Exploring the Best Kotlin Libraries and Tools for Android Development

As an Android developer, you know that Kotlin is the go-to language for building high-quality, efficient, and scalable Android apps. With its concise and expressive syntax, rich set of features, and compatibility with Java, Kotlin has become the preferred language for developing Android apps. But what about the libraries and tools that can help you take your Kotlin development skills to the next level?

In this article, we’ll introduce you to the best of the best Kotlin libraries and tools that can make your Android development experience smoother, more efficient, and more enjoyable. From UI libraries to networking tools, we’ll cover everything you need to know to enhance your Kotlin development workflow. 

Kotest

Kotest is a comprehensive testing framework for Kotlin developers, providing a simple and expressive API for writing and maintaining high-quality tests. Kotest makes it easy to validate your code and catch bugs early in the development cycle, whether you’re writing unit tests, functional tests, or integration tests. With its robust set of assertions and matchers, as well as advanced features like parameterized tests and dynamic tests, Kotest provides everything you need to ensure your code is reliable and performant. And, because it integrates smoothly with popular build tools and IDEs, you can easily run your tests as part of your workflow. If you’re looking for a robust and user-friendly testing framework for your Kotlin projects, consider using Kotest.

Ktor

Ktor is a powerful framework for building asynchronous servers and clients in Kotlin. With its user-friendly API, building scalable and robust applications has never been easier. What sets Ktor apart is its lightweight design, which includes only the necessary components for building efficient applications. Whether you need to handle WebSockets, perform content negotiation, or do something else entirely, Ktor has you covered. The integration with popular build tools and IDEs is seamless, making it simple to run and test your code as part of the development process. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a versatile and efficient way to build asynchronous servers and clients in Kotlin, Ktor is a strong choice.

Exposed

Exposed is a simple and efficient library for building SQL-based database access in Kotlin. Unlike other libraries, Exposed focuses on using data classes and type-safe SQL to make working with databases as straightforward as possible. It’s an excellent choice for projects that require simple data models and don’t require complex querying or advanced database functionality. Our team has found that Exposed works particularly well when used in conjunction with simple data classes. With its clean and easy-to-use API, Exposed makes it simple to define tables, execute queries, and work with the results. Exposed is worth checking out if you’re looking for a straightforward way to handle SQL databases in Kotlin.

Koin

Koin is a lightweight and efficient library for managing dependencies in your Kotlin projects. One of the great things about Koin is that it’s a runtime dependency, meaning it doesn’t generate any code during compile time and won’t raise any issues about missing dependencies during the build process. This makes it a flexible and user-friendly option for managing dependencies in your projects. Our team particularly appreciates that Koin is written entirely in Kotlin, making it an easy choice for projects built entirely in this language. The library’s lightweight design makes it a fast and efficient option for managing dependencies. Overall, if you’re looking for a straightforward way to manage dependencies in your Kotlin projects, Koin is an efficient Dependency Injection library.

KMongo

KMongo is a Kotlin toolkit for Mongo, designed to make it easy to work with this popular NoSQL database in your Kotlin projects. KMongo provides a type-safe API for performing operations on Mongo databases, from basic CRUD operations to more advanced queries. With its user-friendly API and efficient design, KMongo is a great choice for projects that require a simple and straightforward way to work with Mongo databases. It’s similar to Koin in that it provides a specific solution for working with a particular type of technology, making it easier to use and more efficient than general-purpose libraries. Whether you’re building a new project or adding Mongo support to an existing one, KMongo is definitely worth considering.

Vaadin

Vaadin is a popular Java UI toolkit for building web applications. It provides a high-level API for building user interfaces and enables developers to create rich and responsive web applications quickly and easily. With its strong focus on performance and scalability, Vaadin is a great choice for developers looking to create complex web applications. The framework provides a wide range of tools for building user-friendly interfaces, making it a top choice for Java developers. Additionally, Vaadin supports the Kotlin programming language through the Karibu-DSL library, making it an even more attractive solution for Kotlin developers.

The framework is easy to use and offers a variety of customization options, making it a flexible solution for web development. Here at our media company, we appreciate Vaadin’s complete solution for web development, providing everything needed for a successful project, from user interface components to data storage and management. Whether you’re building a simple website or a complex web application, Vaadin provides the tools necessary for success. We find that Vaadin’s high-level API, flexible customization options, and support for the Kotlin programming language make it a great choice for developers looking to build robust and user-friendly web applications.

MockK

MockK is a widely used Kotlin library for writing tests in a clear and straightforward manner. It enables developers to easily create mock objects, and its syntax is clean and concise. In addition to its user-friendly interface, MockK also provides a comprehensive set of features, including flexible and configurable mocking, sophisticated matching and verification, and a number of useful extension functions. These capabilities make it a valuable tool for unit testing in Kotlin, enabling developers to write tests with confidence and efficiency and verify their code’s behavior under different conditions. Overall, MockK is a powerful and versatile library that helps streamline the testing process for Kotlin developers.

Maximize Your Kotlin Development Skills

Kotlin is a preferred language for developing Android apps, and the right libraries and tools can take your Kotlin development skills to the next level. From a comprehensive testing framework (Kotest) to a lightweight and efficient dependency injection library (Koin) and popular UI toolkit (Vaadin), there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re working on a simple project or a complex web application, these libraries and tools provide everything you need for success.