Comparing Kotlin Vs. Java for Android Apps

Kotlin has come out on top against Java when it comes to favourable options for Android development and is now Google's preferred language for new mobile applications. Kotlin is a statically-typed language; it’s interoperable with Java and examines variable types during compilation, which prevents runtime errors and boosts execution speed. Usually with dynamically-typed languages like Python and JavaScript, types are determined at runtime, which enables faster coding but can lead to verbosity.

While initially designed for Java Virtual Machine (JVM), Kotlin also compiles JavaScript and native binaries using Kotlin Native. This enables cross-platform execution on various systems and produces bytecode, JavaScript, or native binaries as needed.

The main point to be aware of is that developers need to understand the difference between Java and Kotlin as languages especially when transitioning between the two. For that reason, we’ll be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of each, and the different use cases.

Similarities Between Kotlin and Java

Java and Kotlin share similarities in a few ways that are important to know as an Android developer. The first point is that they share the same platform (Java Virtual Machine) which allows them to communicate easily; you can call code from either end. 

Also, Java is applicable in just about any domain which includes web front-end tasks, enterprise solutions, server-side applications, databases, embedded systems, and mobile apps. When it comes to Kotlin, the versatility extends to Android platforms, the JVM, JavaScript environment, and Kotlin/Native framework. Kotlin is also very effective for server-side, web, and desktop development. 

With all this considered, we can’t ignore that Java has a lot more mileage than Kotlin with its introduction to the landscape coming 20 years before Kotlin 1.0. However, in that window, Kotlin has become the preferred choice over Java for Android development. Yet, nobody is saying to replace one with the other.

Comparing the Key Strengths of Each

Java:

When it comes to Java, the community is obviously much bigger which helps with support and resources but also means the developer pool is much greater. Additionally, its speed for both development and compilation is often regarded as better than Kotlin. 

Kotlin:

Kotlin is well known for not needing as many lines of code as Java but finding a solution to a task is still often quicker with Java because of its range of coding processes. However, with Kotlin comes modern programming paradigms and a mixed-language database.

A more general overview of Java and Kotlin’s strengths and weaknesses looks like this: 

Java strengths:

• Easier to learn

• Complex programming language

• More established with a larger developer community

• More support from the Android community

Java weaknesses:

• Complex programming language

• More verbose

• More formalities and rules

Kotlin strengths:

• Clearer

• More flexible and widely applicable

• More expressive

• Less code

• Mixed-language database

• Faster than Java overall

• Offers modern programming paradigms

Kotlin weaknesses:

• Younger than Java with a smaller developer community

• Initial code readability can be difficult

• May cause problems with Android API design

• Test-driven development requires writing more code and carries a higher risk of programming errors and bugs

Use Case Comparison

To give you some insight as to how different these two are, here’s a quick side-by-side of custom logging utility:

Java:

LoggerUtils.logMessage("Hello, this is a log message.");

Kotlin:

"logMessage"("Hello, this is a log message.")

When it comes to an overview of use cases for each, we can uncover distinct strengths tailored to various scenarios:

Java Use Case:

Enterprise-Level Apps: Java's ecosystem and well-established libraries make it great for developing large-scale enterprise apps. Its compatibility with legacy systems is also an upper hand for complex business solutions.

Kotlin Use Case:

User-Friendly UI: Kotlin's syntax and expressive nature help create clean user interfaces. With that said, its intuitive code can lead to faster UI development and better user experiences overall.

Java Use Case:

Cross-Platform Compatibility: Java's compatibility across platforms allows developers to write code that can be reused for Android as well as other environments, which makes it optimal for projects with diverse platform requirements.

Kotlin Use Case:

Modern Features and Concurrency: Kotlin's support for modern programming paradigms, along with built-in support for coroutines, simplifies the management of concurrent operations, which is good for apps that require multitasking.

Java Use Case:

Data-Intensive Apps: Java's extensive libraries and performance optimizations are great for data-intensive applications, such as those involving complex calculations or heavy data processing.

Kotlin Use Case:

Prototyping: Kotlin's syntax allows developers to quickly prototype and iterate on app features. This is helpful in fast-paced development cycles and when testing new ideas.

Java Use Case:

Legacy Code Integration: For projects that involve integrating with existing Java codebases, Java is the seamless choice due to its native interoperability with the Android platform.

Kotlin Use Case:

Null Safety: Kotlin's null safety features reduce the likelihood of null pointer exceptions, which is good for apps where data integrity and app stability are priorities.

Development Expertise

Java's syntax, while verbose, stands as one of the most popular object-oriented programming languages. Practically every developer possesses a certain degree of familiarity with Java, which makes it a fallback option for Android app ideas. 

Kotlin, with its succinct and less verbose code structure, offers an easier learning curve for seamless development. Yet, despite this user-friendly aspect, Kotlin's compiler can yield complex errors. For instance, smart casts allowing raw types, while not identified as errors during compilation, can lead to runtime crashes. Finding proficient developers capable of efficiently debugging and crafting error-free programs can be challenging, especially under tight timelines.

In cases where your development team lacks end-to-end Kotlin expertise, Java will be the more suitable choice.

Project Scope

Securing developers capable of readily delivering solutions for your Kotlin application can be a costly and challenging pursuit. While Kotlin's support community is expanding, it’s still not on par with Java's vast reach. Consequently, Kotlin's full-stack development journey may not be as smooth as desired for intricate, multifaceted projects.

Java's maintenance and development cycles tend to be longer due to its familiarity, which entails parsing through more code. For instance, Java's checked exceptions mandate explicit handling or re-throwing, sometimes leading to time-consuming empty catch blocks that necessitate debugging.

However, these considerations don't negate the strengths of either language. For smaller projects with limited scalability requirements, Kotlin shines. Even for larger projects, a substantial budget can render Kotlin viable with a promising return on investment Netflix stands as a prime example. On the other hand, Java is just simply reliable for big undertakings, assuming that a proportional budget is allocated for project support.

The Takeaway

We’ll likely see many more programming language showdowns, as the choice between languages continues to be influenced by factors like project size, team expertise, and evolving development trends. When a company begins looking for support on projects like app dev, make sure that the team you’re working with understands the scope of your project and has the expertise that’ll guide you to success. 

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.

8 Trends in .NET Development in 2023

There’s so much opportunity for .NET developers in 2023 when it comes to growth and innovation. With that said, as user demands grow, so too does the pressure to enhance .NET applications. Of course, we’re seeing Microsoft consistently innovate the framework to empower .NET developers. However, gaps in updates can be big setbacks for companies and stakeholders, leading to a chain of functional setbacks and unmet expectations. To avoid this, grasping the latest .NET trends is crucial. 

Commonly, the gaps disrupt 5 key areas; performance, compatibility, documentation, security, and third-party dependencies. These missing pieces can expose security vulnerabilities in applications. Given the prevalence of cyber attacks, this is typically enough for companies to reevaluate their applications. 

How Relevant is .NET in 2023?

The Stack Overflow Developer Survey from last year unveiled that ASP.NET Core & ASP.NET are the favoured web frameworks. 

With that said, here’s a look at some of the hottest trends in .NET development right now that are shaping the way developers enhance applications to mitigate these risks:

1) ML.NET

Machine learning has taken center stage, and Microsoft's ML.NET framework is at the forefront of this transformation. By integrating machine learning in the .NET ecosystem, developers can infuse their applications with AI-driven insights and access pre-built models that span across applications, everything from natural language processing to image recognition.

Additionally, ML.NET is open-source, which means the framework is continuously evolving and benefitting from the collective expertise of the development community. The last thing that should be noted is just how user-friendly this platform is for developers of all skill levels. That aspect comes from its graphical user interface (GUI) called Model Builder, which is a tool that integrates into Visual Studio. The GUI allows developers to build, train, and ship custom machine learning models in their .NET applications.

2) Cloud-native Development

Leveraging cloud computing in app development is an approach born out of the reliance, we could even say “attractiveness”, of cloud computing environments. Creating and managing applications in this environment is a developer's paradise. It’s scalable, it’s flexible, and it provides resources on demand.

Cloud-native development breaks applications down into microservices that scale on their own which in turn makes the application more adaptable and responsive to user demand. 

3) .NET MAUI for Native Apps

Creating native applications for different platforms is very intense as every developer knows. .NET MAUI lets you create native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. It’s beating out Xamarin. Forms and is meant to build apps that run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single shared codebase.

MAUI uses .NET 6 as a foundation, offering a consistent runtime and framework for crafting applications from a range of platforms. This integration utilizes contemporary capabilities like hot reload, which enables real-time code adjustments without necessitating a complete app rebuild. MAUI lets developers create apps on either PCs or Macs and upon compilation, then turns them into native app packages. 

For instance, MAUI constructs Android apps using C#, which is subsequently converted into an intermediate language (IL), then just-in-time (JIT) compiled into a native assembly upon app launch.

4) ASP.NET Core

Originally introduced in 2016, ASP.NET Core is a far more advanced version of .NET where developers can build websites and web applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It stands as an open-source framework tailored for crafting cloud-based applications. This framework is a reimagined edition of ASP.NET, and it features architectural enhancements to build a modular structure.

Unlike ASP.NET, the Core version has cross-platform adaptability and the development process is a lot more streamlined. Its framework integrates MVC and Web API, alongside the inclusion of Razor Pages for simplified creation of page-centric applications. Additionally, it offers a lightweight and efficient HTTP request pipeline and is compatible with hosting on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

5) Blazor

Microsoft created Blazor as a means to build web apps using .NET and C#. The idea is that developers can write client-side web UI experiences using HTML, CSS, and C# instead of relying heavily on JavaScript.

Blazor presents two methods of hosting: Blazor WebAssembly and Blazor Server.

Blazor WebAssembly: In this approach, the entire application operates within the user's browser. The application is fetched as a WebAssembly binary and executed within the confines of the browser. This facilitates a dynamic user interface, akin to conventional single-page applications built using JavaScript.

Blazor Server: In this alternative, the application's visual elements are generated on the server side and then conveyed to the client through a live connection. User interactions are managed by the client-side code, which then relays them back to the server for processing. This model does streamline the client-side experience which makes it ideal for scenarios demanding real-time updates or when client-side resources are more limited.

6) Xamarin for Mobile Development

Xamarin is a cross-platform mobile development framework that developers can use to build native iOS, Windows, and Android apps using C#. It uses a single codebase for building apps across multiple platforms, which can save time and resources. This trend is you’ll see continue to grow as more businesses look to build mobile apps for multiple platforms.

7) Movement Towards Open-Source

What you’ll find with most tools nowadays is that they’re open-source models, which are primarily driven by Microsoft's efforts and the desire for flexibility and community-driven improvement. Also, many businesses are using open-source software internally and contributing to open-source projects which has been a big driver in the adoption of open-source in .NET development. 

8) .NET in IoT

Given the proliferation of IoT networks for security and automation in various enterprises, the demand for compatible applications has surged. In response, .NET enables the construction of applications specifically for IoT devices and sensors. It also provides a specialized framework, known as the Nano framework, created for crafting applications for embedded devices.

The libraries .NET offers are good for interactions between applications and a range of IoT input devices, sensors, System-On-Chip components, RFID elements, GPIO, I2C, and port interfaces.

Moving Forward as a .NET Developer

C# and .NET programmers are highly sought after by both startups and major tech corporations. For large-scale applications, these technologies are very commonly used which makes being proficient in them a superpower for developers in 2023.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.

Integrating NLP into Your Website

As software developers, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the user experience on any website we’re given. Forrester estimated that for every $1 invested in UX, you can expect to see a return of $100. Other research tells us that 70% of online businesses fail due to bad usability, 75% of customers judge a website's credibility based on its aesthetics, and 88% of online consumers say they wouldn't return to a website after having a bad experience.

While it may be best to take these figures with a grain of salt, the underlying message is loud and clear: user experience matters, and it can make or break a website. In a fast-paced digital world, Natural Language Processing (NLP) has become an important tool when trying to differentiate your site from others and ultimately innovate the way users interact with your brand. 

NLP in a Nutshell

Think about how you talk to voice assistants like Alexa or Siri – they understand the context and provide precise answers to precise questions. This expectation now extends to websites. Users anticipate conversational support to yield relevant answers.

But as any online business owner will tell you, the real value lies in converting users who engage with the site. As a developer, when you’re tasked with making this conversion a regular occurrence, NLP is an obvious move since it uses algorithms that work to identify patterns, context, and underlying meanings within the queries from users.

As a result, even if the user's query doesn't match the exact phrasing of your product descriptions or content, your website is still able to rank if it falls under the same context or category. For instance, if someone searches for something specific like "best budget-friendly smartphones with good camera quality”, even if your website doesn't have the exact phrase explicitly stated, NLP recognizes the context and presents options from your product range that fit the description.

Industry Example

The financial sector is generally one of the best places to look when it comes to the introduction of automation or data-driven technologies. So if you take the compliance process for instance, the rules and regulations businesses follow require a level of precision that leaves very little room for error. NLP, in this case, makes sense of rules and requirements faster than manual review which ensures that everything is extracted and organized correctly. 

Now, if a FinTech company was to integrate NLP into their website, these benefits go to their users as well. For instance, when a customer has queries related to compliance or regulations, the NLP system translates legal jargon into plain language so customers can understand their rights, obligations, and options. Also, if a customer asks about their spending patterns, the system looks at their transaction history and generates visual representations they can use for budgeting and/or planning. Over time, the system can understand the context better which then enhances the results it outputs. 

Why is Natural Language Processing Different?

NLP bridges the gap between how people naturally communicate and how technology responds. It understands the nuances of language, the context behind queries, and even the emotions expressed which personalizes the experience.

When you take the traditional approach to technology, interactions often feel rigid and constrained. Users need to follow specific formats or keywords to get the desired response. It's almost like you need to speak a different language to communicate with machines. The way we can look at it is that we’re still just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI. By getting familiar now and integrating these processes, businesses get ahead. 

Traditionally, website interactions have been a one-sided affair. Think about the last time you had to navigate through a website's menus, enter specific keywords, or get in touch with a support person to fix an issue. AI is about making technology understand us, not the other way around.

Exploring NLP Integration Technologies

NLP applications span across web and mobile apps. Here's a glimpse into some of the key technologies commonly employed during NLP integration:

Frameworks and Libraries: The realm of NLP is powered by open-source frameworks and libraries. These resources offer pre-trained models and APIs designed for diverse NLP tasks. Leading options include NLTK, spaCy, TensorFlow, and BERT.

Sentiment Analysis: This technique discerns sentiments expressed in text, which is great for social media analysis and evaluating customer feedback.

Named Entity Recognition (NER): Extracting insights from unstructured text is made possible through NER. This technique categorizes named entities whether it’s names of people, organizations, locations, or dates. NER allows systems to discern information from within the clutter of text.

The Takeaway

Because digital experiences define customer relationships, the importance of user experience cannot be overstated. You're not just integrating NLP or AI into your website, you’re redefining how your business or brand interacts with its users. Once you see what this approach to online business entails, you’ll never understand how you operated without it. It’s best to find consultants with experience who can set you up for success before you run the risk of wasting an investment on a system that doesn’t deliver the way you wanted.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.