Kotlin 多平台移动端 FAQ

What is Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile?

Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile is an SDK for cross-platform mobile development. You can develop multiplatform mobile applications and share parts of your applications between Android and iOS, such as core layers, business logic, presentation logic, and more.

Kotlin Mobile uses the multiplatform abilities of Kotlin and the features designed for mobile development, such as CocoaPods integration and the Android Studio Plugin.

You may want to watch this introductory video, in which Kotlin Product Marketing Manager Ekaterina Petrova explains in detail what Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile is and how you can use it in your projects. With Ekaterina, you’ll set up an environment and prepare for creating your first cross-platform mobile application with Kotlin Multiplatform.

Yes, you can share UIs using Compose Multiplatform, JetBrains’ declarative UI framework based on Kotlin and Jetpack Compose. This framework allows you to create shared UI components for platforms like iOS, Android, desktop, and web, helping you to maintain a consistent user interface across different devices and platforms.

Check out the Compose Multiplatform FAQ to learn more.

What is the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin?

The Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin for Android Studio helps you develop applications that work on both Android and iOS.

With the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin, you can:

Run, test, and debug the iOS part of your application on iOS targets straight from Android Studio.
Quickly create a new multiplatform project.
Add a multiplatform module into an existing project.

The Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin works only on macOS. This is because iOS simulators, per the Apple requirement, can run only on macOS but not on any other operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows or Linux.

The good news is that you can work with cross-platform projects on Android even without the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin. If you are going to work with shared code or Android-specific code, you can work on any operating system supported by Android Studio.

What is Kotlin/Native and how does it relate to Kotlin Multiplatform?

Kotlin/Native is a technology for compiling Kotlin code to native binaries, which can run without a virtual machine. It consists of an LLVM-based backend for the Kotlin compiler and a native implementation of the Kotlin standard library.

Kotlin/Native is primarily designed to allow compilation for platforms where virtual machines are not desirable or possible, such as embedded devices and iOS. It is particularly suitable for situations when the developer needs to produce a self-contained program that does not require an additional runtime or virtual machine. And that is exactly the case with iOS development.

Shared code, written in Kotlin, is compiled to JVM bytecode for Android with Kotlin/JVM and to native binaries for iOS with Kotlin/Native. It makes the integration with Kotlin Multiplatform seamless on both platforms.

What are the plans for the technology evolution?

Kotlin Multiplatform is one of the focus areas of the Kotlin roadmap. To see which parts we’re working on right now, check out the roadmap details. Most of the recent changes affect the Kotlin Multiplatform and Kotlin/Native sections.

The following video presents the current state and our plans for the Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile development:

YouTube 视频：Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile Is in Beta – Start Using It Now!

Can I run an iOS application on Microsoft Windows or Linux?

If you want to write iOS-specific code and run an iOS application on a simulated or real device, use a Mac with a macOS (use the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin for it). This is because iOS simulators can run only on macOS, per the Apple requirement, but cannot run on other operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows or Linux.

If you are going to work with shared code or Android-specific code, you can work on any operating system supported by Android Studio.

Where can I get complete examples to play with?

In which IDE should I work on my cross-platform app?

You can work in Android Studio. Android Studio allows the use of the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin, which is a part of the Kotlin ecosystem. Enable the Kotlin Multiplatform Mobile plugin in Android Studio if you want to write iOS-specific code and launch an iOS application on a simulated or real device. The plugin can be used only on macOS.

Most of our adopters use Android Studio. However, if there is any reason for you not to use it, there is another option: you can use IntelliJ IDEA. IntelliJ IDEA provides the ability to create a multiplatform mobile application from the Project Wizard, but you won’t be able to launch an iOS application from the IDE.

How can I write concurrent code in Kotlin Multiplatform projects?

You can easily write concurrent code in your cross-platform mobile projects with the new Kotlin/Native memory manager that lifted previous limitations and aligned the behaviour between Kotlin/JVM and Kotlin/Native. The new memory manager has been enabled by default since Kotlin 1.7.20.