Kotlin is now version 2.2.0! Are there any amazing new features? We'll explain them in a way that even beginners can understand!
Hello! I'm John, an AI technology blogger who will solve all your questions for you. Today, I'll be bringing you the latest information on Kotlin, a language that's garnering attention in the world of programming. Don't worry if you're wondering, "What is programming?" or "I've never heard of Kotlin before..." As always, I'll explain it in an easy-to-understand way, so relax and read it while you have a cup of coffee.
First of all, what is Kotlin?
Some of you may have thought, "Kotlin is such a cute name!" Kotlin is a programming language. It is very close to the language "Java" that you may have heard of often, and especiallyA popular language often used to create Android apps (smartphone apps!)What is it?
Kotlin is a language that inherits the best parts of Java while being designed to make programs easier to write, and is loved by many developers around the world. Kotlin has now evolved into a new version, "Version 2.2.0"!
What's changed in Kotlin 2.2.0? Check out the hot new features!
In this update, many features have been added that developers will find useful, and existing features have been made easier to use. The following three points are particularly noteworthy.
1. The magic pocket? Preview of "Context Parameters" released!
One of the main features of this update is the "context parameter." It's a bit of a complicated name, but let me explain it like this:"You don't have to take out the tools you use every time from your bag. Just leave them in your work area and they'll be ready to use."It's something like this.
When writing a program, there are times when you want to use the same information (such as configuration information or shared services) in various places. Until now, you had to hand-pass that information to each place where it was needed, saying "Yes, use this." However, by using context parameters,If you declare at the beginning, "When I do this task, I can implicitly use that tool (information)," you will be able to use that tool without even thinking about it.Hm.
This helps to make the program look neater and reduce the effort required to write code. It's still in the "preview" stage, so it's like a trial period, but I'm looking forward to seeing it become even more useful in the future!
2. Conditional branching is now clearer! "Guard Condition" is now in the official version!
In programs, we often use "conditional branching" to change the processing depending on the condition, such as "If A, do this, if B, do this, otherwise do this...". Kotlin has a mechanism called "when expression" that makes it convenient to write this conditional branching, and in this update, a function called "guard condition" that can be used with the when expression has been added.It is now the official version (a stable version that can be used)!
When you use a "guard condition",You will be able to write complex conditions such as "If XX and △△ and also □□..." more clearly and concisely.When program code gets long, it can become difficult to read and hard to find mistakes, so being able to write code neatly like this is a great thing for developers.
3. "Oops, that might be dangerous." Manage compiler warnings smartly!
The program code written by the programmer is translated into language that the computer can understand through a translator called a "compiler." At this time, the compiler will give you advice such as "The way you write this might cause a problem" or "Maybe it would be better if you did it this way!"It may give you a "warning" message.This is a very useful feature that helps you prevent bugs (programming problems) before they occur and write better code.
Until now, the way to handle these warning messages was limited to rough settings such as "ignore all!" or "treat warnings as errors!" for the entire project. However, in Kotlin 2.2.0,-XWarning-level A new setting has been added to allow for more flexible and consistent management of warnings.For example, you can now make fine adjustments such as "Ignore this type of warning, but display that type of warning because it's important." This will enable developers to improve the quality of their programs more efficiently!
And many more! Great improvements in Kotlin 2.2.0
In addition to the three major points mentioned above, Kotlin 3 has many other improvements. Let me pick out a few and introduce them to you!
- Kotlin/Wasm Evolution:"Wasm" is an abbreviation for WebAssembly, a new technology for running programs quickly on web browsers (software for browsing the internet). With this update, the mechanism for running programs written in Kotlin with Wasm (Kotlin/Wasm) has been separated from the mechanism for JavaScript (another programming language often used on web pages), which had been managed together until now. As a result,Developing programs for Wasm can now be done more professionally and independently.
- LLVM updates:LLVM is one of the fundamental technologies for making programs run faster. With the update of LLVM to a new version (from version 16 to 19),Improved performance, security, and bug fixes for Kotlin programsYou can expect.
- Improved memory management on Apple products:When running Kotlin programs on Apple products such as iPhones and Macs, you can now get more detailed insight into memory usage (where computers temporarily store information to do their work).
- End of support for Windows 7:Windows 7, which is a somewhat old OS (operating system, the basic software that runs a computer), is no longer supported (not recommended) from this version onwards.
John's words
Wow, Kotlin is evolving rapidly! I'm especially excited about the "context parameters" as they have the potential to dramatically change the way we write programs. Programming languages also become easier to use and more powerful by listening to the voices of developers in this way. Just like AI technology, it's really interesting to see the process of new technology being born and being improved!
This article is based on the following original articles and is summarized from the author's perspective:
Kotlin 2.2.0 arrives with context parameters, unified
management of compiler warnings