Why are Kotlin and Swift the preferred languages for mobile applications ?

Lisa Mai Linh Glaziou

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Lisa Mai Linh Glaziou

Created : April 6, 2024

I - Introduction

A - Overview of mobile application development

Mobile application development is the process of making software for smartphones, tablets and digital assistants, most commonly for the Android and iOS operating systems.

Mobile app development is rapidly growing. From retail, telecommunications and e-commerce to insurance, healthcare and government, organizations across industries must meet user expectations for real-time, convenient ways to conduct transactions and access information.

Today, mobile devices and the mobile applications that unlock their value are the most popular way for people and businesses to connect to the internet. To stay relevant, responsive and successful, organizations need to develop the mobile applications that their customers, partners and employees demand.

B - Importance of choosing the right programming language

Mobile application development might seem daunting. Once you’ve selected the OS platform or platforms, you need to overcome the limitations of mobile devices and usher your app all the way past the potential hurdles of distribution.

The programming and markup languages usually used for this kind of software development include Java, Swift, C# and HTML5.

Generally, it is certainly possible to write adequate software in Python, Java, C#, PHP, or any other popular language. However, the criteria below focus on the points that should be analysed :

Project Requirements and Constraints

The type of application in development enhance and influence the best languages to choose. General programming languages (Java, Python, C#) can create different apps on various platforms. In some circumstances, specific languages will work better. Building a native Android app, for example, needs a working knowledge of Java, while creating a native iOS app utilises an Objective-C skill set. Understanding C# or C++ is essential if you’re using embedded firmware.

Team Skills and Expertise

It’s also vital to consider the resources skill and their knowledge the languages you want to introduce. If the context doesn’t provide a solid reason to bring in a new technology, is it really realistic to introduce a new language ? You should mostly set your focus on the existing skills of your team, time management and expertise field will always help project grow faster.

App Complexity and Performance

The size and complexity of a new app play a crucial role in determining which technology to use, which is also an important factor in deciding which programming language to utilise. Minor projects, such as simple web application forms to gather data, can be carried out with some CMS systems like WordPress, requiring PHP knowledge. Medium-scale projects, such as e-commerce sites and IoT solutions, frequently have varying layers, integrations and components. In contrast, a programming language such as Java or C# could help simplify the required skill sets needed to maintain the products. Complex applications are typically broken down into smaller components where each element provides a particular function and utilises a different technology language and stack to deliver the optimal result.

Time and Budget Constraints

The expected development speed may vary depending on your project goals. In the case of the realisation of an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), your imperative will be to develop quickly for a rapid test on the market. Your application does not necessarily have to be developed by the same technology for its entire lifespan.

Consider the pros and cons of each language, and consult with experienced developers to make an informed decision. Overall, no matter which language you choose, the key is to focus on creating a high-quality app that delivers a great user experience.

However in this article, we will really focus on why is the use Kotlin and/or Swift preferred ? Also, why native developers recommend those languages ?

II - IOS App Development and Swift

Swift is a clean and concise language that is also growing fast and gaining popularity. Initially developed only for native iOS development, programmers also use Swift to write safe, concise, and easy-to-use code for operating systems like Windows and Linux.

Apple created Swift, an open-source programming language, as a replacement for all languages based on C, including Objective C, C++, and C. The language was created in 2014 and released to the public as an open-source project in 2015 on Swift.org.

A - Features of Swift

Swift is safe, fast, and user-friendly compared to older languages like Objective-C. Its intuitive nature and strong community support make learning Swift easier. With abundant learning resources and modern features like type safety and fast performance, Swift offers accessibility and efficiency for developers :

Automatic Reference Counting (ARC)

Determines which instances are no longer in use and automatically removes them.

Closures unified with function pointers

Function pointers store addresses of specific functions, enabling code redirection. Closures encompass these function pointers, unifying them with nested functions. This integration allows closures to capture values from enclosed functions, enhancing flexibility and modularity.

Tuples and multiple return values

Functions can return multiple values using tuples, which are immutable sets of ordered elements. This contrasts with other C languages that typically use pointers, structures, or arrays for this purpose. Swift's tuple-based approach simplifies returning multiple values as a single entity from functions

Generics

Generics facilitate error detection by enabling types as parameters. They empower developers to create reusable functions and types capable of working with any specified type, enhancing flexibility and type safety.

Fast and concise iteration over a range or collection

Swift offers a straightforward method to iterate over array elements. Arrays are collections of similar elements, simplifying referencing and indexing. Swift automatically assigns each array element to a constant, leveraging its knowledge of the array's data type for efficient code execution.

Structs that support methods, extensions, and protocols

You’ll find that when creating, naming, and using structs within Swift, you have the ability to add additional functionality using extensions, including the option to extend types even if you lack access to the original code source.

Functional programming patterns

This function takes in an array and repeatedly computes a value, creating a pattern that will be returned to the code that called for that action.

Powerful built-in error handling

Error handling determines what happens when an error occurs, for example, when someone inputs a wrong password to a login. There are four ways to handle errors in Swift: throwing, catching, propagating, and manipulating recoverable errors at runtime.

Advanced control flow with do, guard, defer, and repeat keywords

Swift utilizes control flow statements to manage program execution, including control transfer, loop, and branch statements. Advanced features like scope introduction with 'do', error management with 'guard', clean-up actions with 'defer', and conditional loop execution with 'repeat' provide enhanced control flow capabilities.

B - Advantages of programming in Swift

Safety

Swift prioritizes safety over C-based languages, eliminating unsafe code classes. It ensures variable initialization, checks for overflow, and manages memory automatically, reducing runtime crashes and debugging time.

Speed

Outperforms Objective-C and Python 2.7 in search algorithms, leveraging LLVM for efficient code translation and optimization. Its concise syntax speeds up development and facilitates code sharing between back and front ends, reducing needed effort.

Cross-platform

Swift's open-source nature enables its use on major platforms like Windows and Linux, making it advantageous for mobile developers, though cross-platform programs like Sublime Text or Atom are necessary for non-Apple platforms.

Intuitive

Built with user-friendliness in mind, Swift offers concise syntax and type inference, simplifying coding tasks.

Accessible

As a widely available open-source language, Swift offers third-party tools, a supportive community, and free access, facilitating learning and development.

Objective-C interoperability

Swift seamlessly integrates with existing Objective-C codebases, allowing for the creation of new applications or the implementation of Swift features within existing projects.

C - Disadvantages of Swift Programming

Despite its popularity, only 4.6% percent of developers worldwide use Swift. There are many reasons to believe this community will only grow in size and knowledge base, but in the meantime, it’s something to consider when learning to program in Swift.

It's often perceived as an exclusive Apple language, deterring some programmers from adopting it fully. Being relatively new, Swift may lack extensive resources, presenting challenges for newcomers, especially compared to more established languages like Objective-C. Additionally, its support for older versions and its limitations in reflective capabilities pose further hurdles for developers.

D - Why choose Swift for Mobile App Development

Progressive companies, striving to scale up, hire dedicated Swift developers since it allows building powerful and efficient iOS solutions faster and at fewer costs. The language is convenient and simple for the development team. Moreover, the Swift code is easy to maintain since the contents of the implementation and header files present a single file. It allows developers to focus on the very process of building an app instead of maintaining documents. Swift supports the dynamic libraries thus two different versions of the same app can match with ease. TIOBE Index for July 2021 has ranked Swift the 16th among the top 20 programming languages, and it has proved its position at a global scale.

Altamira dedicated Swift developers build custom, cost-effective, modern, fully-featured iOS apps, taking into account all the user needs. We assist through all stages of development from idea formation to deployment. Here are the reasons why hire dedicated Swift developer:

High performance and excellent responsiveness of the app;
Access to native API’s and the ability to integrate the full range of features, that will exchange the data with other iOS devices;
Out-of-the-box solutions for CI/CD;
Ability to create eye-carving and easily navigable UI;
Unique tech stack enhancing the security of an app;
Swift is a statically typed language enabling developers to rely on XCode and be able to track the errors and speed up the debugging process;
Clear code, rich UX, smooth performance – that’s what you’ll get if you choose to build a Swift app.

III - Android App Development and Kotlin

Kotlin is a modern but already mature programming language designed to make developers happier. It's concise, safe, interoperable with Java and other languages, and provides many ways to reuse code between multiple platforms for productive programming.

A - Features of Kotlin

Inline Functions: ◦ Kotlin's inline functions significantly improve code efficiency by avoiding memory allocation overhead, particularly in higher-order functions. ◦ This approach eliminates the creation of anonymous classes or function reference objects at runtime.
Operator Overloading: ◦ Kotlin allows custom implementations for predefined operators on user-defined types, enhancing flexibility in code expression. ◦ Overloading of unary, binary, and relational operators is supported through member or extension functions.
Domain-Specific Language (DSL): ◦ Kotlin facilitates DSL creation, enabling the construction of mini-languages for specific tasks, enhancing code readability and reusability. ◦ The language's static typing capabilities and IDE support streamline DSL development, reducing code complexity.
Delegated Properties: ◦ Kotlin's support for delegates via the Delegate() construct allows for one-time use delegations throughout the application. ◦ Delegation patterns automate task completion in specific scenarios, enhancing code efficiency.
Data Classes: ◦ Kotlin's data classes simplify object creation and comprehension, promoting code clarity and reducing redundancy. ◦ These classes, distinct from regular classes, offer self-generated code and error reduction, improving development efficiency.
Coroutines: ◦ Kotlin's coroutines enable both asynchronous and synchronous programming, providing efficiency benefits and preventing thread stalling. ◦ Coroutines address common issues in Java, such as main thread stalling and suspended function safety, enhancing execution reliability.
Null Safety: ◦ Kotlin's type system distinguishes between nullable and non-nullable types, mitigating null pointer exceptions (NPEs) and enhancing code reliability. ◦ Null safety features prevent unexpected runtime errors caused by null references, improving code robustness.
Smart Cast: ◦ Kotlin's smart cast feature eliminates the need for explicit variable casting before property access, enhancing code conciseness and readability. ◦ The 'is' operator facilitates type checking, ensuring type validity during runtime operations.

B - Advantages of programming in Kotlin

C - Disadvantages of Kotlin Programming

Kotlin Minimal Learning Opportunities

While most developers are switching to Kotlin, there are few developers worldwide. It offers minimal tools for programming language learning and various queries in the software development process.

Compile speed is slower

In some cases Kotlin runs faster than Java, especially during incremental builds. However, remember that when it comes to proper structure, Java will always provide growth

Different from Java

Even though Kotlin and Java have some similarities, they still have a few major differences. After learning Kotlin thoroughly, mobile app developers cannot switch to another programming language.

Fewer Kotlin Experts to Hire

Despite the fact that Kotlin is highly suitable, there are only a few programmers in this field today. It makes no sense to say that every mobile app developer who wants to work on Kotlin should have deep knowledge. Unfortunately, experts in the Kotlin industry are also hard to find.

D - Why choose Kotlin for Mobile App Development

Kotlin is an ideal language for Android app development with a long list of features for creating great apps. Its compatibility with Java and its interoperability are two main benefits for mobile app developers.

The language also offers many features and libraries, enabling developers to build powerful apps quickly. Furthermore, Kotlin has excellent tooling support from both Google and JetBrains, making it easier to debug applications.

V - Conclusion

In conclusion, both Swift for iOS app development and Kotlin for Android app development offer robust features and advantages that contribute to efficient and effective mobile application development.

Swift's safety, speed, intuitive nature, and seamless interoperability with Objective-C make it a preferred choice for iOS development. On the other hand, Kotlin's compatibility with Java, concise syntax, and mature language environment make it an excellent option for Android development.

While each language has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, the decision between Swift and Kotlin ultimately depends on factors such as project requirements, team expertise, and development goals.

Regardless of the language chosen, prioritizing high-quality code, user experience, and leveraging the unique features of each platform will result in successful mobile applications that meet the demands of today's users and businesses.