Kotlin, JetBrains’ statically typed language, is bolstering its JavaScript and Java standing with the 1.1 beta release this week, adding JavaScript compilation and coroutines on both the JVM and JavaScript.
JavaScript compilation had been in an incomplete, experimental phase, even as builders have had JavaScript ambitions for Kotlin for several years. «There were many things missing from the standard library and things such as proper interop with package systems weren’t production-ready,» said Hadi Hariri, vice president of developer advocacy at JetBrains. «With 1.1, there was a focus to make all of this happen. «
The language now has proper support for different types of modules in JavaScript as well as having the standard library in part with the JVM. The compilation capability means developers can use Kotlin strings, collections, sequences, arrays, and other core APIs on JavaScript as well as JVM/Android, said Antony Breslav, lead language designer for Kotlin at JetBrains. «Numerous popular JS libraries will be available through typed headers (converted from DefinitelyTyped ),» Breslav said.
JetBrains is supporting popular runtime module systems for JavaScript as well as webpack and other important tools.
