Kotlin - the best mobile PE: salaries, pros and cons

What is Kotlin?

Kotlin is a modern programming language that has grown in popularity in recent years. Kotlin was originally developed by JetBrains (the company behind popular development tools like IntelliJ IDEA) to address some of Java's shortcomings while maintaining full interoperability with Java. In this article, we'll explore the reasons behind Kotlin's popularity and its pros and cons.

Understanding a language's origins and the potential benefits it can offer a company should be our first step in learning it. Set our clocks back to 2011, the year when JetBrains programmers began developing Kotlin. Its improvement over other languages was also aided by other open-source programmers. Google subsequently affirmed Kotlin to be its most popular language, which will be utilized in the majority of app development, after viewing the development and future of Kotlin in 2019.

Pros and cons of Kotlin

1
Concise Syntax
Kotlin has a concise syntax that is easy to read and write, making it less verbose than Java. It eliminates boilerplate code, which helps in writing clean and maintainable code.
2
Interoperability with Java
Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java, which means it can use existing Java code, libraries, and frameworks. This makes it easy to integrate Kotlin into existing Java-based projects.
3
Null Safety
Kotlin has a type system that helps avoid the null pointer exceptions commonly found in Java and other PEs. It does this by distinguishing between nullable and non-nullable types at compile time, which helps catch null pointer exceptions at the development stage itself.
4
Extension Functions
Kotlin allows developers to extend existing classes with new functionality without the need for inheritance. This is achieved through the use of extension functions, which can be called as if they were part of the original class.
5
Coroutines
Kotlin supports coroutines, which are a lightweight threading mechanism that simplifies the development of asynchronous code. Coroutines allow developers to write asynchronous code sequentially, making it easier to reason about.
6
Android Development
Kotlin has become the preferred language for developing Android applications, with Google officially endorsing it as a first-class language for Android development. Kotlin offers several benefits over Java for Android development, including improved code readability, null safety, and support for coroutines.
1
Learning Curve
While Kotlin's syntax is relatively easy to learn, it does have a learning curve. Developers who are new to Kotlin may find it challenging to understand some of its concepts, especially those that differ from Java or other PEs.
2
Compilation Time
Kotlin's compilation time is slower than that of Java, which can lead to longer build times. However, this is a tradeoff for the benefits of Kotlin's syntax and features.
3
Learning Curve
While Kotlin's syntax is relatively easy to learn, it does have a learning curve. Developers who are new to Kotlin may find it challenging to understand some of its concepts, especially those that differ from Java or other PEs.
4
IDE Support
While JetBrains provides excellent IDE support for Kotlin, some other IDEs may not have the same level of support. This can make it challenging for developers who prefer using other IDEs.
5
Limited Documentation
While Kotlin has good documentation, it is still not as extensive as Java or C++. This can make it challenging for developers who are new to Kotlin to find answers to their questions.

Why Kotlin got so popular?

Kotlin has gained popularity due to its concise syntax, interoperability with Java, null safety, extension functions, and support for coroutines. However, it has a learning curve, slower compilation time, limited resources, and limited IDE support. Overall, Kotlin is an excellent programming language that offers several advantages over Java, making it a great choice for developing modern applications.

Kotlin has become increasingly popular among developers, and as a result, the demand for Kotlin engineers has increased as well. According to a recent survey by Stack Overflow, Kotlin is the fourth most loved programming language by developers, with a satisfaction rate of over 70%. This high level of satisfaction is likely due to the language's modern syntax, null safety, and support for functional programming.

How much do Kotlin engineers earn?

When it comes to salaries, Kotlin engineers can expect to earn a competitive salary, with the average salary for a Kotlin developer being around $110,000 per year in the United States. This salary can vary depending on factors such as the developer's level of experience, the company they work for, and the location of the job.

To give a better understanding of the salaries for Kotlin engineers, here is a table of average salaries for Kotlin developers in several countries:
Kotlin engineers salaries in Ukraine, US, Australia, Germany, Canada and United Kingdom (per year)
Graph 1. Kotlin engineers' salaries in different countries
It's worth noting that the average salary for Kotlin developers in Ukraine can vary depending on factors such as the developer's level of experience, the company they work for, and the location of the job within the country. However, compared to other countries in the table, the average salary for Kotlin developers in Ukraine is significantly lower. This is likely due to the lower cost of living in Ukraine compared to countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

Despite the lower average salary, Ukraine has a growing tech industry, with many companies adopting Kotlin for their projects. This has created opportunities for developers in the country to build their careers and gain experience with modern programming languages like Kotlin. As the demand for Kotlin developers continues to grow globally, it's likely that salaries for Kotlin developers in Ukraine will increase as well.

In conclusion, Kotlin offers several benefits over Java, including concise syntax, null safety, support for coroutines, and better support for Android development. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as a learning curve, slower compilation times, limited resources, and limited IDE support. Despite these drawbacks, Kotlin has become a popular choice for developing modern applications, and its adoption rate is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kotlin's modern syntax, null safety, and support for functional programming are some of the reasons why it's popular among developers.
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