The creation of Android apps has been expanding for some time. This is a result of Android overtaking Apple as the most widely used smartphone operating system worldwide. Many businesses are uncertain about which programming language to choose in light of the recent increase in demand for mobile app development.
The best programming language to use for Android development can be difficult to choose.
In reality, the only two languages that immediately come to mind when someone says to create Android apps are Kotlin and Java. Both Java and Kotlin are highly regarded and popular programming languages that are known for their exceptional features and proficiency to produce top-notch Android applications.
Before Kotlin’s majestic entrance, developers were at ease with Java. Any newcomer to Android development now has to choose between using Java or Kotlin.
Don’t worry; in this article, we’ll discuss which one is best among Kotlin V/s Java for developing Android apps. Let’s delve deeper!
Find out more about Java
Java is an easy-to-learn, strong, and reliable object-oriented programming language that can be used to create and manage Android apps, web apps, server apps, embedded devices, big data applications, and more.
The majority of Java’s capabilities are available as open-source software, and it was first introduced in 1995 by Sun Microsystems, a company that is now owned by Oracle.
Since Java is platform-independent and works on all platforms, it is best suited for creating Android applications.
Java has a separate API and runtime environment called Java Runtime Environment. Java, one of the most popular programming languages on GitHub, serves as the foundation for a sizable portion of Android apps.
Find out more about Kotlin app development!
Kotlin is a general-purpose language of programming that is completely compatible with Java. The developers of Kotlin attempted to combine the best elements of JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, C#Rust, and numerous other languages to create a framework that would compile as quickly as Java while offering features that were superior to all others.
Accessibility across all platforms was always a top priority for Kotlin, but cross-platform code sharing represents a much more creative approach than multi-platform programming.
Kotlin enables Android developers to create applications in a single integrated development environment (IDE). The most recent update supports the priceless advantage of reusable components, freeing up time and resources for more difficult tasks and improving mobile app scalability.
What are the benefits of using Kotlin?
- Supports multi-level development
Kotlin has made Gradle Support possible. Kotlin is enthusiastically embracing multi-level programming by introducing Gradle files.
- Credible platform
Kotlin is a more effective and trustworthy app development language when opposed to other programming languages available on the market.
- Easy to Maintain
Kotlin is simple to maintain because it is supported by various IDEs, such as Android Studio, and other SDK tools.
- Easy buy fixing
Kotlin offers a clean code foundation for app development, which improves consistency in the coding process. The bugs can be quickly and easily identified by developers, who can then correct them with little difficulty.
- Easy to learn
The fact that a Java developer can comprehend the majority of the code without having written a single line of Kotlin is one of the language’s most important advantages.
Benefits of using java for Android app development.
- Code reusability
Java is an object-oriented programming language. It enables programmers to create reusable code and modular programs;
- Easy migration
Because Java is cross-platform, developers may start out programming in Java and switch to Kotlin for Android app development projects later. - Developer friendly
With regard to memory usage, code optimization, garbage collection, and other developer-friendly capabilities, Java’s JVM is particularly advantageous. Java is a strong programming language because it has good memory management. - Platform independence
One can seamlessly transition from one computer network to another thanks to the platform independence of Java. - Top-notch security
Developers can specify the access control policies for classes in Java because it employs a Security manager for each application. Additionally, by minimizing the usage of explicit references, security risks are reduced;
Java V/s Kotlin – Check out the differences!
Kotlin V/s Java – Performance
It is challenging to compare Kotlin and Java in regards to memory usage because both languages compile to ByteCode, which keeps running on JVM. As a result, it is challenging to gauge, monitor, and compare their performance.
Kotlin is more usable than Java thanks to its additional features. Additionally, working with multi-threaded apps is simpler thanks to Kotlin’s Coroutines tool. However, because of its large feature set, Kotlin assembles and implements a little more slowly than Java.
Java, on the other hand, compiles more quickly because it is less complicated and has fewer additional features than Kotlin. The performance comparison between Java and Kotlin ends in a tie because there isn’t much of a difference.
Easy to learn!
The answer is highly influenced by your level of programming expertise. All programming languages are challenging if you’re learning them for the first time. When comparing Kotlin and Java for beginners, Kotlin has fewer established sources for learning syntax and the fundamentals of programming while Java does.
If you know Java, Kotlin is simple; otherwise, it is not. So you can select the best one based on your knowledge and expertise.
Java, in our opinion, is easier to learn!
Interoperability
Ever wanted to know why you should even consider Java Vs. Kotlin for Android development if Kotlin is just an enhanced version of Java? Interoperability is the cause of everything.
The main characteristic of Kotlin that makes it simple for developers to convert Java code to Kotlin is interoperability. The features and functionality of the apps are unaffected by the switch from Java to Kotlin in the code. Just the number of lines of code overall is reduced.
Kotlin might perform better than Java in some circumstances. It will be challenging for end users to distinguish between Java and Kotlin in this situation because JVM bytecode is utilized to compile both languages.
Extending functionalities
A Java programmer must construct a new class and derive the functions from the parent class in order to increase the capabilities of an existing class. The extension feature is not available, to put it simply.
Kotlin offers developers the chance to increase the capability of classes without having to inherit from them, in contrast to Java.
All they have to do is use the ‘.’ notation to add a prefix before the title of the class that has to be expanded. So Kotlin definitely wins when it comes to providing extending functionalities!
Stability of languages
Java and Kotlin differ significantly from each other in terms of stability.
Java app development is used for a while now. Java has ongoing support, and if something goes wrong, programmers can repair it with a patch. A developer can download different Java versions for free.
Kotlin, on the other hand, is a well-known language as well, but it is still more recent than Java and does not have any versions with ongoing maintenance. Although Java and Kotlin are both regarded as stable programming languages, Java is ultimately thought to be more reliable.
Popularity
Although Kotlin is a more recent language, it has quickly become one of the most popular options for creating Android apps. Additionally, Kotlin is supported by Google, which guarantees that it will gain more support and advance over time.
Java, on the other hand, has long held the top position among the languages. Up to the end of 2021, Java had held the top spot among the most used programming languages with ease. In addition, Java is more widely used than Kotlin at the moment.
There are several libraries, frameworks, and tools for Android development that are compatible with Java. With the addition of fresh libraries, Kotlin is beginning to catch up, but there is still a long way to go.
Which one to choose – Java or Kotlin?
Both languages are outstanding and provide several advantages that would make them great options to use in creating cutting-edge mobile application development. However, if you’re comparing Java and Kotlin in more detail, there are some app categories where one might perform better than the other.
You should use Java app development when –
Large applications must run on all platforms, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and Linux, and have a ton of functionality and features. Java has established libraries that make it easy to develop this kind of application.
You should use Kotlin when –
- Apps where performance is crucial.
- In addition, Kotlin will perform better when scaling because it has a more streamlined and effective design than Java.
- Applications must remain platform-independent and be cross-compiled for various platforms.
To wrap it up!
Today, Kotlin has become the best choice for creating Android apps. The exponential growth of Kotlin app development is evident in the rising use of the language by businesses and programmers.
Java, on the other hand, has made a name for itself as a popular, reliable, and superior general-purpose programming language. Java has been the main language used to create Android applications, and it won’t be supplanted anytime soon.
We have provided a thorough analysis of both languages, and we are confident that it will enable you to make an informed choice. But ultimately, what matters is how at ease your engineers are using either of these languages.
For more information about it, you can reach out to our experts and our developers at Sufalam technologies would love to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kotlin better than Java?
Kotlin, a newer, lighter version of Java, successfully advances established Java principles. Both enterprise back-end systems and improving Android mobile development can benefit from it. Overall, Kotlin is among the safest bets for developing Android apps as a replacement for Java.
Why choose Java over Kotlin?
It goes without saying that Kotlin is superior for some features while Java is better for others. So, the decision to pick the best one ultimately depends on your needs. Despite their differences, Java and Kotlin are completely compatible and can be used together.
