Global mobile app usage was growing remarkably even before the pandemic. But the unprecedented health crisis accelerated it as never before. And with an expanding use comes higher demands. That’s where the role of App Development frameworks like Dart and Kotlin emerges more prominently. Whether it’s an Android app development or iOS project, choosing the right platform is pivotal.

As businesses and consumers seek new features alike, programming languages’ role in their success gets more crucial. Finding out the most suitable framework, therefore, is a critical early step. That’s where this Dart vs. Kotlin comparison intends to help you. So, without any further ado, let’s dive deeper and find out.

Dart vs. Kotlin – Understanding the Languages

What is Dart?

Dart is a “client-optimized language” to build fast apps for any platform. Google created Dart to seamlessly deliver faster apps. Since its inception, Dart has established itself as an impressively evolved programming language. With an array of cutting-edge capabilities, Dart has allowed developers to build impeccable apps.

What Is Kotlin?

Kotlin is a general-purpose programming language for Java Virtual Machine and JavaScript. It offers a host of features that support Java interoperability. Using Kotlin app development, app makers can significantly rapidly build sophisticated solutions. Kotlin also dramatically improves the coding experience of developers. Enabling mixed-language app development is one of Kotlin’s major focus areas.

Dart vs. Kotlin – Technical Similarities & Differences

JetBrains, the creator of Kotlin, announced multiplatform capabilities. It made possible the Dart vs. Kotlin comparison.

The Core of the Framework

The idea of creating Kotlin was aimed at making a platform more advanced than Java. But JetBrains also wanted to make the framework interoperable with Java. Kotlin added data classes, null-safe types, and sealed classes to make it seamlessly interoperable.

Dart is, however, a simple language that bears more resemblances with Java. Dart relies on dynamic keywords that make the coding experience similar to mapping JSONs. Besides, the Async-await features enable Dart to stand out from the league of Java and Kotlin.

Development Tools

Both Dart and Kotlin app development ecosystems offer diverse tools. Dart and Kotlin, in fact, share many app development tools and libraries. For instance, while writing an app in IntelliJ or Visual Studio, you would find Kotlin more convenient than Dart. It’s because Kotlin offers faster coding through features like post-fix completion.

Also, in Dart, you don’t get info popups in constructors that rely on field assignment syntax. Besides, the static analysis feature of Dart is not always reliable. However, it’s not all gloom and doom. Dart has a significant scope of improvement depending on what kind of code you’re writing.

Programming Ecosystems

The diversity of a coding language’s ecosystem depends on its compatibility with other frameworks and platforms. Be it native or hybrid app development services, Kotlin has made a name for itself. It’s due to the expansive ecosystem of Kotlin, Kotlin Native, and the Kotlin Multiplatform frameworks. Kotlin has partnered with several platforms to create a comprehensive app development ecosystem.

Dart, meanwhile, provides the framework for Flutter. Flutter is an open-source, cross-platform software development kit. Launched and maintained by Google, this programming language is designed to build efficient hybrid apps. This language can use a single codebase.

Popularity Among Developers

As all of us know, the popularity of a programming language or platform indicates its developer-friendliness. Google officially announced Kotlin as a preferred language for Android app development in 2020. It boosted Kotlin’s popularity worldwide dramatically.

Besides, in markets like India, Kotlin has become a top app development framework. The programming language is extraordinarily popular among developers in India. With around 90% market share of Android, India has contributed significantly to Kotlin’s global popularity.

When compared with Kotlin, Dart’s popularity is less widespread. Nonetheless, Google’s backing keeps it a top contender among programming languages.

Kotlin-Based Popular Apps

• Zomato
• Pinterest
• Trello
• Netflix
• Airbnb
• Quizlet

Dart-Based Popular Apps

• Google Assistant
• Google Ads
• eBay Motors
• Tencent
• SpaceX Go
• Dream11

Dart vs. Kotlin – The Verdict

Both Dart and Kotlin have their core areas of strength and specialization. However, most developers we talked to for this comparison said they were more comfortable working on Kotlin. That explains why Kotlin app development is seeing a rapid surge across industries. Besides, Kotlin’s features also make it easier for you to build an app that stands out amid the growing competition.

At Android Developer, we have a dedicated team of Kotlin developers to build future-proof apps that makes your business more profitable in the present. However, we also indulge with the Dart and Flutter frameworks to offer end-to-end app development services. You hire Android app developers from us for building deeply customized features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Kotlin better than Java?

Kotlin adds many advanced features to mobile app development. It is being increasingly used by the Android app developers’ community. Kotlin can compile the code to JavaScript or native. It enables developers to build code that can run both on Android and iOS. It’s a statically typed language. Kotlin’s key features like built-in null safety support make apps flawless and user-friendly.

Q. What is cross-platform mobile app development?

Cross-platform mobile development is the creation of apps that are compatible with multiple mobile operating systems, such as Android and iOS. Developers write the core of the application as an HTML5 or JavaScript mobile app and then make the necessary coding for different platforms.

Q. How much does it cost to build a Kotlin-based Android app?

The costs of developing a Kotlin-based Android app depend on several factors. Design complexity, development time, type of features, etc. play an important role in calculating the costs. We develop feature-rich Kotlin-based apps at a competitive price.

The post Dart vs. Kotlin —Which One Is Best for Your App in 2021? appeared first on Android Developer.