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Kotlin is back on top: why developers are choosing this language
The annual StackOverflow 2025 developer survey has once again confirmed: Kotlin firmly holds its position in the top three most loved programming languages. According to the study, more than 65% of respondents using Kotlin noted that they would like to continue working with it in the future. This places the language alongside Rust and Python, which traditionally lead in the "Most Loved" category.
What do the numbers say?
The StackOverflow survey covered over 80,000 developers worldwide. Kotlin took 3rd place in terms of positive feedback share, trailing only Rust and TypeScript. Additionally:
- Kotlin surpassed Python in popularity growth rates among mobile developers (+18% growth year-over-year);
- more than 40% of Android developers named Kotlin their primary tool;
- one in four backend engineers on JVM considers Kotlin as an alternative to Java.
Why is Kotlin so loved?
Experts highlight several key factors that have made Kotlin one of the most desired languages:
- Conciseness and safety — zero-cost abstractions, absence of null-pointer exceptions, and operator overloading simplify code;
- Full compatibility with Java — you can gradually migrate projects without rewriting everything from scratch;
- Coroutine support — asynchronous programming has become much simpler and more readable;
- Cross-platform capability — Kotlin Multiplatform allows writing shared code for Android, iOS, Web, and Desktop.
Kotlin vs Python: is there competition?
Despite different niches, Kotlin and Python are often compared. Python remains the king of data science and AI, but Kotlin is increasingly penetrating these areas. For example, the KotlinDL library for deep learning is already being used by startups. However, Kotlin's main advantage is JVM performance and native Android support, where Python is virtually absent.
What's next?
According to StackOverflow analysts' forecasts, by 2027 Kotlin could enter the top five most used languages in the world. Already now:
- Google officially recommends Kotlin for Android development;
- large companies (Amazon, Netflix, Trello) are actively adopting Kotlin in backend;
- the Kotlin community has grown by 35% over the past year.
For developers who want to stay in demand, learning Kotlin is becoming not just a trend, but a strategic necessity. Especially if you work with the JVM or Android ecosystem. And for those accustomed to Python, Kotlin can be an excellent second language — it is just as expressive, but also provides access to the power of the Java virtual machine.
Follow the news on pythonlib.ru — we talk about the best tools for developers, even if they are not directly related to Python.
