversions.	Java supports an implicit conversions.
There are no null variables or a objects in Kotlin.	Void variables or objects are part of a Java language.
Kotlin combines a features of both object-oriented and functional programming.	Java is limited to the object-oriented programming.
Kotlin does not support a static members.	Java uses a static members.
Variables of primitive type are objects.	Variables of primitive type are not objects.
In Kotlin, can have one or more a secondary constructors.	In a Java, cannot have a secondary constructors. However it can have a multiple constructors.
Kotlin string template also supports an expressions.	Java strings do not support an expressions like a Kotlin.
Kotlin code is fairly simple to deploy.	Java code is hard to be deploy.
Kotlin programs do not need a semicolons in their program.	Java programs need semicolons.
In Kotlin, coroutines are the concurrency design patterns that can be used to simplify a code.	Java uses a two coroutine options such as 1) Rx Java and 2) Project Loon.
A Kotlin has no wildcard-types.	Wide-cards are be available in Java.
Kotlin’s type system has a built-in zero protection.	Null pointer exception is mainly responsible for a development of Java and Android.
Smart Cast feature is available in a Kotlin.	Smart Cast facility is not available in a Java.
Kotlin does not need any variable data type specifications.	Java needs variable of data type specifications.
Kotlin supports a lambda expressions.	Java does not support a lambda expressions.
Lazy-loading feature is available in a Kotlin.	This feature is not available in a Java.
The language scripting capabilities allow to use a Kotlin directly in Gradle build scripts.	The Java language does not provide a scripting capabilities.
It supports a modern programming concepts like delegates, extensions, and higher-order functions.	Java supports a OOPS programming concept.
The average salary for Java developer is $104,793 per year.	The average salary for Kotlin for a software engineer ranges from about a $107,275 per year for Android developer to $121,034 per year.

Conclusion:

When considering all disadvantages of Java, especially problem with a NullPointerExceptions, Kotlin seems to be a better of the two. However Java is still essential language for a development of every Android app as Android OS itself is based on it. If need to future proof Android app development services, and should hire Kotlin developers for a same.