Introduction
Android apps are changing the way we communicate and interact socially, and how we complete work tasks. It has also completely transformed how we do business and how businesses hire android developers to run their business operations.
When developing mobile applications, developers are careful about choosing the language to code in. While Java has been in the game for a longer time, the introduction of Kotlin has tipped the scales and left the field of android development in confusion. The debate of Kotlin vs Java has been raging since.
Despite the popularity of Java as a programming language, Android was in need of a more modern and advanced alternative to Java’s default coding. This is exactly what Kotlin was. Android made headlines when it announced that Kotlin will be replacing Java as the official code for creating applications on their platform.
What is Java?
Java is a unique programming language that was designed to be simple, yet powerful and robust enough to help create Android apps, web apps, server apps, embedded systems, and big data. Java objects run in an object-oriented and class-based environment and can easily create and manage multi-threaded applications. A major share of Android devices is based on Java, making it the most popular platform in the world.
Pros of Java:
- Easy to learn and implement.
- Compatible with native and cross-platform apps.
- Several Java libraries are available for usage.
- Supports portability
- Also, Java has a wide open-source ecosystem.
- Compact and lighter apps result in faster loading.
- Allows you to code more in less time and gives a faster build process.
Cons of Java:
- Since Java is a type-heavy language, you have to write more code which gives rise to more bugs and errors.
- Java demands significant memory space and tends to be much slower than other programming languages.
- Lack of a data backup facility is a major disadvantage
Future of Java:
Android will not stop supporting Java anytime soon, since most of the apps are still based on it and the Android SDK is written in Java for the most part. Also, the Android operating system is developed using JVM. The Android OS is built upon a Java Virtual Machine. Android would not be moving away from Java in the foreseeable future but there would be a relative shift towards Kotlin in the Android ecosystem. Moreover, most organizations are still preferring to hire Android developers who rely on Java for the most part, which will not be changing in the near future.
H2: What is Kotlin?
Kotlin is a statically typed programming language that is open source and targets the Java Virtual Machine, Android, JavaScript, and Native. It can be used for many different kinds of projects including server-side web applications, client-side web browsers, Android app development, or even desktop ones. Consumers are using this language for mobile app development, server-side business logic, and web servers as well as data science projects.
Pros of Kotlin
- Helps to build clean and concise APIs.
- Easy to adapt and simple in transition.
- Kotlin comes with a null representation to signify the absence of a value, which is not present in Java.
- It is suitable for multi-platform development
Cons of Kotlin
- Provides slower compilation than Java in some instances
- Relatively a new language and does not have a large community or learning resources.
- Since it is still young, you do not find many professionals who are well versed in Kotlin.
Future of Kotlin
The various advantages Kotlin provides will undeniably make it the future of android development. Most android app development companies and businesses are slowly switching over to Kotlin and have adopted it as their official programming language for Android development. As a still young language with more to offer, Kotlin has a great scope in the technical field.
Hire Android Developers: Kotlin VS Java
Performance:
It is challenging to compare the memory usage of Kotlin to Java as both compile to byte code, which runs on the JVM. However, the extra features of Kotlin give it an advantage over Java and make it more functional. Yet, developers find it hard to transition to Kotlin from Java given its simple constructs.
On the other hand, Java being so simple allows for faster compilation times. While Java might win out in terms of performance, one big benefit with Kotlin is its ability to write safe multithreaded apps, whereas this isn’t always possible with Java. Which is better depends on specific project needs.
Stability:
Stability is one factor that makes Java stand out in the programming community. Java has been in development for quite a long time now, which means that if anything goes wrong within any of the versions, developers can easily fix it with a patch.
Though Kotlin is an emerging language, it’s not as stable as Java due to the fact that there aren’t any versions with long-term support available today. This means if something goes wrong within any of them, developers won’t be able to fix things easily. This is why most companies hire android developers who can code in Java as it is more stable and offers consistency.
When it comes to stability, Java is notably the most preferred language by a long shot.
Popularity:
This comparison of the two is vastly determined by the number of people using it. Though the latter has made significant improvements in recent years, Java still remains ahead of it.
One of the main reasons that Kotlin hasn’t gained popularity is due to the fact that many current major platforms still run on Java. It’s true that Java has its issues, but because it has been around for so long, most developers are far less likely to want to switch over just yet. While Kotlin was developed to solve most of Java’s issues, how effective it has been in actually solving these problems remains to be seen.
Although Kotlin seems to be effective where Java falls short, several android app development companies are skeptical about its usage.
Speed:
Kotlin and Java do not differ much when it comes to the speed of coding. However, Kotlin is more compact than Java, which means developers need to type less code to create a certain functionality.
When compared with Java, it takes less time for a developer to implement using Kotlin, which makes it ideal for abstract thinkers. However, Java has an array of coding procedures pre-programmed into the language, which means that coders spend less time thinking about how they’ll solve their problems and thus are more productive than those who work strictly with Kotlin.
There is no clear winner when it comes to speed as they aren’t vastly different from one another.
Conclusion:
Both Java and Kotlin are preferred to build performance-oriented and useful applications for Android. However, Google libraries, tools, resources, and documentation have taken a Kotlin first approach making it the most preferred Android development language for 2021.
Whether you require to hire android developers who can code amicably in Kotlin or write a clean script in Java, the best place to go is Turing.com.
Turing company’s intelligent talent pool consists of silicon valley caliber Android developers who are sourced, vetted, and managed by AI. These developers go through rigorous tests and interviews to qualify as Turing experts. The skill-based tests namely seniority assessment, tech stack test, and live coding challenge filter out the professionals from the mediocre who are then matched with the top US-based companies. Moreover, Turing helps you match with developers who can perfectly fit right into your company’s culture. It also tracks the productivity of the matched developer across the time zones. Now outsource java development or kotlin development with Turing jobs and build your Android development team in a matter of days!
Author Bio:
Vedasree is a content writer who spends her time learning new things and having fun while doing them. When she is not writing, you can find her in a quiet corner with her head buried in a book!
