First Encounter with the New IDE for Kotlin: What Does It Offer Developers?
The Kotlin ecosystem continues to evolve rapidly, and recently a new integrated development environment (IDE) created specifically for this language has entered the market. Unlike universal solutions such as IntelliJ IDEA or Android Studio, the new tool focuses exclusively on Kotlin, promising deeper integration and performance optimization. We tested it in action and are ready to share our first impressions.
Key Features of the New IDE
From the first launch, the environment impresses with its speed. Project loading takes literally seconds, which is especially noticeable when working with large multi-module applications. Here are the main features we appreciated:
- Smart autocomplete on steroids. The system suggests not only types and methods but also entire constructs considering the context. For example, when writing lambda expressions, the IDE automatically generates signatures and suggests optimal collections for transformations.
- Built-in debugger with coroutine visualization. One of the main highlights is a visual view of the coroutine call stack. You can see at which stage each coroutine is suspended, what data is in its scope, and even modify it in real time.
- Native support for Kotlin Multiplatform. The IDE automatically detects common and platform-specific modules (androidMain, iosMain, jvmMain). Switching between targets occurs without reloading the project, and code highlighting shows which functions are available on a specific platform.
- Integration with next-generation Gradle. Project builds using Kotlin DSL are now displayed as a dependency graph. You can see which libraries pull in others and immediately diagnose version conflicts.
Usability and Interface
The interface is designed in a minimalist style with an emphasis on a dark theme. All tool panels are customizable, and the tab system allows grouping files by project. Special attention deserves the built-in terminal with support for all Kotlin compiler commands (kotlinc) and Ktor utilities.
For beginners, there is a "Project Wizard" that offers templates for server applications (Ktor), Android applications (Compose Multiplatform), and console utilities. Each template already contains a ready-made build.gradle.kts with optimal settings.
Prospects and Initial Conclusions
Currently, the IDE is in beta testing, but it already demonstrates high stability. The main advantage is its speed and deep integration with the Kotlin ecosystem. Unlike IntelliJ IDEA, which becomes heavier with each update, the new tool remains lightweight and responsive.
Disadvantages include the currently limited plugin support (only a few official extensions are available) and the lack of built-in memory profilers. However, the developers promise to add these features in upcoming releases.
If you write in Kotlin or are just starting to learn the language, this IDE is an excellent choice for immersing yourself in the environment. It does not distract with unnecessary settings and allows you to focus on the code. Keep an eye on updates on the project's official website — version 1.0 is expected in just a couple of months.