Table of Contents
Introduction to Kotlin
Kotlin is a versatile programming language developed by JetBrains, known for its popularity among developers due to its ability to streamline coding and enhance productivity. Fully interoperable with Java, it’s an attractive choice for Java developers seeking a modern language. Kotlin is a statically typed general-purpose programming language and the official language for developing Android applications. Its concise syntax and expressive nature allow for cleaner and more efficient code, reducing errors and improving code quality.
Kotlin supports both object-oriented and functional programming paradigms, offering flexibility for various use cases, from complex applications to functional programming techniques for handling asynchronous operations.
Kotlin’s integration with Android Studio and its status as the official language for Android app development make it essential for aspiring Android developers. Modern features like null safety, coroutines, and extension functions empower developers to create robust applications. Kotlin is the most preferred language for native Android app development, offering developers a modern and efficient toolset.
The growing ecosystem of libraries and frameworks provides resources for building web applications, server-side services, and cross-platform mobile apps with Kotlin Multiplatform. Additionally, Jetpack Compose, a toolkit for building UIs in Android apps using Kotlin, makes development faster and easier, further enhancing the language’s appeal.
As Kotlin evolves, it remains a dynamic language encouraging innovation in software development. Whether you’re experienced or new to programming, learning Kotlin opens opportunities for creating cutting-edge applications. The Android development ecosystem is increasingly shifting towards Kotlin for its advantages in both performance and readability, making it a valuable skill for developers.
Getting Started with Kotlin
Discovering Kotlin’s Versatility
Embarking on your Kotlin journey is an exciting venture, especially given the language’s versatility and modern features. As you dive into Kotlin, you’ll discover its intuitive syntax, which is designed to be both concise and expressive, making it an ideal choice for developers at any level. Kotlin is modern, cross-platform, and easy to learn for Android app development, ensuring a smooth learning curve for beginners and experienced developers alike. Whether you’re transitioning from Java or starting fresh, Kotlin offers a seamless learning curve that encourages experimentation and creativity.
Seamless Java Interoperability
Kotlin’s interoperability with Java is one of its standout features, allowing developers to leverage existing Java libraries and frameworks while enjoying Kotlin’s modern syntax. This compatibility ensures that your transition to Kotlin is smooth and that you can integrate Kotlin code into existing Java projects without hassle.
Kotlin for Android Development
For those interested in Android development, Kotlin’s official status as the preferred language for Android app development is a significant advantage. Its concise syntax and powerful features, like null safety and extension functions, reduce boilerplate code and enhance productivity. As you build Android apps, you’ll appreciate Kotlin’s ability to handle asynchronous programming with coroutines, ensuring responsive and efficient applications.
Benefits of Kotlin
Concise Syntax
Kotlin offers a multitude of advantages that make it a preferred choice for developers across various domains. Its concise syntax reduces boilerplate code, allowing developers to write more readable and maintainable code. This not only enhances productivity but also minimizes the risk of errors, leading to more reliable programs.
Interoperability with Java
Kotlin’s interoperability with Java is another significant benefit, enabling developers to seamlessly integrate Kotlin into existing Java projects and leverage the vast array of Java libraries.
Flexibility in Programming Paradigms
Moreover, Kotlin’s support for both object-oriented and functional programming paradigms provides flexibility in coding style, catering to a wide range of programming needs. This dual capability is particularly beneficial in complex projects where different approaches may be required for different components.
Modern Features
Kotlin’s modern features, such as null safety and extension functions, further enhance its appeal by improving code safety and extending functionality without modifying existing code. The null safety feature, in particular, reduces the risk of null reference exceptions, making the code safer and more robust for developers.
Android Development
In the realm of Android development, Kotlin’s official status as the preferred language ensures that developers are equipped with the latest tools and features to create high-quality, production-grade android applications. Its integration with Android Studio and support for Android SDK streamline the development process, making it easier to build robust and responsive apps.
Versatility Beyond Android
Beyond Android, Kotlin’s capabilities extend to server-side development, web apps, and even cross-platform mobile applications through Kotlin Multiplatform. This versatility, combined with a growing ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, positions Kotlin as a forward-thinking language that encourages innovation and creativity in software development.
Best Kotlin Books
Kotlin in Action
- Aigner, Sebastian (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 560 Pages - 05/21/2024 (Publication Date) - Manning (Publisher)
by Sebastian Aigner , Roman Elizarov , Dmitry Jemerov and Svetlana Isakova takes you from language basics to building production-quality applications that take advantage of Kotlin’s unique features for android app development. Discover how learning kotlin to handle everything from statements and functions to classes and types, and the unique features that make Kotlin programming so seamless. This complete guide to the Kotlin language written especially for readers familiar with Java or another OO language. Its authors—all core Kotlin developers and Kotlin team members share their unique insights, along with practical techniques and hands-on examples. This new second edition is fully updated to include the latest innovations, and it adds new chapters dedicated to coroutines, flows, and concurrency.
You will learn:
Kotlin statements and functions, and classes and types
Functional programming on the JVM
The Kotlin standard library and out-of-the-box features
Writing clean and idiomatic code
Combining Kotlin and Java
Improve code reliability with null safety
Domain-specific languages
Kotlin coroutines and flows
Mastering the kotlinx.coroutines library
This is the best Kotlin book in 2024.
The Joy of Kotlin
- Saumont, Pierre-Yves (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 04/27/2019 (Publication Date) - Manning (Publisher)
by Pierre-Yves Saumont teaches you how to tackle common programming challenges with a fresh and inspired VET perspective. The Kotlin programming books has many examples that dive into proper error and data handling, data structures, status handling, and laziness. Maintaining poor legacy code, interpreting cryptic comments, and writing the same boilerplate over and over can suck the joy out of your life as a Java developer. You will:
Programming with functions
Dealing with optional data
Safe handling of errors and exceptions
Handling and sharing state mutation
Kotlin Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide
- Greenhalgh, David (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 541 Pages - 11/01/2021 (Publication Date) - Big Nerd Ranch Guides (Publisher)
by Josh Skeen and David Greenhalgh. Kotlin is a static type programming language designed to interact with Java and fully compatible with Google on the Android operating system. This guide, shows you how to work effectively with the Kotlin programming language through practical examples and clear explanations of key Kotlin programming concepts and fundamental APIs. This book will also introduce you to JetBrains’ IntelliJ IDEA development environment.
Whether you are an experienced Android developer looking for modern features beyond what Java offers or a new developer ready to learn your first programming language, the authors will guide you from first principles to advanced usage of Kotlin. By the end of this book, you will be empowered to create reliable, concise applications in Kotlin programming languages. This is one of the Best Kotlin books in 2024.
Kotlin Design Patterns and Best Practices
- Alexey Soshin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 474 Pages - 04/29/2024 (Publication Date) - Packt Publishing (Publisher)
by Alexey Soshin stays current with Kotlin updates, spanning from version 1.6 onwards, and offers in-depth insights into topics like Structured Concurrency and Context Receivers. The book starts by introducing essential Kotlin syntax and the significance of design patterns, covering classic Creational, Structural, and Behavioral patterns. It then progresses to explore functional programming, Reactive, and Concurrent patterns, including detailed discussions on Coroutines and Structured Concurrency. As you navigate through these advanced concepts, you’ll enhance your Kotlin coding skills. The book also delves into the latest architectural trends, focusing on microservices design patterns and aiding your decision-making process when choosing between architectures. This is the Best Kotlin Design Patterns Book.
Head First Kotlin
- Griffiths, Dawn (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 480 Pages - 04/02/2019 (Publication Date) - O'Reilly Media (Publisher)
by Dawn Griffiths and David Griffiths is a complete introduction to coding in Kotlin. This learn kotlin book helps you learn the Kotlin language with a unique method that goes beyond syntax and how-to manuals and teaches you how to think like a great Kotlin developer. You’ll learn everything from language fundamentals to collections, generics, lambdas, and higher-order functions. Along the way, you’ll get to play with both object-oriented and functional programming. If you want to really understand Kotlin, this is the book for you. This is one of the Best Kotlin book for beginners in 2024.
Kotlin for Android Developers
- Leiva, Antonio (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 240 Pages - 03/21/2016 (Publication Date) - CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)
This best book for kotlin android development is by Antonio Leiva. If you want to be a good candidate for new Android opportunities, Kotlin is becoming a new necessity that most companies will ask for. Recommended by Google and Jetbrains, features this book explains the process of learning all the latest Kotlin features that Java programming language was missing in a fun and easy way like object oriented and functional programming. You will build an Android application from scratch using Kotlin as the primary language. The idea is to learn the language by example, rather than following a typical structure. The most interesting concepts and ideas about Kotlin, comparing it with Java 7. Solve many of the typical Kotlin problems that we face in our day to day using the expressiveness of Kotlin language and other really interesting tools and libraries. The Kotlin book is very practical so it is recommended to follow the examples and code in front of a computer and try everything that is suggested.
Kotlin Cookbook
- Kousen, Ken (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 254 Pages - 12/03/2019 (Publication Date) - O'Reilly Media (Publisher)
by Ken Kousen shows you how to troubleshoot Kotlin by focusing on your own use cases instead of the basic syntax. You provide the context and this book provides the answers. Kotlin can be used anywhere Java is applied, as well as for iOS development, native applications, JavaScript generation, and more. Jump in and build meaningful projects with Kotlin today.
You will:
Apply functional programming concepts, including lambdas, sequences, and concurrency
See how to use delegates, late initialization, and scope functions
Explore Java interoperability and access Java libraries using Kotlin
Add your own extension functions
Use helpful libraries such as JUnit 5
Get practical advice for working with specific frameworks, like Android and Spring
Atomic Kotlin
- Eckel, Bruce (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 636 Pages - 01/11/2021 (Publication Date) - Mindview LLC (Publisher)
by Bruce Eckel and Svetlana Isakova. For both beginning and experienced programmers! From the author of the multi-award-winning Thinking in C++ and Thinking in Java together with a member of the Kotlin language team comes a book that breaks the concepts into small, easy-to-digest “atoms,” along with exercises supported by hints and solutions directly inside IntelliJ IDEA!