It is currently estimated that currently around two and a half billion people around the world use Android based mobile operating systems as a primary device for their everyday activities, The iOS operating system developed by Apple Inc boasts a distant second at 1 billion users. Other operating systems like Blackberry, Huawei OS does not stack up to Android in terms of number of daily active users.
Applications are software installed on these operating systems to provide hassle free usage to the end users. Applications can range from simple calculators to complex graphic intensive multi-player games or social media applications to connect with friends and family. It can be safely said that Applications or Apps for short are the driving force behind the major success of these hand-held devices.
There are various computer languages that can be used to develop these Applications, Each Operating system has certain protocols and rules to be followed when app developers develop these applications for specific purposes. These rules are clearly laid out by the company that develops the Operating Systems. Developing android apps can be extremely challenging given the security protocols that have to be followed without compromising on the quality or the bugginess of the software that powers these applications.
Kotlin is one such programming language critical to the seamless development of Android applications. Kotlin started as a pet project of the founders who were on the hunt for the most suitable programming languages for their particular usage. They were unsuccessful in finding an appropriate programming language hence they went ahead in creating their own programming language called Kotlin. What started as a pet project out of desperation ended up being the backbone of Android app development. It is very well noted that necessity is the mother of all inventions and is certainly true in this particular case
Historically Java and C++ were the main programming languages used to code android applications, however google has endorsed Kotlin as a preferred language for upcoming Android application development services. In addition to being a fierce competitor to Java as a programming language, Kotlin also works seamlessly with Java. The android applications can be written in Java and integrated with Kotlin for a smooth user experience.
Being a simple programming language with relaxed syntaxes helps the developers to write error free codes to power their android applications. Kotlin is also believed to enhance the security features of app development. Security is very important for any android application because of the digital footprint that is left behind by billions of android users. Mobile applications should safeguard the personal details of the user and protect their privacy. Kotlin is featured to have multiple security layers in its code enabling developers to strategically use these resources for the benefits of the Android community.
Another important feature for any programming language is the interest it develops in the developer community and the support it receives from fellow developers. A strong community enables the further adoption and growth of computer programming languages. Developers can access a vast library of developer questions on GitHub ( A popular website for developers to share their knowledge).
Android runs on various types of devices such as mobile phone, tablets, smart displays, entertainment systems and other such platforms. An important aspect of Android app development should be the cross-platform usability of the applications developed. Kotlin offers excellent support for cross platform integration. It has been a hit among developers who develop applications for multiple platforms as it reduces the man hours spent on developing and fixing bugs. Kotlin also offers quick runtime compared to other programming languages, A quick runtime leads to a faster testing time and it enormously reduces the time to market (from design to deployment) of these Android application development services.
Kotlin has successfully positioned itself to be the go-to programming language for Android app development. Kotlin boasts multiple features that differentiates it from other programming languages and has been embraced with open arms by the developer community. With all these unique features Kotlin is definitely the backbone of android app development today and it looks to continue this lead in the coming years offering performance enhancements, safety and security of the android applications.
Author Bio –
Hermit Chawla is a MD at AIS Technolabs which is Web Design and Web development Company, helping global businesses to grow. He love to share his thoughts on enterprise android app development.
