Know Why These 15 Famous Apps Migrated from Java to Kotlin

Google in its I/O 2017 Developer Conference announced that it will now officially base its Android App Development process on Kotlin – the language developed by the JetBrains team of programmers based in Russia.

The features that Kotlin comes powered with –  Interoperability with Java, Conciseness, and Android Studio support – were enough for Google to validate developing android apps with Kotlin, something that the tech giant continued to highlight in I/O 2018 by scheduling sessions on the Android new programming language.  

Just days after the announcement of Kotlin becoming the official language of Android at the I/O 2017 developer conference, the programming language found itself in the list of top programming languages that will define 2018.

Between 2017 and mid of 2018 (the present time) the language has seen an exponential rise in demand from both developers and businesses. The realm report that surveys mobile app developers globally also found that 20% of the Android apps that were built on Java before the Google I/O 2017 conference, were then migrated to Kotlin. A movement that has brought in a surge in demand for Kotlin app development agencies.

In October 2017, we covered Kotlin in depth in one of our blogs. Head on there to read the article where we dissected Kotlin and highlighted ways it is better than most of the other programming languages.

Taking what was started in 2017 forward, the Android industry in the present day is staring at the rise of the number of Kotlin based apps, with the portfolio consisting of a number of hot-shot brand names.

In this article, we will be looking at 15 companies that were using Java earlier but now use Kotlin, and this way, give you an idea of why it’s time for you to follow the lead to.

But before that, here are the business benefits that you can enjoy by focusing on android development with Kotlin.

What are the Business Benefits of Choosing Kotlin – The Official Programming Language for Android Apps

1. Improved Code Maintainability Meaning Faster Development Time

When we compare Kotlin vs Java, we can find Kotlin to be more concise meaning it can solve more problems with fewer lines of code. It means that the engineers can read and change the code much more efficiently.

There are a number of features that come associated with Kotlin, which make the language more concise – Smart Casts, Data Classes, Properties, and Type Interface.

2. Lower Instances of Application Crashes

Open source Android Apps written in Kotlin offer better security over those coded in Java. This is so because Kotlin averts the common programming mistakes in design, which results in lesser application crashes and system failures. Also, since Kotlin works on a fail-fast system, any issues that can lead to failure are reported instantly.

The fail-fast compiler that Kotlin comes with searches for bugs and prevent them from coming again.

3. Shrinked Codebase Leads to Easy App Maintainability

Android apps made with Kotlin call for a lot less number of code lines as compared to Android apps made with Java, which ultimately not just saves the app development time but also the app maintenance time and efforts.

Apart from these business benefits, there are a number of advantages that come associated with Android Kotlin.

Seeing these myriad of benefits that Android apps made by Kotlin bring with themselves, the Android mobile app development industry has now eventually started moving to the adoption of Kotlin Programming Language. A move that has been bringing about a transition from Java to Kotlin.

Kotlin Developers that have made the switch from Java to Kotlin have realized a series of benefits that have also become the reasons why it is time for the android mobile application development industry to start making the switch.

Why is the Android App Development Industry Moving from Java to Android’s New Programming Language?

This is Why –

1. Mass Adoption

Even though Kotlin – the new language for Android Apps is a new entrant in the industry, there are a number of companies – established and new alike – that have migrated from Java to Kotlin to take advantage of the benefits that the language comes with.

*More on That Later.

2. Concise

Android mobile apps developed in Kotlin language are very concise. The resulting code of a Kotlin programming language reduces the total number of boilerplate codes, which enhances productivity to a great extent. Also, there is a lot less room of error, while the resulting code is a lot safer and reliable.

3. Better User Experience

If you make apps with Android Studio, Kotlin programming language will make them a lot more stable by removing the bugs and reducing the instances of app crashes. And when your app is launched with these issues missing, the user experience only enhances.

4. Designed to Fail-Fast

This time around, Google has brought changes in its new programming language for Android Apps. They have made Kotlin fail-fast.

A fail-fast system immediately reports any issue in coding that is most likely going to lead to failure. When a problem emerges, the fail-fast system fails immediately, making it impossible for the Kotlin developers to move ahead with the mobile app development process.

5. Resolves Problems Faster

Due to fewer codes being required, a programmer can analyze and change the code very quickly. Bugs are detected at the time of compilation, so developers can fix errors before runtime.

6. Built-in Null Safety

Kotlin offers complete null safety, which is a tremendous advantage. In the past, the infamous null pointer exception has been largely responsible for Android development studio mistakes. Android completely relies on null to represent the absence of a value, and this null can easily destroy an application.

7. Kotlin for Android is a Developer’s Retreat

Kotlin programming language, in its latest 1.4 release, has made the Android App Development process a breeze for the developers. The language now offers a new flexible Project Wizard for easy creation and configuration of varied types of projects, a new compiler mode known as explicit API mode that aids creating well-defined and consistent APIs, and much more.

All these benefits cumulatively have resulted in making Kotlin the answer to ‘What programming language are Android Apps Written In’.

The fact that Google has introduced free courses to learn Kotlin, will do wonders for the adoption rate. It is so much so that the probability of you using some apps built with Kotlin is extremely high.

Here are the 15 Android Apps That are Made Using Kotlin for Android 

1. Pinterest

The popular photo-sharing app, Pinterest is one of the biggest names that have used Kotlin for Android App Development. The brand officially moved from Java to Kotlin and showcased the benefits of the move at Droidcon NYC 2016.

2. Postmates

The on-demand food delivery app also recently shifted to Kotlin for its Android version of the mobile app. The reason for this switch from Java to Kotlin can be attributed to the fact that the language is famous for supporting high scalability and is known to be engineered around a fail-fast mechanism.

3. Evernote

The note-taking and task organization app, Evernote has also joined the league of apps built with Java that has turned towards Kotlin.

4. Corda

Corda, the open source blockchain project that helps Blockchain app developers create interoperable blockchain networks is also based entirely on Kotlin.

5. Coursera

The world-renowned online courses app, Coursera is also partially based on Kotlin. The app has millions of active users who use the platform to take courses on a range of different topics.

6. Uber

The global leader in the on-demand commutation market, Uber has also invested in Kotlin app development for Internal Tooling processes such as annotation processors and Gradle plugins.

7. Spring by Pivotal

The Spring Framework offers a comprehensive configuration and programming model for the development of modern-day Java-based enterprise apps – on every sort of deployment platform. The framework uses Kotlin to provide more concise APIs

8. Atlassian | Trello

While Trello is not planning to do a full code conversion of the old codebase, the new code that they are using is made using Kotlin. Since there is great interoperability between Java and Kotlin, the brand is able to work with both.

9. Basecamp 3

Basecamp developers have admitted witnessing a huge difference in code quality and speed ever since they made the switch from Java to Kotlin.  

10. Twidere for Twitter

Twidere is a full feature open source Twitter client app that customizes the theme, manages the unlimited accounts, and filters unwanted tweets. Developed in Kotlin, the app has been able to bag 100,000+ install rate because of its smooth performance.

11. Shadowsocks

The secure cross-platform socks proxy helps user surf the internet securely and privately. The app with 1,000,000+ downloads on the Play Store also joined the list of apps made with Kotlin.

12. Simple Calendar

The ad-free fully open source calendar app is also amongst the Android apps made in Kotlin.

13. Kickstarter

The app helps musicians, artists, designers, filmmakers, and other creatives find all the resources and the support that they would need to convert their ideas into a reality. With thousands of active users, the app is powered by Kotlin.

14. Square

Ever since Kotlin was approved by Square for their Android Applications, the payment platform has become the evangelists of Kotlin for Android.

15. Gradle

Gradle is the custom build tool that is used for developing the android packages (apk files) by providing the custom build logic and managing dependencies. And recently, Gradle introduced Kotlin as the language for writing the build scripts in. Since Kotlin gives support for both IDEA and Eclipse, Android’s new programming language gives the Gradle users full IDE support for refactoring to auto completion and everything in between.

Get your app’s name added to the list, get in touch with our team of Android Kotlin experts today.

Now that we have looked at the benefits that come attached with developing apps using Kotlin and how their a number of hot-shot apps that are benefitting from this association, we have come to the end of the article where we will talk about the pointers that you should look out for BEFORE you plan to join the league of those famous apps made with Android Studio.

What Do You Need to Know Before Migrating Your Java App to Kotlin?

A. Is your team ready to make the switch?

Shifting the development method from one programming language to another comes with a learnability curve. So, before you convert Java to Kotlin, ensure that your hired development team is adept and experienced in building Kotlin apps.

B. Is your app architecture made of loosely coupled components?

When you convert Java to Kotlin Android Studio, it can result in deletion, creation, and merging of some artifacts and classes that make your mobile app architecture a mess. And the more loosely coupled your app components, the more difficult it would be to make changes and then test them.

Once you have ensured that both the pointers are in place, you no longer have a reason to not convert Java to Kotlin Android studio, like the app industry’s top leaders did.

Final Note

As you have seen there are plenty of benefits in shifting from Java to Kotlin. There were a number of Android apps made with Java, but now they have shifted to Kotlin. On the whole, migrating to Kotlin helps to resolve problems faster and improves your app’s performance. So, what are you waiting for? Start this awesome journey and you will see that it will turn out to be an amazing decision for your business. In case you need any Android Studio app ideas for your brand, contact a reputed android development studio company. They will guide you through the mobile app development Android Studio process and provide all the assistance you need to take your Android Studio app ideas to the next level. 

THE AUTHOR

Avinash Sharma

VP- R&D