Kotlin: The Ultimate Guide

Sufyan bin Uzayr

Dec 2022 · CRC Press

About this ebook

Kotlin is a free and open-source general purpose programming language that is mostly used to create Android apps. Kotlin was developed by JetBrains initially and later picked up by Google as the language of choice for its Android platform. Over the past few years, Kotlin has become one of the most popular alternatives to Java language and is used by more than 80 percent of Android app developers.

Kotlin is a statically typed, advanced programming language that compiles Kotlin code into Java byte-code and runs on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). It can also be compiled to native executables and JavaScript source code. It is an object-oriented programming language that includes data types, operators, I/O comments, control statements, functions, classes, object expressions, and constructors, among other features. It is not a standalone programming language; rather, it is an innovative manner of coding that runs on Java.

Kotlin is a versatile language with some cool features like compatibility, low runtime, and efficient coding characteristics. The features that help distinguish Kotlin from other languages are its reliability, tool support, and interoperability. It is a simplified version of Java that is much easier to deal with.

Why Should You Learn Kotlin?

The popularity of Kotlin is growing, and will continue to do so in the coming years. Kotlin has always been -- and will continue to be -- a cutting-edge programming language that meets the needs of real professionals. Many emerging fields, including mobile, online gaming, server-side, cloud development, data science, and education, are progressively using Kotlin.

All of this indicates that there is already a high demand for Kotlin developers, and that demand will continue to grow in the future. Furthermore, if you are looking to build native Android apps, Kotlin is the language that you should be using.

About the author

Sufyan bin Uzayr is a writer, coder and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the industry. He has authored several books in the past, pertaining to a diverse range of topics, ranging from History to Computers/IT. Sufyan is the Director of Parakozm, a multinational IT company specializing in EdTech solutions. He also runs Zeba Academy, an online learning and teaching vertical with a focus on STEM fields. Sufyan specializes in a wide variety of technologies, such as JavaScript, Dart, WordPress, Drupal, Linux and Python. He holds multiple degrees, including ones in Management, IT, Literature and Political Science. Sufyan is a digital nomad, dividing his time between four countries. He has lived and taught in universities and educational institutions around the globe. Sufyan takes a keen interest in technology, politics, literature, history and sports, and in his spare time, he enjoys teaching coding and English to young students. Learn more at sufyanism.com