9 Best Kotlin Books

The Kotlin programming language is growing in popularity because it applies to software design and development on the Android platform.

Want to improve your Kotlin knowledge and skills? Need more budget for intensive courses? Kotlin programming books are an effective solution for you.

As a software development engineer, I have been learning about the Kotlin programming language for a long time. I have read many books on the subject.

The books I introduce in this article will give you practical knowledge about the field. You gain the basics and expand your understanding with advanced information about the Kotlin language.

1. Head First Kotlin: A Brain-Friendly Guide

Head First Kotlin: A Brain-Friendly Guide

Specification:

  • Publisher: ‎O’Reilly Media; 1st edition
  • Language: ‎English
  • File size: ‎52022 KB
  • Print length:‎ 938 pages

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Reason To Buy

  • Clear information
  • Easy-to-understand content
  • There are good practical examples
  • Help guide thinking
  • Reader-friendly language

Review

The first book I recommend to you is the Head First series called Head First Kotlin: A Brain-Friendly Guide. Its author is Dawn Griffiths, an expert with 20 years of experience in information technology and programming. I used this book while taking the author’s The Agile Sketchpad video course, and the process has given me great insights.

It is a very readable book for both beginners and novices to Kotlin. Its content clarifies the concepts related to this programming language, including generics, lambdas, and collections. Higher-order functions also appear in work with clear and easy-to-understand explanations.

You will find the knowledge in the book interesting. The book’s presentation language makes me feel like I’m talking to a friendly and approachable teacher. I did not feel bored or sleepy while reading this book.

What satisfied me the most was that the book clarified for me information that I had misunderstood before. My brain wakes up during the learning process.

Useful, practical examples allow me to apply them to understand the theory better. In short, it is the work that anyone who wants to learn Kotlin from scratch should have.

2. Mastering Kotlin

Mastering Kotlin: Learn advanced Kotlin programming techniques to build apps for Android, iOS, and the web

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: ‎English
  • Paperback: ‎434 pages
  • Item Weight: 1.63 pounds
  • Dimensions: ‎7.5 x 0.98 x 9.25 inches

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Reason To Buy

  • Provide practical applications
  • Teaches how to write basic Kotlin code
  • Shows the interoperability between Kotlin and Java
  • Understand how to use Kotlin for specific goals

Review

In Mastering Kotlin, I found the information I wanted to know about Kotlin interoperability with Java. It is the most distinctive feature of the work.

He has worked with Android on various projects since its inception. The information he writes in his book will show you why Android decided to use Kotlin for native applications instead of Java and JavaScript as before.

The knowledge in work is exciting and easily accessible. I love the way the author explains how Kotlin code is written.

The book also taught me how to leverage the power and new features of this language to create products with superb usability. I have understood what OOP object-oriented programming for specific goals for iOS or Android is.

The concurrency solutions the author wrote in books like coroutines gave me information on how to build parallel software.

These applications are very flexible and highly applicable in practice. Practical examples help readers grasp information more quickly than complex lessons.

3. Android Programming with Kotlin for Beginners

Android Programming with Kotlin for Beginners

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • File size: 25930 KB
  • Print length: 700 pages

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Reason To Buy

  • Suitable for beginners
  • Readable on Kindle
  • Easy-to-understand explanation
  • Teach how to build software layouts
  • The information presented is systematic and highly logical

Review

In my Kindle library, I’ve included Android Programming with Kotlin for Beginners by author John Horton. It gave me useful information about Kotlin.

I can read books anywhere with just my compact e-reader. The work helped me build a knowledge base of the Kotlin programming language.

When my friend asked about a book for beginners in Kotlin programming, I did not hesitate to recommend this book to him.

The author has explained concepts and examples in a thorough and easy-to-understand manner. At a time when I needed to learn more about Kotlin, the information that the book gave did not make it difficult for me.

I was able to program a Kotlin program for Android by myself after experiencing this book. It is unique from other publications because it taught me how to present an app in the most eye-catching way.

It is a practical problem for an Android application developer. Software created with graphics and layouts that attract users is one factor that brings success.

4. Atomic Kotlin

Atomic Kotlin

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Paperback: 636 pages
  • Item Weight: 1 kg 80 g
  • Dimensions: 19.05 x 3.25 x 23.5 cm

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Reason To Buy

  • Clear explanation
  • Easy to grasp
  • Systematic content
  • Good price
  • Suitable for beginners

Review

The next book that I want to mention on this list is Atomic Kotlin by Bruce Eckel. He is also the author of two famous programming books, Thinking in C++ and Thinking in Java. His work on the Kotlin programming language intrigued me, and I am indeed pleased with my decision to purchase this book.

It is a textbook for beginners to learn about Kotlin. The author has presented this programming language’s basic concepts so anyone can understand it.

I captured the information very quickly without spending too much time. The content system in the book is divided into separate sections, and each one is not called a chapter but is named Atom.

Naming this book makes me feel interested and not overwhelmed by the thickness and knowledge that the work brings. It is a psychological trick, so the reader feels the knowledge is shrinking.

The material has practical exercises to test my knowledge and improve my practical skills. After doing these examples, I searched for answers at IntelliJ IDEA. This is a practical self-study to get me a solid Kotlin foundation.

5. Kotlin Programming Cookbook

Kotlin Programming Cookbook

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Paperback: 434 pages
  • Item Weight: 739 g
  • Dimensions: 19.05 x 2.49 x 23.5 cm

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Reason To Buy

  • Suitable for professionals and beginners
  • There are examples included
  • Provide formulas from basic to complex
  • Helps improve the usability of Kotlin

Review

I bought the Kotlin Programming Cookbook to improve my Kotlin programming skills after completing the basic lessons.

This publication has been of great help to me. The information the book gave was similar to the recipes, allowing me to experiment and develop my method.

I have become more confident after reading this work. With over 100 different coding formulas, I learned how to build apps and Websites with Kotlin. Kotlin is no longer a challenging and complex language like it used to be.

The book’s content presents formulas and examples in increasing complexity, so you don’t need to worry if you don’t have a good background in Kotlin.

The author explains that basic knowledge is also elementary to understand, allowing beginners to catch up. From this book, I developed my programming skills methodically and thoroughly. In short, this book is a suitable title for both experienced and newcomers to the Kotlin programming language.

6. Hands-On Design Patterns with Kotlin

Hands-On Design Patterns with Kotlin

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Paperback: ‎310 pages
  • Item Weight: 535 g
  • Dimensions: 19.05 x 1.78 x 23.5 cm

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Reason To Buy

  • Support code base improvement
  • Strengthens existing code structures
  • Proposing solutions to practical problems
  • Bringing information about traditional GOF designs
  • Provide proper Kotlin programming methods for programmers

Review

Hands-On Design Patterns with Kotlin is a book for experienced programmers. This work is a small lesson but will bring great value to practice.

This little book is relatively easy to read. I can easily absorb the author’s knowledge of the content inside. The book thoroughly explains the basic Kotlin syntax and its practical problems.

The author showed me how to use the language’s built-in features in functional programming with threads. The book covers traditional design patterns and analyzes their impact on software.

So, the publication offers readers solutions to real-world problems using reactive design patterns. After reading this work, my software development and project extension have been very successful.

7. Programming Kotlin Applications

Programming Kotlin Applications

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Paperback: ‎384 pages
  • Item Weight: 1.35 pounds
  • Dimensions: 7.38 x 0.87 x 9.25 inches

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Reason To Buy

  • Provide in-depth knowledge of Kotlin
  • Understand the goal and how to use Kotlin accordingly
  • Guidelines for information storage and security
  • Make coding professional and personal

Review

Brett McLaughlin wrote the book Programming Kotlin Applications as a guide for programmers in their projects.

The author has presented the knowledge from basic and advanced clearly and understandably in this publication. For those who have experience with Java programming and are looking to switch to Kotlin, this book is a great help.

The work is more than just using Kotlin as a popular programming language to develop Android applications. This book focuses on presenting an approach to Kotlin as a server-side option.

The mobile programming insights have helped me a lot in my work. After experiencing this publication, I have understood how Kotlin stores and secures data. The author also states the limitations of this programming language.

From there, I better understand real-life cases, when to use and when to avoid coding with Kotlin. These are valuable insights for programmers looking to learn to work with Kotlin.

The book also provides readers with practical solutions for internalizing and personalizing cryptographic software using Kotlin. I have used unique features to improve my previous programs and enhance my work efficiency.

This book is not for beginners but will be invaluable for programmers who want to advance their careers.

8. The Joy of Kotlin

The Joy of Kotlin

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • File size: 3648 KB
  • Print length: 480 pages

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Reason To Buy

  • Support to improve software design
  • Present information that is easy to understand
  • Free e-book files when buying printed books
  • Offers a multi-perspective approach
  • It helps to avoid errors and ensure program safety

Review

If you are a fan of the book Functional Programming in Java and author Pierre-Yves Saumont, you will be able to pay attention to The Joy of Kotlin.

This new programming language breathes life into coding programs, packed with unique features and high integration capabilities.

The author has organized the content in the book into separate sections. These concepts are presented in clear chapters, and I had no trouble following the issues the work covered.

The information is given in order from basic to advanced and includes in-depth knowledge. Programmers who have experience working with Java and know Kotlin before will love these lessons.

The author also gives a way to handle common problems when you use Kotlin to program software. Practical examples based on the experience are fascinating.

The common mistakes the book showed me helped me avoid pitfalls at work. Also, it provides me with highly efficient, concise programming codes that don’t exist anywhere else.

9. Data Structures & Algorithms in Kotlin

Data Structures & Algorithms in Kotlin

Specification:

  • Publisher: Packt Publishing (October 11, 2019)
  • Language: English
  • Paperback: 422 pages
  • Item Weight: 1.74 pounds
  • Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.96 x 9.25 inches

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Reason To Buy

  • Help improve knowledge about Kotlin
  • Guide to implementing basic data structures
  • A basic introduction to the Kotlin programming language
  • Explain and compare the performance of algorithms clearly

Review

Data Structures & Algorithms in Kotlin is the next book that I recommend to you in this list. Mathematics and data structures are the foundation for all existing programming languages.

There have been many publications about coding in Kotlin, but only some works explain the mathematical concepts in this programming language. Therefore, I decided to buy this work as soon as I saw its name.

For Kotlin programmers, mastering mathematical knowledge is indispensable. The work provides information about algorithms in Kotlin. From there, the publication helps you better understand these theories so that they can be better applied when coding.

The work also explains how to implement the main data structure in the Kotlin programming language. The author has explained in great detail about Big-O so that readers like me can grasp the information quickly. I understand algorithm performance, so I can know how to apply them in each specific case.

This book will teach you about AVL, binary trees, sorting algorithms, and how to use graphs. The book promises to provide highly applicable insights for developing and improving working with code.

Buying Guide

Choosing the best Kotlin books gives you great support for your programming learning process. Our guides explain the most important factors when selecting a reference book for this topic.

Experience

First, you must determine your level. There are many books for those new to programming, but there are also publications suitable only for the experienced. If you are a newbie and buying a book is too difficult, you will find it very confusing. On the contrary, if you read a book written too simply for your level, it will be a waste.

Choosing the product you need will help you quickly improve your knowledge.

Content

When looking at a book written about Kotlin, you will need to focus on the content that the book presents. Products with clear and easy-to-understand content will be publications many people will love.

You should look for materials that have engaging and exciting storytelling with practical issues and details. These books won’t let you get bored reading them.

Publications with excellent print quality and few spelling mistakes are also a good idea. Products that are not well edited can easily lead to discomfort and unprofessional feelings for readers.

Price

It is not the publications of high value that are good documents. You should find a way to balance your budget and the knowledge it brings. Saving money with in-depth books is the best way to learn.

FAQs

Is Kotlin suitable for 2024?

Of course. As the native language in Android applications, Kotlin is currently in the top 20 programming languages in 2023. Learning this language will open you up to great job opportunities this year.

Which is the best course for Kotlin?

Many courses teach Kotlin coding today. You can refer to some reputable names like Total Kotlin Programming Guide, Learn Kotlin for Android Development, or Tutorial to Building Functioning Applications.

Is Kotlin harder than Java?

No. Kotlin programming language is much more concise and straightforward than Java. It also has good scalability and higher security.

Is Kotlin killing Java?

No, it won’t happen. Kotlin provides a good complement to Java, and the two languages coexist. They are the foundation for the great applications.

Why is Kotlin not popular?

Kotlin causes some server delays. Furthermore, they are also less common for organizational and technical reasons. However, this programming language will have leaps and bounds in the future because of its superiority.

Final Thoughts

In this article, I have reviewed the top 9 Kotlin books on the market today. I hope my reviews can help you choose the best study material.

Remember to follow our website to promptly update useful information about great works if you find this helpful information.

From my point of view, Head First Kotlin: A Brain-Friendly Guide is still the best book to read to get started with this programming language.

Thank you for your interest in the article!