Scala vs. Kotlin: Which is better? If that’s the case, you’re not the only one. In recent years, these programming languages have gained momentum, but there may be some uncertainty as to which one is best for a given task. This article will take on the battle between Scala and Kotlin and help you determine which language is best for your project!

Scala

What is Scala

Scala, a functional programming language for the Java Virtual Machine, is pronounced: “SCAL-uh.” Scala is also a mix of object-oriented and functional programming, as seen in its name. What exactly is object-oriented? Scala is possible to create classes, inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation thanks to this feature of the programming language. Java, C++, and Javascript are all examples of object-oriented programming languages. To achieve the greatest possible level of interoperability, Scala was built to work seamlessly with Java and other popular programming languages. Scala runs on the same Java virtual machine as Java. Thus it may call any Java function or method. As a result, developers who want to work in more than one language may do so with relative ease. Languages for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that are not Scala, Kotlin, or Java include the following:

Groovy is a scripting and dynamic programming language.

Lisp’s dynamic and functional dialect, Clojure, has been around since the 1980s.

 

Why use Scala?

Scala programming gives you the best of both worlds when it comes to object-oriented and functional programming. We focus on computing function values, compositions, and higher-order features in functional programming. Because of the way it implements functional programming, Scala is quite similar to Java in terms of its OOP syntax. Your code may be written in whatever way you desire! Unlike Java and C++, Scala heavily emphasizes functional programming, which sets it apart. Because of Scala’s emphasis on immutability and avoiding state change wherever feasible, its functional approach allows you to write cleaner code. As a result, you may create code more rapidly while avoiding errors. Functions written in Scala’s functional programming paradigm are straightforward to comprehend and verify. Because the code is compact, efficient, and intuitive, you can use it with small and big teams.

 

Drawbacks of using Scala

On January 20th, 2004, Scala made its appearance. Martin Odersky, a computer scientist and instructor at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, designed the Scala programming language. His area of expertise is in the study of computer code and programming. There are now 88 different versions of Scala available. Scala 3.0 is the most recent release. A lot of attention has been paid to Scala 3’s advancement and the elimination of issues that had previously led to many mistakes for developers. There are a few drawbacks to Scala. However, most of them are out of the developers’ hands.

Functional programming and an emphasis on immutability are hallmarks of the approach. Scala programs may be less memory and CPU efficient than object-oriented Java programming compared to Kotlin. This eliminates state modification while still allowing for dynamic data structures under certain scenarios.

In addition to being tough to learn, Scala is also a significantly different language from Java. Scala’s grammar is more difficult to learn than object-oriented languages like Java or C++, so it will take you longer to get up to full speed. Java is a powerful tool as an object-oriented programming language with a strong emphasis on classes. Since 1995, it’s been a part of the IT sector. Java developers are responsible for designing, developing, and managing Java-based compilations.

The primary objective of Java programmers is to enhance technology via the use of programming languages continually. Keeping the number of implementation dependencies to a minimum is crucial to the Java design philosophy. As a result, you may use the program again and again without having to re-type any of the information. The similarities between Java and Scala are many, yet Scala distinguishes out for its more flexible syntax.

 

What is Kotlin?

Programming language Kotlin is a statically typed language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine and may be converted to JavaScript source code. JetBrains, the company behind popular development tools like Intellij IDEA and ReSharper, created it. By compiling straight to bytecode, Kotlin is more compact than Scala, but it also outperforms the latter in terms of performance.

Kotlin was initially released on July 22nd, 2011. JetBrains, which was created in 2000, came up with its concept. Software company JetBrains focuses on providing intelligent development tools. The design of Kotlin addresses many of Java’s shortcomings, such as the verbosity and null pointer exceptions.  It also compiles straight to bytecode, so you don’t have to worry about interoperability difficulties while using current Java libraries. This makes Kotlin in some ways comparable to Scala. Due to its youth, Kotlin does not yet have the maturity of other programming languages like Java or C++. Kotlin’s compatibility with current applications is significantly simpler since it was built by JetBrains and runs on top of the JVM languages as Scala does.

 

What are the advantages of using Kotlin?

The programming language Kotlin is excellent. It’s simple to get started with and utilize. Unlike Java, the most often used language for Android programming, it is also more succinct (which Kotlin fully interoperates with). Because of Kotlin’s short syntax, less code has to be written. Developers that are new to a project may get up and running with fewer lines of code thanks to this. In addition, Kotlin is completely compatible with Java, which means you may use both languages in the same project without any problems.

 

Using Kotlin has certain drawbacks.

The major shortcoming of Kotlin is that it does not have the same degree of community support as Java. For example, developers using Kotlin have fewer library options than those working in Java. Although this may be a reason not to adopt Kotlin, you may write better code because of its brevity. The IDE you use to develop in Scala or Kotlin is another consideration when deciding between the two programming languages (Integrated Development Environment).

When it comes to data processing, Kotlin may be a useful tool. Static typing and null safety make writing dependable, straightforward code easier due to its concision and readability. Kotlin’s null tracking is used when Java and Kotlin communicate.