Foreword

Despite the rapid proliferation of mobile and web technologies, developing software systems and applications for these environments continues to be complex and challenging. One of the primary reasons for this is the need to have an application run on an innumerable number of diverse devices and an increasing number of platforms. The fact that a programming language like Java is used in billions of devices today is due to its ability to work on any device regardless of its hardware and software, with the only requirement being the presence of the JVM interpreter. Modern and prominent programming languages, such as Kotlin, are taking the development of systems to the next level. 

Kotlin is a language that has been designed from the ground up to be a modern language, and in the words of the founders, it is a pragmatic programming language for JVM and Android that combines OO and functional features focused on interoperability, safety, clarity and tooling support. You can use it for developing server-side applications, desktop applications, and mobile applications on Android, where it is also creating a significant buzz in the developer community. An impressive feature is the near-seamless interoperability with Java, with capabilities such as the ability to create mixed Java-Kotlin projects, as well as the ability to use Java libraries in Kotlin and vice versa.

In the healthcare industry, the product life cycle is quite long, and this means that interoperability with existing code and infrastructure is critical for us to be able to re-use existing assets while developing newer features based on modern programming concepts. Kotlin does a fantastic job on this front. Also, the flexibility to use native functional programming features in Kotlin while still being in the Java ecosystem is a huge plus. 

Raghavendra, the author of this excellent book, has broad experience with programming languages. The fact that he has chosen to write his first book on Kotlin bears witness to his passion and enthusiasm for this language. The book brings out the inherent beauty of the language, but also states its limitations. This will certainly help the reader to get a balanced view and use Kotlin in their projects in the most appropriate way. It is well written and accessible, making it suitable for readers of any background.

Kotlin is here to stay, and we will certainly be hearing more of it in the coming years. This book will prove invaluable to those who want to embark on this exciting journey.

Henk van Houten

CTO Royal Philips