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How to choose between Kotlin and Java

February 25, 2026

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Choosing the programming language is a foundational decision in any software development project. In many cases, this decision can come down to a choice between Java and Kotlin, two popular languages in the software development industry. Java is a mature language that has been widely used for nearly three decades already. In turn, Kotlin is a relatively young language that has become significantly more popular in recent years, primarily due to its official recognition by Google as the preferred language for Android development.

Still, neither of these languages can be considered superior, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution when deciding between Android Kotlin vs Java. After all, both of them have distinct strengths and limitations, which makes one a better choice for certain use cases and projects than the other. Thus, to make a selection, a company should take into account the type of project and its unique needs.

In this article, experts from Itransition, a company with vast development expertise in both Java and Kotlin, briefly review these two languages and provide guidelines for choosing between them.

An overview of Java and Kotlin

Before proceeding to the discussion of optimal use cases for Java and Kotlin, let’s go over key characteristics of these languages.

Java

Java emerged in the mid-1990s as an object-oriented programming language that organizes code into units called objects that contain data or business logic and serve as reusable building blocks, enabling developers to build modular systems without writing code repeatedly. Modern Java also supports functional programming, allowing developers to encapsulate code into functions, which are blocks of code that execute a specific command or task.

Java is widely known for its “write once, run anywhere” principle, meaning that apps written in Java are platform-independent owing to the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), an intermediary software layer between a Java app and the underlying operating system converting Java code into native code that the OS can understand and execute.

Strengths

Java is a mature language that provides a comprehensive collection of frameworks, libraries, and tools to facilitate common development tasks, which increases the development team’s productivity.
Java’s tried and tested toolsets enable the creation of highly stable applications, which is why it remains a top choice for mission-critical enterprise systems.

Limitations

Java is generally considered a verbose language, which means developers need to write more explicit and boilerplate code to accomplish some tasks compared to less verbose modern languages.

Kotlin

The Kotlin programming language appeared publicly in 2011, but its first stable version was only released in 2016. At first glance, Kotlin can seem very similar to Java. It supports object-oriented programming and functional programming approaches and uses the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), therefore enabling the “write once, run anywhere” philosophy. At the same time, by being more up-to-date, Kotlin offers functionalities that can address common pain points and limitations of Java, while remaining fully interoperable with the Java ecosystem.

Strengths

Kotlin’s expressive and concise syntax reduces the amount of boilerplate code, which can accelerate the development process.
In addition to interoperability with Android and JVM, Kotlin can run in JavaScript environments and even without a virtual machine as native code, which enables developers to write the application’s business logic once and share it across a broad range of platforms.
Kotlin is compatible and interoperable with Java, which allows developers to seamlessly use Kotlin’s modern features and the vast ecosystem of Java libraries and tools within a single project.

Limitations

Since Kotlin is a relatively new language, finding skilled developers for a project can be harder compared to Java, which has one of the largest and most active developer communities.

When to choose Java

Legacy software maintenance

If your applications contain a large amount of Java code and must be maintained or scaled, sticking with Java can be a better choice than introducing a new language into an established Java codebase, which involves the risk of unexpected issues and bugs.

Enterprise app development

When it comes to creating large-scale enterprise systems for managing complex business operations, Java should also be the preferred choice due to its maturity, reliability, and stability.

Backend development for large web and mobile apps

If you intend to create a stable backend for a large-scale mobile or web app and ensure that your solution is able to handle increased load and use memory efficiently, you should also opt for Java.

Big data and AI software development

If you plan to build a big data and AI solution by using Apache Spark or Apache Hadoop frameworks, Java will be essential to your technology stack, as both frameworks heavily rely on the JVM platform.

Industry-specific app development

Java’s time-tested development tools, library ecosystem, and core features can be used to support a wide range of industry-specific workflows in areas like finance, healthcare, and logistics, which makes it useful for companies in these sectors.

When to prioritize Kotlin

Android app development

If you are building an Android app, Kotlin should be your primary choice, since Google officially recommends Kotlin for this type of projects and the language itself provides robust tooling and documentation for Kotlin development.

Cross-platform app development

If you aim to have a single application compatible with iOS, Android, desktop, and web platforms, you should use Kotlin due to its extensive interoperability.

Small web app development

Concise syntax, robust frontend and backend development tools, and built-in safety features make Kotlin a suitable choice for building relatively small web applications.

Rapid development

When prioritizing the solution’s speed of development and time to market, consider using Kotlin in your project, since its concise syntax can directly lead to faster development cycles.

Final thoughts

While both are powerful programming languages, Java and Kotlin are suitable for different use cases. For instance, Java is a better match for projects involving large-scale enterprise systems and big data solutions due to its stability and extensive tooling ecosystem. Kotlin, in turn, is more suitable for Android development and multiplatform projects due to its concise syntax and interoperability with JavaScript. When choosing one of these languages for your project, taking these considerations into account is critical.

If you carefully evaluate both options but are still not sure which of these languages can better fit your project, third-party experts can assess your requirements to help you make a sound decision. Moreover, if you decide to build the solution with one of these languages, but your in-house team lacks the necessary expertise and skills, third-party experts can also help you build the solution end-to-end.

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Bogdan Sandu

Bogdan Sandu specializes in web design, focusing on creating user-friendly websites, and innovative UI kits.

Many of his resources are available on various design marketplaces and for free on Codepen.

Over the years, he's worked with a range of clients and contributed to design publications like Design Your Way, Designmodo, WebDesignerDepot, WPDean, and Speckyboy, and Slider Revolution among others.