Kotlin Roadmap 2025-2026: K2, Multiplatform, and Performance

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Kotlin Development Roadmap for 2025-2026: What JetBrains Has in Store

The JetBrains team has presented an ambitious plan for the development of the Kotlin language over the next two years. The roadmap covers key areas: stabilization of the K2 compiler, expansion of Kotlin Multiplatform capabilities, improvement of development tools, and performance enhancement. Let's look at the main innovations awaiting developers in 2025-2026.

Long-Awaited Stabilization of K2

The main focus is completing work on the new K2 compiler. In 2025, its full transition to stable status is expected. K2 promises:

Faster compilation – on average 2 times faster for large projects.
Improved IDE support – faster and more accurate code analysis, autocompletion, and refactoring.
Compatibility with new syntactic constructs, including experimental features such as context parameters.

The transition to K2 will be mandatory for all new projects, while a smooth upgrade will be offered for existing ones.

Kotlin Multiplatform: A Step Towards Maturity

Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) continues to gain momentum. In 2025-2026, developers can expect:

Stable Kotlin Multiplatform for iOS and Android – improved integration with Xcode and Swift, simplified configuration of shared modules.
First stable version of Kotlin/Wasm – support for WebAssembly for running in the browser and outside it (WASI).
Improved compatibility with C and Objective-C – cleaner generated headers and automatic memory management.

It is expected that KMP will become the primary choice for startups and enterprise projects aiming for a unified codebase.

Performance and Tools

JetBrains plans to optimize the Kotlin/Native and Kotlin/JS runtimes:

New garbage collector for Kotlin/Native – reduced pause time for mobile and desktop applications.
Improvement of Kotlin/JS – generation of more compact code and support for new ECMAScript versions.
Performance analysis tools – memory and CPU profiler directly in IntelliJ IDEA.

Language Updates and Ecosystem

Among the expected language features are the stabilization of context parameters, improved handling of nullable types, and new capabilities for data classes. Additionally, the kotlinx.serialization library is actively being developed – support for Avro and Protocol Buffers is promised.

JetBrains is also investing in educational materials: updated courses on Kotlin Academy, more examples for KMP, and integration with GitHub Copilot.

What Does This Mean for Developers?

The roadmap shows that Kotlin is becoming not just a language for Android, but a full-fledged platform for servers, mobile applications, the web, and even embedded systems. In 2025-2026, expect: