Kotlin for Java Developers

Introduction

The book «Kotlin for Java Developers» (author — Svetlana Isakova, 2017, 300 pages) is not just another textbook on the Kotlin language. It is a bridge from the familiar world of Java to the modern, concise, and safe world of Kotlin. Written by one of the leading language developers at JetBrains, the book offers a structured and in-depth look at Kotlin, without requiring the reader to completely abandon previous experience, but rather using it as a foundation.

Svetlana Isakova is a well-known speaker and course author, so her writing style is characterized by clarity, logic, and an abundance of practical examples. The book was published in 2017, when Kotlin was just beginning to gain popularity (official Android support appeared in the same year), but its content remains relevant today, as it covers the fundamental concepts of the language that do not become outdated.

What this book is about

The book is structured as a sequential immersion into Kotlin from the perspective of a Java developer. The author does not explain the basics of programming — it is assumed that the reader is proficient in Java. Instead, she focuses on the differences and advantages of Kotlin.

The main topics covered in the book:

• Basic syntax and data types — how to declare variables, functions, classes, how val differs from var, how string templates and ranges work.
• Null Safety — one of the