Do you know the differences between Kotlin vs. Java? If you dedicate yourself to program android apps, Java may be the first language you learned. But now Kotlin is also going strong.
Therefore, it is easy for you to not be sure which of the two languages is best suited to your needs. Although the ideal would be to master both and use the one you need at all times. But the reality is that this can take too long. To help you a little, we are going to see characteristics of each one. Thus, being able to choose the best option when programming Android apps and find the ideal language.
Kotlin vs Java, choose your language to program Android apps
In order to face Kotlin vs Java, we first see the characteristics of each one.
Java programming language
Java is a programming language in which we can create any type of application. We can also use it for practically any type of machine. It is in the operating systems Windows, Linux and also in Android. It is completely free, and is one of the most important in the world of computing and programming. Therefore, it has a large user community.
With Java you can program practically anything you have in mind. It is a language that is often used in the development of web pages. And also in voting systems for companies. It is a system widely used in the development of Android applications. But if you are a beginner, you can also start by doing some very simple programming.
Java is one of the languages that are often asked for in developer job offers. So learning and mastering it can help you a lot in the job market.
Advantages and disadvantages of Java
Its main advantage is that you can use it to program everything you can think of. Not only from the client side, but also for the Back-End. And it's language independent, so you'll be able to use it on virtually any computer.
As for its disadvantages, the main one is that it is not a very modern language. Java 8 it has taken an important step in terms of new features, but it is not compatible with programming for Android. If you want to program apps, you'll have to settle for Java 7.
We could say that Java is a language that everyone who wants to dedicate himself to the world of computing should know. Its great versatility and its use for different operating systems. Its large community still makes it the most important language in the world. But if you're not rolling out newer, more modern features, you may be falling behind. And that is precisely where Kotlin enters the programming landscape.
Kotlin programming language
Kotlin is a programming language created by JetBrains. It was announced at Google I/O as the official language for programming Android applications. The other two are C++ and the aforementioned Java, which is probably the most popular.
It is an Open Source language, which is under the Apache 2.0 license. Its developers assure that it will provide a simpler and more fun way to program Android applications. With it, some projects as interesting as Pinterest or Flipboard have been developed, which have become a complete success. All this when he is still taking almost his first steps.
Advantages of Kotlin
One of the great advantages of Kotlin is that it can make calls to Java and vice versa. Therefore, it is not a language that we always have to use alone. On the contrary, we will be able to do it in tune with the previously mentioned language, with all that that implies.
Another interesting advantage is that it is a language more modern. So now there may not be much of a difference. But little by little we will see how Kotlin incorporates new possibilities. Those that are not available in Java. The range of possibilities is widened.
Disadvantages of Kotlin
The main disadvantage that we find is precisely that it is a very new language. This makes it much more difficult at the moment to find information to get out of any problem.
However, there are more and more places where we can learn Kotlin. Aside from traditional courses, numerous websites and blogs are springing up aimed at examining this language.
From this we could deduce that using Kotlin will mean you in principle an additional effortl. But once you have adapted to the new language, you will be able to access new possibilities. And its community is growing more and more, which means that information is more and more available.
So which one is better? Java vs. Kotlin
The reality is that Kotlin is a language that is getting better every day. And on issues like security, syntax, compatibility, and functional programming, it performs much better than Java. It's also a bit faster, so building a project will take considerably less time.
The only problem with Kotlin is the need to learn a new language. The vast majority of programmers are perfectly fluent in Java. And getting used to the idea of learning from scratch to create our apps in another language can be quite scary.
However, keep in mind that both languages have a similar base. Therefore, the learning curve it will be much faster by the time you get to work with Kotlin if you were already using Java previously. And once you've gotten used to the new language, you can probably join in stating that it is much better than the one you used previously.
Of course, in preferences when programming there is nothing defined. And there will be developers who still prefer to work in Java. Therefore, it is best that you try and choose the one that best suits your needs.
Now that we've faced Kotlin vs. Java, you can give us your opinion about these programming languages. Languages for programming Android apps. And you can leave your comment below.