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Kotlin vs Java: Why We Migrated to Kotlin for Enterprise Apps

#kotlin #java #webdev

For years, Java was the undisputed king of Android development. However, since Google announced Kotlin as the preferred language in 2019, the industry has shifted dramatically. Today, over 60% of professional Android developers use Kotlin.

But for an Enterprise business, changing the tech stack is a risk. Is it worth it? At DroidDevLab, we believe the answer is a resounding "Yes". Here is why migrating to Kotlin is a strategic business decision, not just a technical one.

  1. Null Safety: Reducing Crashes & Maintenance Costs The "NullPointerException" (The Billion Dollar Mistake) was the biggest headache in Java, causing apps to crash unexpectedly when data was missing. Kotlin solves this at the compiler level.

For businesses, this means:

Higher Stability: Fewer crashes lead to better reviews in the Play Store.
Lower Costs: Less time spent debugging means reduced maintenance costs in the long run.
User Retention: Users don't abandon apps that work smoothly.

  1. Faster Development with Concise Code Kotlin is much more expressive than Java. What takes 50 lines of code in Java might take only 20 in Kotlin. This reduction in boilerplate code has a direct impact on the project timeline.

When you hire Android developers who specialize in Kotlin, you get features delivered 20-30% faster. This speed is crucial for startups trying to reach the MVP stage before competitors.

  1. Enhanced Security for Fintech
    Enterprise apps, especially in banking, require strict security. Kotlin’s modern syntax reduces the likelihood of common programming errors that hackers often exploit. Combined with best security practices like code obfuscation, Kotlin provides a stronger shield for your user data.

  2. Future-Proofing with Jetpack Compose
    Google is developing new features primarily for Kotlin. The most significant is Jetpack Compose, the modern toolkit for building native UI. It works exclusively with Kotlin.

Continuing to build new apps in Java means using deprecated UI tools (XML layouts), which will become harder to support in the coming years. Staying on Java means accumulating technical debt.

Our Recommendation
If you are building a new product, Kotlin is the only logical choice. If you have an existing legacy application written in Java, you don't need to rewrite it all at once. Kotlin is 100% interoperable with Java.

This article was originally published on the DroidDevLab

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