New Web Framework for Kotlin: Explosive Growth in Popularity in 2025

New Web Framework for Kotlin: Explosive Growth in Popularity in 2025

The Kotlin ecosystem continues to develop rapidly, and one of the main trends of 2025 is the sharp rise in popularity of the Ktor framework. Developed by JetBrains, Ktor has transformed from a niche tool into a mainstream solution for building high-load web services, microservices, and REST APIs. According to GitHub data and developer surveys, the number of new projects on Ktor has grown by 70% over the last six months.

Why are developers massively switching to Ktor? The main reasons are the combination of performance, simplicity, and full compatibility with modern standards. Unlike heavyweight solutions like Spring Boot, Ktor offers a minimalist and modular approach. You assemble the application like a construction set, connecting only the necessary plugins: serialization, authentication, WebSocket support, or HTTP/2.

Key Features of Ktor That Attracted the Community

• Asynchrony out of the box. Ktor is built on Kotlin coroutines, allowing it to handle thousands of simultaneous connections without blocking threads. This is an ideal choice for I/O-intensive applications.
• Multiplatform. Ktor Server runs on JVM, and Ktor Client runs on JVM, JS, Native, and even in the browser. You can reuse code for the client and server, speeding up the development of mobile and web applications.
• Easy start. Launching a simple API requires just a few lines of code. No XML configurations, no annotations — just pure Kotlin with DSL syntax.
• Security and testing. Built-in support for JWT, OAuth2, SSL, and convenient testing utilities allow you to quickly create reliable services.
• Active community. JetBrains regularly releases updates, and the number of plugins and articles about Ktor is growing exponentially. A dedicated section for this framework has appeared on Stack Overflow.

Usage Example: Simple REST Server

Here is what a minimal Ktor server looks like:

fun main() {    embeddedServer(Netty, port = 8080) {        routing {            get("/hello") {                call.respondText("Hello, world!", ContentType.Text.Plain)            }            post("/data") {                val data = call.receive<String>()                call.respondText("Received: $data")            }        }    }.start(wait = true)}

As you can see, the code is concise and intuitive. For comparison, a similar server on the "classic" Java/Kotlin stack would require significantly more boilerplate and dependencies.

Prospects and Expert Opinion

Analysts note that Ktor is becoming the standard in projects where development speed and high performance are important. The framework is especially popular in startups and companies using a microservice architecture. According to forecasts, by the end of 2025, Ktor's share in the JVM web framework segment could reach 20%.

If you are looking for a modern tool for backend development in Kotlin, Ktor is an excellent candidate. It is easy to learn, has a rich ecosystem, and is supported by the creators of the language. Start by studying the official documentation or try writing your first microservice today. The future of web development in Kotlin is already here.