Kotlin Project for Data Science Seeks Contributors: Join Us!

Large open-source Kotlin project seeks contributors

The Kotlin developer community continues to actively expand, going far beyond Android development. Today we will tell you about an ambitious open-source project Kandy (or Kotlin for Data Science), which aims to make Kotlin a full-fledged tool for data analysis and machine learning. The project team has announced a call for new contributors — both experienced developers and beginners ready to contribute to the ecosystem's development.

What is Kandy?

Kandy is an open-source library for data visualization and processing written in Kotlin. It provides syntax close to Python libraries (e.g., pandas and matplotlib) but leverages all the advantages of static typing and JVM performance. The project already includes:

• Support for line charts, histograms, heatmaps, and networks;
• Integration with Kotlin DataFrame and Ktor for real-time data processing;
• Ready-made examples for Jupyter Notebook.

Why is this important?

Despite Python's dominance in Data Science, Kotlin offers an alternative with better performance and type safety. Participating in Kandy allows you to:

• Influence the development of tools that could become an industry standard;
• Gain experience with a modern stack: Gradle, Ktor, Multiplatform;
• Improve skills in writing documentation, testing, and code review.

Who are they looking for?

The developers are looking for specialists in the following areas:

• Backend and API — creating REST interfaces for integration with other services;
• Visualization — implementing new chart types and improving existing ones;
• Documentation — translations, writing guides and examples;
• Testing — code coverage with unit tests and integration testing.

How to join?

If you are interested in Kotlin and Data Science, here is a simple action plan:

1. Visit the project repository on GitHub: github.com/Kotlin/kandy;
2. Explore the Issues section with the "good first issue" label;
3. Create a fork and submit a pull request with a bug fix or new feature;
4. Discuss changes in the comments — maintainers actively respond to questions.

The project uses Kotlin coding conventions and automated CI checks, so even a small contribution will be useful. Additionally, participants gain access to a private community chat and can take part in weekly team calls.

Conclusion

Kandy is not just a library, but part of JetBrains' strategy to promote Kotlin in data science. By joining the project now, you become part of history and help shape the language's future. Don't miss the chance to contribute to open source — start with your first Issue today!