What is Kotlin?
Kotlin is an object-oriented, statistically typed computer programming language and is open-sourced. Kotlin runs on Java Virtual Machine and is capable of working across a number of platforms. We define a language as statistically typed if its variable type doesn’t get to know at run time but is defined at compile time. This language is compatible with working with Java. It comprises a lot of functional features for programming as well.
Kotlin was designed by JetBrains. The very first version of Kotlin got released on 15th Feb 2016. The main use of Kotlin is at the server-side for development. In addition to this, it also works for Client-side development as well as Android development.
Let us see a basic program in kotlin language:
fun main() { println("Welcome to python vs kotlin tutorial")
}
The output of the python program:
Welcome to python v/s kotlin tutorial
What is Python?
Python is a computer programming language that was designed by Guido van Rossum. The release date of python is 1991 and is majorly used in web development, scripting systems, mathematics, and the development of software. The programmers use python language along with the software which creates workflows. We also use python for handling work-related big data and for performing complex mathematical problems. Along with this, Python comes into use for the fast prototyping and development of software.
Python works as both procedural and object-oriented language for users. It is free as well as open-source and works well with various operating systems like Mac, MS, Linux, etc. Python is always chosen because of its feature of readability as it has a lot of similarities with English with a hint of maths.
Let us see a basic program in Python language:
print("Welcome to python v/s kotlin tutorial")
The output of the python program:
Welcome to python v/s kotlin tutorial
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Comparison between Kotlin and Python
Though both these languages are great to work with, however, let us see a few points below to understand the major differences between them.
- Description: Kotlin is known to be an object-oriented, statically typed language which means its variable type doesn’t get known at run time but is defined at compile time. However, Python is an object-oriented high-level language.
- Development principles: The development principles for kotlin are based on behaviour-driven principles such as S.O.L.I.D however for python the development principle is based on python-zen.
- Template language: Kotlin is dependent on HTML 5 as its template language whereas python is comfortable working with chameleon, Django Template System, and Jinja Adobe Flash Support.
- Influences: Kotlin is influenced by Java, Godu, Scala, Pascal, C#, etc whereas python is influenced by C, Java, Pearl C#, etc.
- Programming Paradigm: Kotlin is an object-oriented language that is functional and works with imperative programming, metaprogramming, and reactive programming. Whereas python in an object-oriented language that is functional and can only work with imperative programming.
- Compiler: Python doesn’t have its own compiler whereas Kotlin has. Moreover, it supports a number of other compilers as well such as eclipse, android studio, etc.
Potential reasons for using Kotlin
- Easy code design: It is possible for the programmer to write easy code in Kotlin to accomplish the desired output. It allows the user to write the least code possible which improves the app performance.
- Adaptability: it is very easy for the user to shift his tasks from an android app to kotlin.
- Functionality: Kotlin allows its users to execute the tasks efficiently in a very easy and quick manner.
- Error and security: This language is not much prone to errors as it tends to eliminate a lot of errors related to coding itself. It also eliminates the chances of code reducibility when the user writes small code.
- Multi-platform capacity: Kotlin supports a lot of platforms such as the android app platform, Java, Gradle, etc.
- Full Java compatibility: Kotlin allows its users to use all the Java libraries and its framework while coding in the Kotlin language.
Potential reasons for using Python
- Third-party modularity: There is a presence of third-party packages in python where the modules promote the communication within a few languages as well as platforms.
- Extensive libraries: Python language consists of internet protocols, operations related to strings, interfaces in operating systems as well as web services present inside a standard library. A lot of tasks that are executed are already there in the library which is scripted hence reducing the unnecessary writing work in the programs.
- Open source: Python is an open-source language and provides an OSI-approved licence for easy commercial use.
- User-friendly: Python is a user-friendly language that allows its users to design the data structures within the language quickly during the runtime process.
- Speed: Due to its object-oriented design, python has tremendous testing capabilities in its own framework which contributes to improved productivity as well as better speed.
Features of Kotlin
Null Safety: As a developer, while developing an android app, it is a familiar fact that approximately 70% of the apps crash because of Java null pointer exception. Java is not able to provide any methods to protect this. A programmer has to take care of this on his own. However, Kotlin is known to handle nulls very nicely. There is no chance of getting a null pointer exception in Kotlin implicitly. It is because this language never allows a type variable with a null value during the compile time.
Extinction Function: Kotlin has introduced and combined many new features such as Lambda functions, operator overloading, smart casts, etc. as it is known to be a fourth-generation language. All functions help in increasing productivity. Kotlin has emerged as a combination of 6 other languages having the best features of all of them.
Efficiency: In most cases, the efficiency of kotlin code is very similar to the efficiency of java code. In fact, it might exceed as well depending on the type of development application.
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Features of Python
Advanced Language: Python is an advanced language having data structures, lambda functions, list slicing, and a lot more. It has a lot of advanced features making it a dynamic language.
Python transportable language: It is very easy to write a python code and run it anywhere. A user doesn’t need to re-write the code like other languages if he has to run it on a different platform.
Python Integrated Language: Python is an interpreted language hence it will execute the code line by line. A user does not need to compile python code every single time which makes the error debugging in python very easy and quick.
Free and open-source: It is free for its developers and provides an open-source platform.
Advantages of Kotlin
- This language allows its users to write less code as compared to other languages.
- IT solves major challenges faced by programmers.
- There is no overtime issue while compilation is kotlin.
- It supports multi development environment along with safety and security
- It is very compatible with the java language.
Disadvantages of Kotlin
- Kotlin has minimum opportunities for learning. Even when a lot of programmers are switching to kotlin for their development work, it has a limited set of tools to provide to its users.
- The compile-time speed for kotlin is not great. Kotlin is no doubt faster than java when it comes to the development part, but java still provides better building.
- There are very few programmers who are working and developing with kotlin. Hence, when we talk about recruitment opportunities in kotlin, they are very less as compared to other languages.
Advantages of Python
- As we say kotlin is statistically typed, while Python is dynamically typed which is a major advantage for this language.
- Python is considered to be one of the highest level languages which are very easy to learn, write and read.
- Python follows interpretation which means python executes its code line by line.
- It is free for its developers and provides an open-source platform.
- Python provides an amazing opportunity to its developers where a code written runs can be executed anywhere. Like C, C# a user does not need to change the code again and again.
Disadvantages of Python
- As we discussed that python is an interpreted language hence it will execute the code line by line. But this whole process reduces the execution speed of the python program.
- Each python program when stored consumes a large amount of memory in the storage. This becomes a major drawback while developing large-scale applications in python.
- As we have discussed earlier also that python is a dynamically typed language, which means the variables can get changed anytime. This can cause a lot of run-time errors during the development phase in python.
Is kotlin better than python?
If a user is well versed with a language like a python which has all the abilities, then no wonder why a programmer would need kotlin. Python is one of the most loved languages by the users and is great to work with for the developers. However, there are some cases where python fails to satisfy the desired output.
Python is an efficient as well as a dynamic language however it is of no harm to learn a language that is statistically typed. Where there is a demand for large-scale projects, Kotlin is the one language that provides the right platform with no disadvantages. The disadvantage could be verbose syntax. Kotlin language gives the user the ability to perform better while coding. Where python is not appropriate to write small programs, kotlin satisfies this need for its end users efficiently and also provides an adequate solution.
When we compare Kotlin and Python, Kotlin definitely is more loved by the programmer. It consists of all the small factors which are indefinitely not covered by Python. Hence, we can conclude by saying that Python is a great language, but Kotlin covers the additional base factors which are missed in Python for programming. Hence, kotlin helps in targeting more solutions according to the desirability.
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Conclusion
If a user is comfortable programming in python and he still wants to learn a language that is in high demand in the market these days, then kotlin is not just great but the best contender in that field. In this article, we have discussed both Python as well as kotlin, where python is more of an object-oriented language whereas kotlin is more of a statically typed language. You will also understand the potential of both these languages along with the advantages, disadvantages, and features.
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