Kotlin vs Python for Backend: What to Choose for a Beginner in 2024

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Kotlin vs Python: Which Language to Choose for Backend as a Beginner Developer?

Choosing your first programming language for backend is not an easy task. Beginner developers often face a dilemma: master the simple and understandable Python or choose the more modern and strict Kotlin. Both languages are actively used in the industry, but they are suitable for different tasks and development styles. In this article, we will thoroughly analyze Kotlin and Python for backend, compare their features, provide code examples in Kotlin, and help you make an informed choice.

Why Kotlin is Not Just "Another JVM Language"

Kotlin was created by JetBrains in 2011 as an alternative to Java for the JVM platform. However, today it has gone far beyond these limits. Kotlin supports compilation to JavaScript and native code (via Kotlin/Native), making it a versatile tool. For backend, Kotlin is used in conjunction with the Ktor framework or the mature Spring Boot, which has full Kotlin support.

Main advantages of Kotlin for backend:

Strong typing and null-safety — the compiler tracks potentially null values, preventing millions of errors.
Coroutines — built-in support for asynchrony without complex callbacks.
Java compatibility — you can use all existing Java libraries.
Concise syntax — Kotlin code is usually 20-30% shorter than equivalent Java code.

Python: Simplicity and Ecosystem

Python is the language that millions of developers start with. Its syntax is as close to English as possible, making learning fast and enjoyable. For backend, Python uses frameworks such as Django and FastAPI.

Python's strengths:

Minimal entry barrier — you can write working code after just a few hours of study.
Huge ecosystem — thousands of libraries for any task, from web development to machine learning.
Dynamic typing — speeds up writing prototypes and small projects.
Community — a huge number of tutorials, courses, and documentation in Russian.

Comparison of Key Characteristics for Backend

1. Performance and Scalability

Kotlin runs on the JVM, giving it access to years of Java HotSpot optimizations. This makes Kotlin significantly faster than Python in most benchmarks. For high-load systems (microservices, financial applications), Kotlin is the obvious choice.

Python, being an interpreted language, lags in speed. However, for most startups and medium-sized projects, Python's performance is more than sufficient. Problems only arise when you need to handle tens of thousands of requests per second.

2. Asynchrony and Network Work

Kotlin offers coroutines — lightweight threads that allow you to write asynchronous code in a synchronous style. Example of a simple HTTP server on Ktor:

import io.ktor.server.engine.*import io.ktor.server.netty.*import io.ktor.server.routing.*import io.ktor.http.*import io.ktor.server.response.*

fun main() {    embeddedServer(Netty, port = 8080) {        routing {            get("/") {                call.respondText("Hello, world!", ContentType.Text.Plain)            }        }    }.start(wait = true)}

In Python, asynchrony is implemented via asyncio and libraries like aiohttp. The code becomes more verbose due to the async/await keywords.