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Should I use Kotlin?

Kotlin Developer Survey 2026: Help us improve your experience - kotlinlang.org

Worth it. Adopt Kotlin if you build Android or JVM software: it is free, modern, and proven at scale (Baidu, Mirego). Do not adopt it as a first language or for iOS-only work; Swift or Python fit better.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 20+ public sources; snippets truncated, so user quotes are limited to verbatim thread titles.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

Kotlin

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Android app developers
  • Java/JVM backend teams
  • Cross-platform mobile via Kotlin Multiplatform
  • Java shops tired of verbosity

Not for

  • Total beginners choosing a first programming language
  • iOS-only teams; Swift is the native choice
  • Non-technical buyers; this is a language, not a managed product
  • Quick one-off scripts where Python is faster to write

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Historical CVEs exist (CVE-2020-29582, CVE-2022-24329); keep compiler and plugins updated

medium

Standard library security policy only formalized May 2026; older versions lack clear support terms

medium

Steep onboarding for non-Java developers, per community posts

low

Language is free, but JetBrains IDE tooling around it is paid

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Official site bills it as concise; Java migrants report pleasant switching
  • Completely free and open source, maintained by JetBrains
  • Cross-platform: Android, JVM, JS, Native via Kotlin Multiplatform
  • Active community Slack and support forums
  • Documented security support policy for the standard library since May 2026

Cons

  • Beginners call it a nightmare for people learning programming
  • Community questions its usefulness outside Android and JVM ecosystems
  • First switch from Java involves an adjustment period

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/01/2026 - 12 sources - Official security page and a May 2026 security support policy for the standard library; a few historical CVEs are documented and fixed.

official x4review x4security x3news x1
  • CVE-2020-29582, Public community writeup documents this Kotlin vulnerability; verify your compiler version.
  • CVE-2022-24329, Listed on JetBrains' official fixed security issues page.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free and open source; only paid IDE tooling
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Easy for Java devs; beginners struggle
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Multiplatform, coroutines, DSLs, official Android docs
  • Support quality: 3/5. Active Slack and forums; no paid support found
  • Security posture: 4/5. Security page plus 2026 standard library policy
  • $0 Starting price Open source compiler and tooling
  • Yes Free tier Entire language is free
  • JetBrains Maintainer Governed by the Kotlin Foundation
  • Cross-platform Platforms Android, JVM, JS, Native

Pricing

Kotlin

Free

  • Open-source compiler and standard library
  • Kotlin Multiplatform tooling
  • Community support via Slack and forums

Security

Official security page and a May 2026 security support policy for the standard library; a few historical CVEs are documented and fixed.

  • CVE-2020-29582Public community writeup documents this Kotlin vulnerability; verify your compiler version.
  • CVE-2022-24329Listed on JetBrains' official fixed security issues page.⁹

What users say

Reddit and Medium developers are largely enthusiastic, especially those coming from Java, while beginners report a steep learning curve.

“Rant: Kotlin is a nightmare for people learning programming”
Reddit, r/Kotlin
“I think i'm falling in love with Kotlin, anyone else?”
Reddit, r/java
“Kotlin is a much better language than Java even with all…”
Reddit, r/Kotlin

Alternatives

Compare Kotlin with each alternative.

  • Java

    Default JVM choice; bigger talent pool, more verbose.

    Kotlin vs Java

  • Swift

    Native choice for iOS-only teams.

    Kotlin vs Swift

  • Flutter (Dart)

    Google's cross-platform rival to Kotlin Multiplatform.

  • Python

    Gentler first language for scripting and learning.

Companies that use it

Full analysis

Based on 20+ public sources; snippets truncated, so user quotes are limited to verbatim thread titles.

Free, open-source language that shines for Android and JVM work; wrong pick for total beginners or iOS-only teams.

Methodology

Based on 20+ public sources; snippets truncated, so user quotes are limited to verbatim thread titles.

Sources

  1. Kotlin Programming Language (official)kotlinlang.org
    official
  2. JetBrains/kotlin on GitHubgithub.com
    official
  3. Rant: Kotlin is a nightmare for people learning programmingreddit.com
    review
  4. I think i'm falling in love with Kotlin (r/java)reddit.com
    review
  5. Switching from Java to Kotlin — a first reviewmedium.com
    review
  6. My Thoughts on Kotlin: Perspectives after 4 yearstylerrussell.dev
    review
  7. Security Support Policy for the Kotlin Standard Libraryblog.jetbrains.com
    security
  8. Kotlin Security Documentationkotlinlang.org
    security
  9. JetBrains Fixed Security Issuesjetbrains.com
    security
  10. Baidu Case Study | Kotlin Multiplatformkotlinlang.org
    official
  11. Mirego Case Study | Kotlin Multiplatformkotlinlang.org
    official
  12. Kotlin — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
    news

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