Cross-platform app development is becoming more popular, thanks in part to the rise of cutting-edge technologies like Kotlin Multiplatform. These technologies enable software developers to build high-quality, native-like solutions that also cut costs and time to market. Cross-platform tools, on the other hand, must be chosen with their unique features in mind to fulfill software requirements and achieve your specific business goals.
Kotlin Multiplatform is one of these languages, and it comes with many advantages and a couple of drawbacks.
What is Kotlin Multiplatform?
JetBrains created Kotlin, a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) targetting statically typed object-oriented language that may also be converted to JavaScript or native code. The first stable version of Kotlin, v1.0, was released in 2016. Google announced three years later that Kotlin was the preferred programming language for Android apps.
Android development was still the primary use of Kotlin in 2020. Kotlin was used in the development of 70% of Google Play’s top 1000 software applications, according to the search giant. Because of its short, simple syntax, Kotlin makes it easier for programmers to develop mobile applications than Java.
JetBrains has added multiplatform programming capabilities to make it easier for software developers to create solutions for various operating systems. As a result, software developers have been able to build code in a standard Kotlin language that runs across all platforms.
As it turns out, Kotlin Multiplatform is a method that enables developers to exchange code and essential operational processes across several operating systems. While Flutter allows teams to create a user interface, Kotlin Multiplatform does not.
Many well-known firms, like Yandex, Philips, Netflix, Quizlet, and Autodesk, have already used Kotlin Multiplatform, despite its relatively new cross-platform technology.
Kotlin Multiplatform technology has a variety of applications:
- App development for both Android and iOS platforms.
When developing a mobile application for Android and iOS, Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile (KMM) allows you to share common code. Software developers may write platform-specific code to build a native user interface or incorporate an API into a native solution when appropriate.
- Client-server development
With Kotlin Multiplatform, web developers may reuse business logic on the frontend and backend of their web applications.
Kotlin Multiplatform has several benefits.
- Faster development using local technology advantages
Kotlin Multiplatform enables the exchange of critical business logic across several platforms, including Android, iOS, JVM, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Windows, as well as JavaScript and WebAssembly. However, while being a cross-platform technology, Kotlin Multiplatform does not allow the “develop once, deploy everywhere” strategy. You still need to build two different native solutions, such as when a corporation plans to offer a software product for Android and iOS.
It is possible to reuse multiplatform logic and code in common or platform-specific code using Kotlin cross-platform technology. For example, Kotlin Multiplatform allows teams to speed up product delivery while retaining the benefits of native application development.
- The best performance
Software developers can develop applications that run smoothly on several platforms thanks to Kotlin’s cross-platform technology. Kotlin Multiplatform is the way to go if you want to produce a complete solution that can serve a broad audience, manage high loads, and give an exceptional user experience. Kotlin is ideal for designing software solutions like e-commerce marketplaces and complicated e-learning apps.
- Use of smartphone features
A camera, a microphone, and an offline mode are all easily accessible in native solutions developed in Kotlin Multiplatform. Cross-platform applications often need additional time and effort to provide this feature.
Cons of using Kotlin Multiplatform
- More time and money are spent on app development.
Engineers may use Kotlin Multiplatform to share code across multiple operating systems rather than writing a separate codebase for each platform. In addition, it lacks the UI toolkit. As a result, it takes longer to develop a cross-platform software solution using this technology than with Flutter.
Kotlin Multiplatform has many benefits, but you should know that using it will cost more money.
- A more complicated debugging procedure
When developing applications in the Kotlin cross-platform language, debugging native code becomes more difficult. JetBrains, the creators of the Kotlin cross-platform technology, are actively improving compatibility for third-party libraries.
- Insufficient learning resources
Kotlin Multiplatform is a very new technology. Thus there are fewer resources to learn about, but Flutter has extensive documentation that helps software specialists get up and running fast.
Kotlin Multiplatform Concluding remarks
Kotlin allows software professionals to produce high-quality apps in a fraction of the time and expense. Cross-platform technologies such as Kotlin make it easy to exchange code across different operating systems.
Software developers may design native solutions while reusing some code using Kotlin Multiplatform. Consequently, the Kotlin cross-platform language helps to greater performance and enhanced user experiences.