Google has introduced an alpha version of its Kotlin Symbol Processing (KSP) tool. It’s designed to help app developers painlessly build plugins while writing apps in Kotlin. KSP is compatible with Kotlin 1.4.30. JetBrains, the creator of Kotlin, recently released this version as a precursor to Kotlin 1.5.0. The newly launched tool will likely boost Kotlin app development services in terms of productivity.
The capability to speed up build times during compilation is the top request from Kotlin developers, according to Google. Google has aggressively endorsed Kotlin as a preferred language for Android app development services of all kinds. The tech giant first promoted Kotlin at its I/O 2017 annual conference. Then it announced support for Kotlin in its Android Studio IDE. In 2019, Google announced that Android development would be Kotlin-first.
The Rising Popularity of Kotlin
Kotlin is emerging as the top choice for Android apps due to its developer-friendly features. And it’s becoming more popular than Java. With Kotlin app development, programmers can significantly improve the productivity of their work. The development platform dramatically improves the coding experience of developers. Kotlin offers an array of functional features that support Java interoperability. It also offers improved syntax along with providing concise codes and abstractions.
Over 60% of Android app developers now use Kotlin instead of Java. Besides, Google now has roughly 30% of Google Home apps written in Kotlin. Most of these apps have been translated from Java code. Kotlin offers 100% interoperability with Java. And it’s one of the crucial factors driving its rising popularity.
Kotlin’s App Store Success
Kotlin-based apps have reported a massive surge in Google Play Stores. The likes of Uber, Evernote, and Pinterest have moved to Kotlin. And these developments are likelier to prompt even more recognition among software development companies and app-based businesses. Whether it’s native Android app development services or cross-platform apps, Kotlin is the language of choice.
Markets like India have shown exceptionally high popularity of Kotlin for Android apps. It’s particularly popular in India, a leading app market where all solutions are built with a mobile-first approach. India has a 90% market share of Android. So virtually every app development project is Android. And Kotlin seems to be capitalizing on that.
How KSP Boosts Android Development
Despite having a host of advanced features, Kotlin doesn’t have a native annotation processing system. And it’s one of the most formidable challenges facing Android developers. Annotation processors like Room are widely used in Android development. They rely on Java annotation processing compatibility through the Kotlin Annotation Processing (KAPT) tool.
You might find it challenging to use KAPT due to its intermediate Java stubs. KSP helps you solve the problem. KSP enables you to use an API for parsing Kotlin code without any barriers. It lets you reduce the build time substantially. According to Google’s initial analysis, the Room library shows that KSP offers roughly twice the speed of KAPT.
Google has suggested Android developers replace KAPT with the new KSP tool. As of this writing, KSP partially supports Room. Also, it experimentally supports Moshi. Developers at Google said that KSP is currently in the alpha stage for library authors. Google is also asking developers to closely review the tool and give feedback on the API.
Wrapping Up
Kotlin offers a swarm of advantages over other programming languages. It features in-built tools to convert Java codes to Kotlin and make your Android app development services better. Kotlin aims to aim to improve both the coding experience and expertise of Android artisans. Besides, the framework’s advanced features like multithreading capabilities dramatically boost your development capabilities.
At Android Developer, we’re passionate about creating top-notch apps using market-best tools and technologies. Kotlin is increasingly becoming the go-to language for our Android app projects. If you’re planning to capitalize on advanced software capabilities, you could hire Android developers from us. Follow us on social media to stay updated about all things Android.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is Kotlin better than Java?
Kotlin adds many advanced features to mobile app development. The Android app developers’ community is increasingly using it. Kotlin can compile the code to JavaScript or native. It enables developers to build code that can run both on Android and iOS. It’s a statically typed language. Kotlin’s key features like built-in null safety support make apps flawless and user friendly.
Q. What is Jetpack Compose for Desktop?
Jetpack Compose for Desktop is Android’s modern toolkit for building native user interfaces. It simplifies UI development for Android app developers. Compose enables you to quickly build an app with less code, powerful tools, and Kotlin APIs.
Q. What is interoperability programming?
The interoperability of programming languages is the ability for two or more languages to interact as part of the same system. Frequently, this means passing messages and data between potentially vastly different languages.
Q. How much does it cost to build a Kotlin-based Android app?
The costs of developing a Kotlin-based Android app depend on several factors. Design complexity, development time, type of features, etc. play a vital role in calculating the costs. We build impeccable Kotlin apps at a competitive price.
