Go vs Kotlin vs Scala Native: What are the differences?

Introduction

When it comes to comparing programming languages, Go, Kotlin, and Scala Native are often compared due to their popularity and unique features. Each of these languages has its own strengths and weaknesses, making them suitable for different types of projects.

1. Key difference in Speed:

Go is known for its exceptional speed due to its efficient compilation and garbage collection. Kotlin, while accelerating over time, still lags behind in terms of performance compared to Go. On the other hand, Scala Native provides the closest performance to native languages, such as C and C++.

2. Key difference in Concurrency:

Go has built-in support for goroutines and channels, making it extremely efficient for concurrent programming. Kotlin also offers good support for concurrency through Kotlin Coroutines, but it does not come close to Go's concurrency model. Scala Native, on the other hand, provides similar concurrency features to Scala, making it powerful but more complex to work with compared to Go.

3. Key difference in Interoperability:

Go has excellent interoperability with C and C++ due to its simple and efficient Foreign Function Interface (FFI). Kotlin, being a JVM language, can easily interoperate with Java libraries. Scala Native, on the other hand, lacks the seamless interoperability of Go and Kotlin due to its focus on native compilation.

4. Key difference in Tooling:

Go has a robust standard library and tooling support, making it easy for developers to write, test, and maintain code. Kotlin also benefits from the rich ecosystem of Java tools and libraries due to its compatibility with the JVM. Scala Native, however, lacks the same level of tooling and community support as Go and Kotlin, making it less popular among developers.

5. Key difference in Memory Management:

Go has a garbage collection mechanism that helps in managing memory efficiently without manual intervention. Kotlin, being a JVM-based language, relies on the JVM's garbage collector. Scala Native, on the other hand, provides more control over memory management through direct manipulation of native resources, making it more flexible but also more error-prone.

6. Key difference in Platform Support:

Go has excellent cross-platform support with official releases for major operating systems and architectures. Kotlin, being a JVM language, can run on any platform that supports the JVM. Scala Native, while supporting multiple platforms, may require additional configuration and setup compared to Go and Kotlin.

In Summary, Go excels in terms of speed and concurrency, Kotlin provides good interoperability and tooling support, while Scala Native offers performance close to native languages with more control over memory management.