Kotlin stands out as a modern, pragmatic programming language on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) platform. Since its inception, it has promised to streamline coding tasks and improve safety and performance. Let’s dive into how Kotlin has distinguished itself from other JVM languages by 2025.

1. Conciseness and Readability

One of the standout features of Kotlin has always been its conciseness. Unlike Java, Kotlin reduces boilerplate code significantly, which leads to enhanced readability and maintainability. Its concise syntax means developers can express more functionality per line of code without sacrificing clarity, making it a highly efficient language compared to other JVM languages like Scala or Groovy.

2. Interoperability

Kotlin offers seamless interoperability with Java, which has made it a preferable option for developers looking to leverage existing Java codebases. By 2025, this feature has been further refined, allowing developers to integrate Kotlin into their Java projects more effortlessly than other JVM languages, facilitating a smooth transition and coexistence between the two.

3. Safety and Reliability

Kotlin’s design prioritizes safety, especially concerning null safety. Unlike Java, which has struggled with null pointer exceptions, Kotlin virtually eliminates this problem through its type system. By enforcing nullability at the language level, Kotlin ensures more reliable code, minimizing runtime crashes, a feature not as robustly implemented in languages like Scala or Groovy.

4. Coroutines

Coroutines have revolutionized the way developers handle asynchronous programming in Kotlin. They provide a more efficient way to manage asynchronous requests compared to traditional threading models. Unlike other JVM languages that may rely on external libraries or more complex methods for concurrency, Kotlin’s built-in support for coroutines delivers simplicity and power, enhancing performance and maintaining clarity in codebases.

5. Cross-Platform Development

A significant distinguishing factor for Kotlin by 2025 is its prowess in cross-platform development with Kotlin Multiplatform. This feature enables developers to write shared code between the JVM, JavaScript, and iOS, a versatility not as commonly or effortlessly available in other JVM languages. This capacity drastically reduces the effort required to create cross-platform applications, attracting businesses to adopt Kotlin over other options.

6. Community and Ecosystem

The Kotlin community is one of its strongest assets. Since Google endorsed Kotlin as a preferred language for Android development, its community and ecosystem have grown exponentially. By 2025, the language has an extensive library ecosystem, robust tooling, and comprehensive documentation, outpacing other JVM languages in terms of community support and resources.

Learn More

Expand your Kotlin knowledge with these useful tutorials:

• Learn how to truncate a Kotlin duration for precise time management.
• Discover how to utilize rounding functions in Kotlin for better numerical operations.
• Enhance your serialization skills by learning to write a Kotlin generic type serializer.

In conclusion, Kotlin’s focus on concise syntax, interoperability, safety, and cross-platform capabilities make it stand out among JVM languages in 2025. Its robust features, coupled with a strong community and ecosystem, continue to drive its adoption and evolution in the programming world.