Getting Started with Kotlin Multiplatform: Building Cross-Platform Applications
In parallel with the rapid evolution of mobile frameworks, such as React Native and Flutter, multi-platform development, likewise, has been growing actively. Kotlin Multiplatform, for its part, aims to harness the potential of shared code across multiple platforms and preserve the benefits of platform-specific code. This approach allows developers to create clean and reusable code; the code can be written via Kotlin and then easily transferred to Android or iOS platforms. In this post, we consider the main phases of the development process using Kotlin. But first, let us give you an introductory note to answer the question, “What is Kotlin multiplatform?”.
KMT was conceived as an extension of Kotlin’s earlier version that quickly gained popularity among Android developers. Kotlin Multiplatform is distinctive because of its high interoperability with other languages.
Kotlin Multiplatform works by utilising specialised compilers: Kotlin/JVM, Kotlin/JS and Kotlin/Native. The first compiler translates Kotlin into Java, the second compiles Kotlin into JavaScript, and the third one converts Kotlin into C/Objective-C. In such a way, Kotlin’s code can be translated into the code of the target platforms before the deployment phase. As a result, software engineers obtain solutions that contain exclusively native code. The development process preserves the advantages of Kotlin programming language, mainly robust features and concise code.
Kotlin developers are free to adapt Kotlin Cross Platform across various environments, including:
| Setting up your development environment. To start your project, you can utilise Android Studio or IntelliJ IDEA. Alternatively, you may turn to JetBrains to apply their templates for Kotlin-based projects. | Creating a Shared Codebase and Philosophy of Code Sharing. Kotlin multiplatform (KMP) emphasises platform-specific UI code and simultaneously enables developers to share a common codebase. As a result, software engineers can concentrate on enhancing the functionality of solutions instead of creating repetitive code. |
| Building a solution faster. Thanks to the shared database, experts develop the core logic of the project and share the logic across iOS and Android versions of the app. This option helps accelerate the overall development process, decreases the risks of bugs, and reduces inconsistencies. | Testing your application. Within Kotlin Multiplatform, you can perform unit tests for simple projects, which can be run on any platform you like with the supported frameworks. For more complex solutions, you can test platform-specific logic. Such tests utilise a platform-specific framework to take advantage of some extra features (for example, a wider amount of assertions or a more innovative API). |
| Deploying your cross-platform application by CI/CD tools. Continuous Deployment and Continuous Integration instruments are helpful for automating core development processes for each solution. | Integrating Kotlin Multiplatform with native libraries. To fulfil this task, you need to set up platform-specific dependencies. Within KMP, you can easily call Android-specific libraries and Java. Whereas using native libraries in iOS requires bridging the gap between the native Swift or Objective-C code and Kotlin. |
| Library development in Kotlin. In KMT, you can create libraries and then distribute them across web platforms, iOS and Android, gaining a comprehensive digital ecosystem. One Kotlin multiplatform example of a project can be creating a library for handling REST API requests, in which you can leverage the single API for different platforms. |
PNN Soft developers harness all the advantages of Kotlin, such as decreased redundancy and shared business logic. Alongside that, we accentuate the need to secure Kotlin-based solutions properly using the most efficient security measures. Our experts constantly work on data protection and strengthening security measures of Kotlin mobile app development, which is specifically important for finance and banking industries, the healthcare sector and cloud solutions.
We will gladly help you take advantage of the cross-platform efficiency of KMT and the most appealing features of native UX/UI experiences. If you have an idea for your digital transformation or you want to create kotlin multiplatform library, feel free to contact us via the form below.
