If you use Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile, Kotlin syntax is easy for iOS developers to learn because it follows concepts similar to Swift. These are just a few of the key advantages of cross-platform app development. You can learn more about its benefits and use cases from global companies in our article about cross-platform mobile development.
- Android mobile development has been Kotlin-first since Google I/O in 2019.
- While some languages are object-oriented or assertively functional, Kotlin is not over the roof opinionated and refrains from enforcing the philosophy of one over another.
- As Kotlin developed to overcome challenges faced while using Java, Kotlin is indeed more future-proof and superior.
- We’ll take a closer look at the pros and cons of cross-platform mobile development in a later section.
- Kotlin helps make your code future-proof, which is essential for business owners.
At that time, you’ll also be able to link a WhatsApp account on an Android phone to the iPad. But, while it’s in beta, you’ll need to access the iOS beta of WhatsApp to get the app going on an iPad. That said, there’s no telling when Meta will release the finalized version of WhatsApp for iPad. With years of experience, you can trust us with app development services. As we developed an app for clients worldwide, we have enough experience to show.
Procedural programming style
Having a mobile presence is a requirement for most businesses since most people access the internet now through mobile phones. Android accounts for over 70% of the market share of mobile phones, https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ so even if Kotlin was only for Android development, Kotlin developers would be in high demand. Once WhatsApp for iPad officially rolls out, you can download it from the App Store.
We use applications on our smartphones for everything from ordering dinner, creating documents, and even watching movies—and more apps get developed every day. You can attract new talent to your team with modern cross-platform technologies in a product’s tech stack. Many developers want to tackle new challenges at work, which is why new technologies and tasks tend to increase developers’ motivation and enjoyment while working. Native apps built for a particular operating system have direct access to the device’s hardware, such as camera, microphone, and GPS location support. One of the arguments is also that Java is merely old and we should move to new, exciting technologies.
Benefits of cross-platform development
Java has been around for many years, is well-established in the industry, and has a massive community, which means more available developers. Meanwhile, Kotlin is a new language that has gained popularity among developers for its concise syntax and ease of use. Kotlin features and compatibility with Java make it an excellent choice for app development. Deciding between Kotlin and Java depends on the specific requirements of your app and your personal preferences as a developer. Both Kotlin and Java are powerful programming languages with their strengths and weaknesses. The app development business is growing fast with an increasing number of smartphones.
That’s because they are still different programming tools that offer similar but not exactly the same sets of functionalities. Kotlin can take less time to write code, but Java offers static members, checked exceptions, non-private fields, primitive types and wildcard types. One of the main reasons why Kotlin is considered a language that is easy to learn is the fact that it was inspired by other languages before it – like Java and JavaScript, C# or Scala. It is claimed that Kotlin should be especially easy to adapt to for Java developers. Although advanced functionalities can take a longer time to learn, overall, Kotlin was created to be easy to adopt.
Get started with Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile
One of the best things about this framework is its Hot Reload feature, which allows developers to make changes and view them instantly. The most popular cross-platform frameworks include Flutter, React Native, and Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile. Each of these frameworks has its own capabilities and strengths. Depending on the tool you use, your development process and the outcome may vary.
In Kotlin, there are no raw types, arrays are invariant and type system can control null references. These issues raise the question of whether the end-user will notice a difference between native and cross-platform apps. Since your app is compatible with multiple operating systems, you can satisfy the needs of both Android and iOS audiences and maximize your reach. The Kotlin programming language is developed by JetBrains, supported by Google, and open to all contributors. We loved the “shared business, native UI” idea that Kotlin Multiplatform promoted, and it meant that our teams did not have to give up using their preferred toolchains.
Kotlin Features
Kotlin was designed as a replacement for Java on the Android operating system. Eight years after it was released, in 2019, Google finally agreed with Jemerov and most Android developers and announced that Kotlin was the preferred language for Android https://www.globalcloudteam.com/10-reasons-why-you-need-kotlin-development-company/ app development. StackSocial often has great deals on software and course bundles, and right now it’s offering a mobile application developers’ bundle for just $30. The bundle brings students through seven courses aimed at learning mobile app basics.
As we said before, Kotlin for Java developers should be easy to learn and code. We should discuss a couple of dependencies between Java and Kotlin. There are whole tutorials on calling Java to Kotlin and the other way around.
Kotlin
Apps have turned mobile devices into handheld computers and transformed the way people interact. As an Android app developer, you could be part of this mobile revolution by creating apps that are relied upon by smartphone users everywhere. One of the first steps is understanding what app you will be building, including its features and purpose. A complex application with many features will require a lot of programming, especially if it’s something new that doesn’t have any existing templates.
Developers can easily write modules with Kotlin that would work perfectly with the present Java codes. It’s fully compatible with the JVM and every Java frameworks and libraries, making it easy to be integrated with the Maven or Gradle build systems. While some languages are object-oriented or assertively functional, Kotlin is not over the roof opinionated and refrains from enforcing the philosophy of one over another. C++ is still used, but not as an app’s main programming language.
Native and cross-platform development benefits
When writing lesser code at the back of a language which is very concise, there are automatically lesser probability of errors, making it less tiresome for the developers. The average salary for an Android app developer will vary based on the company, location, and job duties. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), software developers earn an average annual salary of $109,020 [2]. Aside from searching for shows, users can also create playlists, download episodes, and receive reminders when a new show drops.