Kotlin vs Ionic

Kotlin and Ionic are considered one of reliable development technologies to build fast, scalable and cross-platform applications. Withal, it is difficult for developers and enterprises to make a choice between these two.

That’s why this article presents a detailed analysis of Kotlin and Ionic. It is not only about the Kotlin vs Ionic debate, but we are also going to discuss the pros, limitations and brief overview of these platforms.

What is Kotlin?

Kotlin is a free, general-purpose, statistically typed and open-source Java programming language that was founded in 2011. This language has interoperability with scripts of Java and provides concise code. The popularity of Kotlin is growing day by day. Yes, it has more than 6.1K followers on StackShare and around 38.7K stars and 4.7K forks on GitHub.

Even in 2019, Google declared this cross-platform programming language as a preferred choice for its Android applications. Moreover, a huge number of Java applications are also moving their systems from Java to Kotlin because of its modern properties. Pinterest, Uber, Evernote and Postmates are the major applications that shifted their Android versions from Java to Kotlin.

Kotlin Advantages

Kotlin offers various benefits to its users. However, we are sharing the core advantages of Kotlin here:

Concise Code

JetBrains launched Kotlin with a core feature of less and safe coding. Indeed, Kotlin joined the programming world with a property of concise scripting and excellent readability. With this brief coding requirement, developers can focus on the significant operations more, and it also improves the productivity of your application.

Similarly, Kotlin’s code is also secure. That is why applications face fewer bugs, crashes and system failures. This concise and safe code is also such a blessing because it permits programmers to write more scalable and powerful scripts.

Cross-Platform

Whether you are using Kotlin for server-side app development or frontend coding, it is always seamless to share scripts on different platforms with this language. JVM drives the Kotlin and makes it able to distribute the application code on distinct platforms. The cross-platform property of Kotlin is also beneficial when it comes to saving time and money.

By the way, Kotlin is not only good for making Android applications, but you can also utilize it for web and iOS apps.

Java Code Interoperability

JetBrains built Kotlin with great Java code interoperability features. In this way, developers can collaborate their Kotlin codebases with Java and Java’s already written scripts with Kotlin. This property is allowing applications to easily migrate from Java to Kotlin as well. In addition, Kotlin also facilitates its users with a very safe coding environment for Java. Likewise, safety issues like nulls don’t occur in Kotlin. It is not only impeccable but also has the ability to fix many Java-centric coding problems.

Easy to Learn

It is easy to learn this open-source programming language. You don’t even need much expertise to analyze its code. The syntax of Kotlin is similar to Java, JavaScript and C# that also makes it an easy learning option for many developers.

With IDEs support and simple syntax, novices can also get guidance from Kotlin’s communities. Definitely, it owns a big community even around 6029 developers declared on StackShare about using Kotlin. In this regard, ‘KotlinLang’ is a remarkable place where you can join Kotlin-oriented groups, events and meetups to enhance your exposure to Kotlin.

Easy to Maintain & Adopt

Compared to Java, it is more convenient to maintain Kotlin applications because it backs numerous IDEs and other tool kits. Indeed, it also backs Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, Java IDEs and Android Studio. These Kotlin advantages also encourage businesses to adopt this programming language. Many businesses are also migrating from Java to Kotlin because it consumes 40% less script than Java.

Kotlin Limitations

Like any other popular programming language, Kotlin also owns some drawbacks that we are sharing below:

Although Kotlin has a great resemblance with Java, but you would have to acknowledge that it is not Java. Businesses need to train their staff when they switch from Java to Kotlin. Coders with Java’s experience can’t randomly proceed with Kotlin. They still need proper training.

The compilation speed of Kotlin also varies that doesn’t make it an ideal alternative to Java.

Compared to other programming languages, there are limited resources available to learn Kotlin. It becomes challenging for experienced Java developers and novices to get a complete grip over this language. In the same token, when you build an app with Kotlin, it also becomes hard to find trained and well-experienced coders.

What is Ionic?

Ionic is an open-source and free software development kit (SDK) that Drifty launched in 2013. With this framework, developers can build cross-platform Android, iOS and web applications using a single codebase. Ionic is considered an ideal framework when it comes to client-side development of hybrid, PWA, desktop and mobile applications. However, to approach plugin features, it uses Cordova.

As Ionic supports several languages, including HTML, JavaScript and CSS that is why its popularity is rapidly growing among programmers. Ionic has more than 6.3K followers and 6.9K stacks on StackShare. Moreover, it also owns 45.2K stars and 13.4K forks on GitHub.

Honeyfi, MarketWatch and Diesel are the major businesses that are using the Ionic framework for native app development.

Ionic Advantages

Here are the main advantages of Ionic:

Developer-Friendly

Simple interface and single codebase make Ionic an ideal choice for coders. Yes, this framework is developer-friendly because of its highly customizable and less time-consuming structure, themes and further elements.

To build interactive multi-platform applications, its user interface aids the developers a lot, particularly when it is about frontend development. The availability of CSS, HTML and JS themes and components also make it a perfect option for both seasoned and newbie developers.

Secure Storage

Another one of the best things about the Ionic framework is its highly secure app storage. With military-grade encryption, it safeguards entire apps’ data both online and offline. It gathers data on the filesystem and doesn’t use the browser’s atmosphere. This pre-built storage feature also helps in reducing the development time.

By the way, this safe deployment and database management also makes the Ionic framework a reliable option for banking transactions. 86 400 and Mastercard have also used this framework’s components for their app ventures.

Native & Cross-Platform

If you are in search of a complete SDK to build truly native applications, then Ionic is the right choice. Military-grade encryption security, safe and simple database, ready to use solutions and authentication features dominates it among the competitors.

It is also a preferred selection of many enterprises because of its cross-platform properties. It backs Universal Windows Platform, Android and iOS platforms in this regard.

Great Adaptability

It is highly adaptable to proceed with Ionic because it supports one of the most used programming languages, including CSS, JS and HTML. It is straightforward for businesses to switch from any framework to Ionic with great ease.

Easy to Learn & Cost-Effective

Creating a powerful application with Ionic is seamless only if you have some knowledge about HTML, CSS and JS. Built-in and advanced features and user-friendly interfaces enable businesses and programmers to use this platform. Ionic forum section, resources, help and enterprise support would also guide you in this regard.

On the other hand, if we talk about the charges, then it is a cost-effective solution to build interactive applications. Although it is free but to access more advanced and prebuilt functionalities, it also offers paid plans. With powerful features, its Basic Plan starts from $499/month. You can also go with the Standard plan to get both native and cloud features under one roof. Its charges start from $2499/month.

Ionic Limitations

• In some situations, Ionic applications could crash.

• Ionic has been considered the best option for web apps. The mobile is only good, but not excellent.

• Though it confers a good range of plugins but it would be great if Ionic enlarges its plugins list.

• It may be challenging to fix debugging related problems with the Ionic framework.

Core Differences between Ionic and Kotlin

Conclusion

Both Kotlin and Ionic have their own benefits, limitations and features that can inspire a developer. This article discusses all aspects of Kotlin and Ionic.

So, if you are willing to build a web application with prebuilt components and advanced features, then you should pick the Ionic framework. Withal, if you want a replacement for Java or are willing to build one of the best mobile applications, mainly Android ones, you can go with the Kotlin programming language.

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