Setting Up Kotlin

1. Introduction

Kotlin is a modern programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and can be used to develop Android applications, server-side applications, and more. This tutorial will guide you through the steps of setting up Kotlin on your machine.

2. Prerequisites

Before you start setting up Kotlin, ensure you have the following prerequisites:

• A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
• Java Development Kit (JDK) installed. Kotlin requires JDK 8 or later.
• Basic understanding of programming concepts.

3. Installing JDK

If you don't have JDK installed, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Oracle JDK download page.
2. Download the installer for your operating system.
3. Run the installer and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
4. Set the JAVA_HOME environment variable to point to your JDK installation. This is often done in the system properties.

To verify your JDK installation, open your command line interface (CLI) and run:

You should see the installed version of Java.

4. Installing Kotlin

You can install Kotlin in several ways. Here are two popular methods:

4.1 Using IntelliJ IDEA

IntelliJ IDEA is a popular IDE for Kotlin development. Here's how to install Kotlin using IntelliJ:

1. Download and install IntelliJ IDEA.
2. Open IntelliJ IDEA and select "Create New Project".
3. Select "Kotlin" from the left sidebar and choose "JVM | IDEA" for the project type.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the project setup.

4.2 Using Command Line

If you prefer using the command line, you can use SDKMAN! to install Kotlin:

1. Install SDKMAN! by running the following command in your terminal:
curl -s "https://get.sdkman.io" | bash
2. Once SDKMAN! is installed, refresh your terminal:
source "$HOME/.sdkman/bin/sdkman-init.sh"
3. Now, install Kotlin by running:
sdk install kotlin

To verify your Kotlin installation, run:

You should see the installed version of Kotlin.

5. Writing Your First Kotlin Program

Now that you have Kotlin installed, let’s create a simple Kotlin program:

Create a new file named HelloWorld.kt with the following content:

To run this program, use the following command in your terminal:

This compiles the Kotlin file into a jar file. Next, run it using:

6. Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up Kotlin on your machine and created your first Kotlin program. From here, you can explore more about Kotlin’s features and start building your applications.