Why I switched from Java to Kotlin
- June 11, 2020
- 0
Kotlin is a cross-platform, general-purpose programming language and an easy move for anyone familiar with Java.
Stephon Brown
After years as an educator, I became a professional software developer. That brought me to Java, but recently, I began enjoying a totally different but compatible programming language called Kotlin.
Kotlin is a cross-platform, general-purpose programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). JetBrains led its implementation, which began in 2010, and it has been open source since early in its development.
The great news for Java developers is that Kotlin is interoperable with Java. Standard Java code can be included in a Kotlin program, and Kotlin can be included in a Java program. That immense investment in compatibility means if you come from a Java background, picking up Kotlin will feel familiar and be a low risk since it will run alongside any of your existing Java code.
To introduce you to Kotlin, I will go over some of its basic syntax, ranging from variables to defining functions and classes. If you want to follow along and learn some of the language’s features, there is a great browser-based Kotlin playground you can use.
