The Next Generation Programming Language: Kotlin and Java

As a Java developer, you must be well-versed in the core concepts of object-oriented programming. Java is a purely object-oriented language, and if you want to write a function in a Java project, you first need to define a class and then write the function inside that class. This approach works fine for a couple of times, but in a medium to large project, constantly adhering to OOP just for the sake of it can lead to code redundancy, reduced readability, and increased chances of errors. Additionally, you have probably encountered null pointer exceptions, which can be frustrating due to their inevitability.

Kotlin can help you address these issues effectively. The Kotlin language itself extends many common operations, such as text reading and writing, folder traversal, timer scheduling, and stream operations on collections (similar to RxJava), all of which are absent in Java. Furthermore, Kotlin’s inline higher-order lambdas, dynamic proxies, and coroutine features can significantly optimize your code’s performance.

Many new languages seem to arise from a weariness of other languages. In many people’s eyes, Kotlin should also fall into this category. JetBrains engineers still regard Java as an excellent language. However, Java is too mature, making it difficult to improve and add features while maintaining backward compatibility. Kotlin’s endeavor is to learn from the experiences and lessons of Java and other languages and improve upon that foundation.

InfoQ previously published an article comparing Java and Kotlin; interested readers can check it out: A Comparative Analysis of Kotlin and Java: How Do They Stack Up?

Kotlin has several advantages:

• Kotlin compiles to JVM bytecode or JavaScript—this not only attracts Java developers but also all developers using garbage-collected runtimes, such as those using Scala, Go, Python, Ruby, and JavaScript.

• Kotlin comes from the industry, not academia—it addresses the problems programmers face today in their work.

• Low adoption cost—JetBrains provides high-quality conversion tools (allowing one-click conversion from Java to Kotlin), with a particular focus on Java binary compatibility. Developers can convert just one file in an existing Java project at a time, while the entire project remains compilable.

• Kotlin programs can use all existing Java frameworks and libraries, and can integrate with Maven, Gradle, and other build systems.

• Easy to learn—Kotlin’s syntax is concise and intuitive, looking very much like Scala but simpler. It does not adhere to a specific programming philosophy, such as functional or object-oriented styles.

• No runtime overhead added—Kotlin’s standard library is very compact, primarily consisting of extensions to the Java standard library.

• Suitable for Android development—with frameworks like Anko and Kovenant, Kotlin is set to become popular among Android developers.

If you are an Android developer, mastering the Kotlin language is even more critical, as it has been extensively used in the Android P source code, Gradle source code, and Android Jetpack libraries. In the near future, not knowing Kotlin will severely hinder your ability to read source code (if not make it completely incomprehensible).

In fact, the scope of Kotlin’s use is not limited to Android development; it also includes server programming and cross-platform development such as front-end React applications. It can be said that anything Java can do, Kotlin can do, and even do it better.

Especially since Google announced Kotlin as the official programming language for Android development at the 2017 Google I/O conference, the Kotlin developer community has been rapidly growing. According to Stack Overflow’s 2018 developer survey, Kotlin ranked as the second most popular programming language. Notable companies in Silicon Valley, such as Netflix, Pinterest, and Lyft, have already adopted Kotlin. It can be said that 2018 will witness the explosion of Kotlin.

This also means that for Java programmers and Android application developers, merely mastering Java is not enough; you should also learn Kotlin to keep up with technological trends and be more adept in your work.

Therefore, in collaboration with Geek Time, I have launched the “Quick Start Kotlin Development” course, aimed at helping Java/Android developers efficiently grasp the fundamental knowledge of Kotlin and the key points needed in practical applications, enabling them to utilize it effectively in their work.

Who am I?

I am Zhang Tao, the founder of the “Open Source Laboratory,” and a senior Android development engineer with 6 years of Android development experience. Additionally, I am a technical evangelist for Kotlin, and I can say that I was among the first batch of developers to use the Kotlin language, witnessing its growth from an early pioneer.

Throughout my career, I have led apps with millions of users, successfully migrating and transitioning the development language to Kotlin. Of course, I have also managed teams, designed architectures, developed applications, contributed to open-source communities, and have been invited to share about Kotlin at various technical conferences such as GMTC, QCon, and Droidcon. Therefore, I possess extensive practical experience in this area.

I hope to share my years of Kotlin development experience with you, helping you acquire an additional skill on your programming journey, leading to more choices and better development opportunities.

Android users can click here to subscribe to “Quick Start Kotlin Development”

Course Introduction

This course is divided into three parts.

The first part will help you quickly familiarize yourself with Kotlin’s unique syntax features and how to resolve conflicts when integrating with Java projects.

The second part will take you deeper into understanding Kotlin’s advanced features and the underlying operational principles of Kotlin’s unique syntax, while mastering the use and internal implementation principles of Kotlin’s coroutine library and Google’s KTX extension library.

The third part will explain Kotlin’s characteristics as a cross-platform language and introduce the key considerations when migrating Java projects to Kotlin, providing a deeper understanding of Kotlin’s advantages and disadvantages, and flexibly utilizing Kotlin’s extension libraries and cross-platform features to help teams develop projects more efficiently.

Through this course, I hope you can not only easily handle various issues arising from the coexistence of Kotlin and Java but also confidently tackle the “pits” that may arise when migrating old Java projects to Kotlin.

Additionally, I will guide you to think from a macro perspective about the various advantages and disadvantages of the Kotlin language, learning how to choose the language and technology that suit your team, and how to use Kotlin more efficiently for cross-platform development and collaboration.

Below is the course directory; I believe each lesson is worth your repeated study.

Subscription Benefits

Benefit 1: Limited time offer price ¥68, original price ¥129, price will return to normal on July 21

Benefit 2: For every friend you invite to purchase, you can receive a cash rebate of ¥24, the more you invite, the more you earn, with no upper limit, and immediate withdrawal (withdrawal process: Geek Time App – My – Share for Rewards)

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