Summary

We started the chapter by downloading Kotlin from its home page and installing it. We examined the REPL and used it to learn some Kotlin fundamentals, such as defining functions and variables. We quickly found out that Kotlin has many features that are similar to Java, but it requires much less boilerplate code for common situations and is often easier to use. We learned about Kotlin's unique type system, especially when it comes to handling null references. We learned the most important OOP-related subjects, such as defining classes, adding functions and properties to it, and even adding a JVM entry point function to it. Also, some more advanced features were discussed, such as singleton and companion objects, data classes, and lambda functions. Finally, you learned that Kotlin can be used for procedural programming as well; you also looked at Kotlin's coding conventions.

In the next chapter, we will create a Kotlin project together that is powered by Oracle's advanced JavaFX desktop...