Google Builders Weblog: Google at KotlinConf ‘23

Posted by way of Márton Braun, Developer Members of the family Engineer

As a part of Google’s ongoing dedication to supporting the Kotlin language, we’re in reality excited to be a gold degree sponsor for KotlinConf once more this 12 months. Grace Kloba shared the tale of Google’s investments in Kotlin throughout the keynote, which is recapped on this put up. You’ll additionally in finding the record of talks by way of Google from the development’s agenda under, be sure you catch those at the reside circulation.

For a abstract of all KotlinConf keynote bulletins, learn the weblog put up by way of JetBrains.

Kotlin began rising in popularity within the Android group round 2016. We have been additionally inspired with Kotlin’s concise syntax, fashionable options, and protection. In 2017, we introduced reliable reinforce for Kotlin on Android, and dedicated to its long term by way of developing the Kotlin Basis with JetBrains.

Since then we invested in Kotlin by way of including reinforce in Android Studio, educating the language to builders, and going Kotlin-first with our libraries, documentation, and samples. We additionally constructed Kotlin Image Processing, an API that permits annotation processors to run as much as two times as speedy as earlier answers.

Lately, Kotlin is the most well liked language for Android building. Over 95% of the highest 1000 Android apps use Kotlin, and over 50% {of professional} Android builders use Kotlin as their number one language (in comparison with 25% opting for the Java programming language).

Amongst skilled Android builders the usage of Kotlin, we noticed a 96.9% sure pride price in our newest annual survey, which is 9-points upper than their Java opposite numbers.

As our ultimate step in making Kotlin the only language for Android building, we’re excited to announce nowadays that the Gradle Kotlin DSL is changing into the default construct language for Android apps, beginning in Android Studio Giraffe. Learn the weblog put up to be told extra.

Since going Kotlin-first, all new Jetpack libraries are written in Kotlin. Jetpack Compose, our fashionable toolkit for development Android apps, is Kotlin-only. It makes in depth use of Kotlin’s language options, and its implementation is made imaginable by way of Kotlin’s wealthy compiler API, which permits us to generate state control common sense for you.

Jetpack Compose is converting the best way builders construct apps. The group from Clue shared with us that their building velocity larger as much as 3x after rewriting their app in Compose.
Over 23% of the highest 1000 Android apps send with Compose, greater than double 12 months over 12 months.

There are lots of sources to be had to be told Compose. For present Android builders having a look to make bigger their wisdom, we’ve revealed the Jetpack Compose for Android Builders path. For learners to programming, we propose taking the Android Fundamentals with Compose path to be told Kotlin, Android, and Compose.

Kotlin changed into in most cases to be had for Android building inside Google in 2019. Since then, maximum of our Android apps are being constructed with Kotlin. For example of the advantages, when the Google House group migrated to Kotlin they noticed a 33% lower in NullPointerExceptions, which a great deal stepped forward the top person enjoy.

On the other hand, Google’s pastime in Kotlin does now not prevent at Android apps. Greater than 45% of our engineers who write Kotlin use it for server building. We have now over 15 million traces of Kotlin code in Google’s supply keep an eye on machine, and this has been doubling 12 months over 12 months.

To reinforce this, we now have a devoted group development gear to combine Kotlin into Google’s ecosystem. You’ll be able to catch the Adopting Kotlin at Google scale consultation for extra main points.

We’re having a look ahead to the new compiler in Kotlin 2.0, which will probably be a big development for developer productiveness. We have now a devoted group operating with JetBrains at the compiler, and we’re operating to include it into our tooling, together with Android Studio, KSP, and the Compose compiler. We’re additionally leveraging our massive inside codebase of Kotlin code to make sure the compatibility of the brand new compiler.

Having a look ahead, we’re experimenting with Kotlin Multiplatform. This comprises the Google Workspace group, who’ve a prototype with the trade common sense of Google Doctors operating on iOS the usage of Kotlin Multiplatform and Kotlin/Local. Take a look at the Kotlin Multiplatform in Google Workspace lightning communicate to be told extra.

As a part of our explorations into Kotlin Multiplatform, we’ve additionally made contributions that may receive advantages the group:

We’ve ported a collection of Jetpack libraries to multiplatform. This permits you to use gear and APIs you recognize and love from Android and follow them to multiplatform. 

We’ve contributed to the Kotlin/Local toolchain, making improvements to its efficiency. 

We’ve been serving to out with the Gradle plugin for Kotlin Multiplatform, to come up with extra keep an eye on over every goal platform whilst nonetheless sharing as a lot code as imaginable.

As a founding member of the Kotlin Basis, we’re thinking about the Basis’s expansions introduced at KotlinConf:

Inviting extra firms to collaborate at the building and promotion of Kotlin via a club program. 

Providing investment for person authors of actively maintained, open supply Kotlin Multiplatform libraries.

With those steps, we proceed to foster a wholesome ecosystem for the language, and make sure its long term development.

We sit up for sharing extra in our periods at KotlinConf, which you’ll be able to track in to at the reside circulation. Should you’re attending in particular person, you’ll be able to additionally discuss with us at our sales space to have a talk about Kotlin.

Jeffrey van Gogh, John Pampuch

Spring + Kotlin = Trendy + Reactive + Productive

Josh Lengthy, James Ward

Kotlin Multiplatform in Google Workspace

Jason Parachoniak

Kotlin Multiplatform Conversions at Android Jetpack Scale

Dustin Lam, James Ward

Márton Braun

Adventures development a Kotlin Multiplatform Benchmarking Library

Rahul Ravikumar

Tyson Henning

Kevin Bierhoff

Márton Braun

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