Kotlin is a modern, statically-typed programming language developed by JetBrains, designed to be fully interoperable with Java while offering more concise and expressive syntax. Since its official release in 2016, Kotlin has gained significant popularity, particularly in Android app development, where it is now a preferred language alongside Java. Kotlin's key features include null safety, extension functions, and coroutines for asynchronous programming, which reduce the likelihood of common programming errors and enhance developer productivity. Additionally, Kotlin can be compiled to JavaScript or native code, making it versatile for various types of development, including web, mobile, and server-side applications.

One of Kotlin's major strengths is its seamless integration with existing Java codebases, allowing developers to introduce Kotlin incrementally without the need to rewrite entire projects. This compatibility, combined with Kotlin's expressive syntax and modern features, has led to its widespread adoption in the Android development community. Kotlin's growing ecosystem, strong tooling support, and active developer community continue to drive its popularity as a powerful and efficient language for building robust, high-quality applications.