Kotlin vs Python: What are the differences?

Introduction

Kotlin and Python are both high-level programming languages commonly used for application development. While there are similarities between them, there are also key differences that set them apart. In this article, we will explore six key differences between Kotlin and Python.

1. Syntax: Kotlin and Python have different syntaxes. Kotlin syntax is similar to Java, with static typing, whereas Python has a more concise and dynamic syntax. Kotlin uses semicolons to terminate statements, whereas Python uses indentation to define blocks of code.

2. Static vs Dynamic Typing: Kotlin is a statically typed language, which means that variables need to be declared with their data types. On the other hand, Python is a dynamically typed language, allowing variables to be assigned without explicit type declarations.

3. Null Safety: Kotlin has built-in null safety features, which makes it less prone to null reference exceptions by providing marked nullable types. Python, on the other hand, doesn't have built-in null safety, and it is the developer's responsibility to handle null references.

4. Concurrency: Kotlin has built-in coroutines that make it easier to write asynchronous and concurrent code. It provides a structured approach to handle concurrency. Python, on the other hand, has the Global Interpreter Lock (GIL), which restricts the execution of multiple threads simultaneously, making it less suitable for CPU-bound parallel tasks.

5. Community and Ecosystem: Kotlin has a growing community and a growing number of libraries and frameworks, especially for Android development. Python, on the other hand, has a larger and more mature community with extensive libraries and frameworks for various purposes, such as data science, web development, and machine learning.

6. Performance: Kotlin is known for its performance and efficiency, as it compiles to bytecode and runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). It can take advantage of the optimizations provided by the JVM. Python, on the other hand, is an interpreted language, and although it offers good performance for most applications, it can be slower than compiled languages like Kotlin.

In summary, Kotlin and Python differ in syntax, typing system, null safety, concurrency support, community and ecosystem, and performance characteristics.