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This article is part of the Kotlin Learning Series for programmers. If you read the articles in order, you'll benefit greatly from this series. You might be able to skip some parts based on your level of familiarity. It will be an advantage if you have prior practical experience with an object-oriented language. Still, you can get started even if this is your first programming language to learn since we will be starting from scratch in each section. Trust me when I say this will be an enjoyable adventure journey while exploring some fascinating topics toward learning Kotlin. To assist you in learning more about Kotlin than what is covered in this tutorial, we will cover each topic with a question or exercise. So inhale deeply, and let's get started.

Introduction

In this article, you will discover what Kotlin is, why it is such a well-liked programming language, how it compares to Java, and how to install the IDE to get started with your first program. Your code can be made a lot more legible and concise, which can astound you.

What you'll learn

What you'll do

1. What is Kotlin?

Kotlin is a general-purpose, statically typed, cross-platform high-level programming language built with type inference. Kotlin was first introduced in 2011 by JetBrains and sponsored by Google, announced as one of the official Android development languages in 2017. It is an object-oriented language and a preferable language to Java. Kotlin mainly targets the JVM but compiles to JavaScript or native code via LLVM(low-level virtual machine). Kotlin has vast built-in support for the Best IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, Eclipse, etc.

Kotlin is a modern and mature programming language aimed to simplify developers' lives. It's concise, interoperable, safe with Java and other languages, and provides many ways to reuse code between multiple platforms for productive programming. Understanding how much Kotlin has advanced and extended across platforms since July 2011 is fair.

Let's see Kotlin's timeline in detail.

Why is Kotlin so popular?

Don't you find it intriguing that Kotlin is now widely used and supports multiple platforms, but why has it progressed so much and gone so far if not for its features? Whatever feature or competitive advantage a language has over others makes it renowned, and Kotlin has a lot of those. We will discuss some of the important features here.

Kotlin vs. Java

Kotlin was first released as a language for developing Android applications, but it has continuously expanded. Kotlin is superior with the numerous enhancements we went through in the previous section of this article because it was established after Java to overcome the problem with existing and construct a better language. So what makes Kotlin better? Now that Kotlin is available everywhere, which one is better? Let's check out from below.

Kotlin Image

Kotlin fixes a series of issues that Java suffers from,

What Java lacks that Kotlin possesses?

Congratulations! If you are reading this right now since you now know a lot more about Kotlin and can add a few things to what you previously knew. Nevertheless, did you become bored with just knowing theory? So, the next step will be to get our hands dirty and prepare our system for Kotlin. But before that, below we have some questions for you.

Take a quiz on this article here,

Question #1. Has Kotlin implemented null -safety?

Question #2. When was the first stable version of Kotlin released?

Question #3. Can Kotlin create a website for you?

Question #4. Which language program is more legible and concise, Kotlin or Java?

Question #5. In Kotlin, can we define variables without specifying their types?

2. Setting up the development environment

The Kotlin readiness of your system will be the focus of this session. So without wasting time, let's get started.

Install the Java Development Kit (JDK)

Kotlin New Image

Check the JDK version of your system; if you don't have the latest JDK installed on your computer, follow and install. If not, skip to the next step. The JDK must be set up to run Kotlin apps.

Type javac -version in a terminal window to find out, if any, which version of the JDK you have installed.

javac -version

You may see the JDK's most recent version on the Java SE Downloads page (click here to see). Install IntelliJ IDEA if you have the most recent version.

Step 1. Remove any earlier JDK/JRE versions from your computer.

Remove all previous JDK versions before installing the most recent:

Step 2. Download the JDK

download the JDK for free here: Java SE Downloads page

Step 3. Install the JDK

For Windows

For Mac

For Linux

Step 4. Add the JDK installation directory to PATH (Windows only)

Windows looks for executable programs in the current directory and the folders listed in the PATH environment variable (system variable).

Search for edit environment in Windows Settings.

For additional information on the Ubuntu installation guide, click here.

Step 5. Verify the JDK installation

To verify that the JDK was installed correctly, type the following commands in a terminal window:

java -version
javac -version

Windows users: If you receive an error from either command, confirm you've added the correct path for the JRE.

Install IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is an IDE developed by Jetbrains. You can also use the online Kotlin compiler, like Kotlin Playground, for learning, but IDE makes things easier. The IDE is a comprehensive set of tools for programmers to develop, test, and debug code, which can help you solve a complex problem. So, let's not wait for further talking. Start doing.

JetBrains created the IDE known as IntelliJ IDEA. The IDE is a complete collection of programming tools programmers can use to create, test, and debug code. It can help you to solve complex problems. Although IDEs make life easier, you may also utilize online Kotlin compilers like Kotlin Playground for learning. So let's start acting now without waiting for more discussion.

Step 1. Download and install IntelliJ IDEA

Download IntelliJ IDEA for your operating system.

Windows

  1. Run the ideaIC.exe file that you downloaded.
  2. You are Good to follow the instructions in the installation wizard.

Mac

  1. To mount the macOS disk image, double-click the ideaIC.dmg file that you downloaded.
  2. Copy IntelliJ IDEA to the Applications folder.

Linux

  1. See Install-Linux-tar.txt in the downloaded .tar.gz file.

For more information on how to install and set up IntelliJ IDEA, check out Install IntelliJ IDEA.

Installing the software will take some time if you have a slow computer. Nevertheless, installing software won't take as long if you have a faster computer or workstation, such as something.

Step 2. Verify the IntelliJ IDEA installation

3. Writing your first Kotlin program

Creating a new Kotlin project

Finally, the time has come when you are ready to go with the setup. So let's start creating a new project in Kotlin.

Kotlin Image

Kotlin Image

Writing a "Hello, World!" program

Do you know about REPL- A computer environment known as a Read-Eval-Print Loop, or REPL, is where user inputs are read, evaluated, and then the results are forwarded to the user. To explore the tools available in particular settings or programming languages, REPLs offer an interactive environment. Examples include the developer console in most web browsers, IPython, the Bash shell, and the Node.js console.

Select Tools > Kotlin > Kotlin REPL to open the REPL.

It could take some time for the Kotlin menu to appear under Tools the first time you launch IntelliJ IDEA after installation.

Type or paste the code below into the REPL.

fun printHii(){
     println("Hii C# Corner Learner")
 }
 printHii()

Running the program

Hit Control+Enter (Command+Enter on a Mac) to enter. You should see "Hii C# Corner Learner" as indicated below.

If you see your code here, the fun keyword is for function and forwarded by its name. Like other programming languages, functions take arguments and code in curly braces. There is no return type of function. See the structure of the function below.

return_type(defualt void) fun( arguments[] //option ){
    //write your code here
}

Note. There is no semicolon at the end Kotlin recognizes it based on Indentation. If you're used to putting semicolons at the end of lines, that's OK—Kotlin doesn't mind.

Congratulations! You've written your first Kotlin program. So now it's time for some questionnaires.

Questions

Take a quiz on this article here,

Question #1. How to start REPL in IntelliJ IDEA?

Question #2. Which code compiles faster, Kotlin or Java?

Summary

This article explained Kotlin from scratch. Since its first release, it has gained popularity recently, especially for Android app development. Kotlin is fully interoperable with Java and can be used for various tasks, including server-side development, web development, desktop applications, and more. Its concise and intuitive syntax makes it easy to learn and use, especially for Java developers. Additionally, Kotlin's advanced type system can catch certain kinds of errors at compile-time, making it a safer language than Java.

So why should you learn Kotlin? Here are the points It's easy to understand, It's versatile, It's safe, It's actively developed and supported, and It's in demand. Overall, Kotlin is a great language to learn, whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting with programming. So why not give it a try? You might discover a new favorite language!

Next in this Series- Publishing on Progress, visit profile Ravi_sahu.