Swift vs Kotlin: What is the Difference?
Kotlin and Swift programming languages are the development languages for Android and iOS platforms respectively. Both these languages play a vital role in giving the functional feel to the world of mobile app development. Although the predecessors of Kotlin and Swift, Java and Objective-C, are object-oriented, these development languages provide the mobile app developers, like you, with an Object-oriented paradigm in a combination with some impeccable functional features.
Kotlin is a programming language used for Android app development whereas Swift is used for iPhone application development. Both Kotlin and Swift are built on top of the modern programming approach and software design pattern. Both languages provide several inbuilt functions defined in an extensive list of libraries and amazing features to the mobile app development companies.
Introduction
Kotlin and Swift programming languages were designed in order to interop with Java and Objective-C allowing for advanced and latest updates in applications to be significantly written in these languages.
In this article, we have discussed the differences between the most popular mobile app development languages; Swift and Kotlin.
What is Swift?
Swift is a multi-paradigm, compiled programming language invented by Apple for its own operating systems to make it easy for Apple devices. iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Apple smart wear operating system, and every other device. In short, Swift is a language for developing all the applications on all Apple devices.
Swift was inspired by Objective-C, C#. Swift was mainly developed to work with Apple’s Cocoa and Cocoa Touch. Swift has amazing features to address common but problematic programming errors smoothly. Swift can be executed with C, C++, and Objective-C in the same program. Swift is the best language for mobile app development for iOS.
Read Also:-How Much Money Can You Make from an App in 2022?
What is Kotlin?
Kotlin was developed by JetBrains and Google. Kotlin is a cross-platform, statically-typed general-purpose language with a type interface. Kotlin is mainly focused on mobile app development but it can also be used for web app development instead of JavaScript. The main reason to develop Kotlin was to have a language that’ll be interoperable with Java and the JVM version of its standard library. Kotlin is inspired by C#, Groovy, Java, and Python.
What are the Differences Between Swift and Kotlin?
Swift vs Kotlin – Purpose of Development
Swift was built for iPhone app development, whereas Kotlin was for android app development. Apart from the purpose of development they both have very different syntax and features for mobile app development.
Swift vs Kotlin – Differences in the Language Norms
Swift
- Swift “Enums” are more effective.
- Swift uses no data class.
- Swift does not support delegated classes or delegated properties.
- Swift has no provision for annotations.
Kotlin
- All Kotlin classes are “final” by default, the developer has to use a specifier as per the need.
- Kotlin does not support struct or passing data by value.
- Kotlin uses no tuples.
- Kotlin doesn’t support type aliases.
- Kotlin doesn’t have a guard statement.
Swift vs Kotlin – Memory Management
Swift uses ARC or Automatic Reference Counting for memory management. Kotlin uses the Garbage Collection memory management approach.
Swift vs Kotlin – Interoperability
Kotlin code is interoperable with Java, the sole reason to develop Kotlin is to have an interoperable language with Java. Java and Kotlin classes can be in the same file and the application will run smoothly. Likewise, Swift coexists with Objective-C code.
Swift vs Kotlin – Function Implementation
Swift
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
func patientDetail(_patientName:String, _city:String):
String
{
return “The Name of the Patient is \(PatientName) and city is \(city)”
}
patientDetail(“David”,” CA”)Kotlin
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
fun patientDetail(patientName:String, city:String):
String
{
return “The Name of the Patient is $patientName and city is $city”
}
empDetail(“David”,” CA”)Swift vs Kotlin – Which should you choose?
Swift or Kotlion, which development language is right for you? Well! Both the programming languages are modern when it comes to mobile app development. Swift and Kotlin both make writing code hassle-free and easier than the legacy languages used for iOS and Android app development.
your decision must depend on the type of mobile platforms you would like to develop the application for. With Kotlin, you will be able to build Android apps. And with Swift, you will be able to build applications for iPhone and Mac OSX development.
Conclusion
We hope you will find this article helpful. After going through this article, you will understand that like always there are both similarities and differences between the two languages. Both Kotlin and Swift are evolving in terms of performance, programming advancement, and security. As both languages have their own perks but they both are great in their own ways like Kotlin for Android and Swift for iOS.
A freelancing blogs and e-books writer who keeps you up with the trending technologies and user guides. A blogger who is currently a post-graduate living in United Kingdom and trying to make her niche as a Data Scientist. Before taking a deep dive into the "Data-World", she got a Bachelor's Technology degree in Computer Science and has always dreamed of writing as a kid which inspired her to write wonderful content with the right amount of technical terms to make it easy for the beginners and as well full-fledged developers to grasp a hold onto the computer technologies.
