Is Java Really That Bad? My Take as an Android Dev 🚀

#java #android #kotlin #programming

💬 Spoiler: I still use Java in 2025 — and I like it.

As Android developers, we’ve all seen the memes, the rants, the Kotlin supremacy posts. Java is often the punching bag in dev circles. It’s called "verbose", "old", "boilerplate-heavy", and yes — "a dinosaur." 🦕

But here’s the thing: I’ve built full-scale Android apps in both Java and Kotlin. And after spending thousands of lines of code in each, I think it’s time we have a real conversation about Java — the good, the bad, and the controversial.

🟢 What Java Still Gets Right

🔒 Stability and Predictability Java’s not flashy, but it’s predictable. You know what the code will do, and more importantly — it does what it says on the tin. There’s less magic, and sometimes that’s a good thing.

Kotlin’s ?.let and run blocks? Cool. But I’ve seen them abused enough times to appreciate Java’s explicitness.

💼 Still Used in Big Companies Whether we like it or not, legacy codebases still run on Java. Many companies have invested years building robust systems with Java, and switching to Kotlin overnight isn’t always feasible.

If you're working in a big Android team, Java might still be the team language of choice. And guess what? That’s okay.

🤝 Ecosystem and Community Support Java has been around forever. That means you can find libraries, Stack Overflow answers, blog posts, and official documentation for nearly anything.

🔴 Where Java Definitely Falls Behind

😤 Boilerplate Fatigue Yeah... getters, setters, constructors, and that equals() method... sometimes Java feels like paperwork. ✍️

Even with tools like Lombok, Kotlin’s data classes make Java look like it’s still in 2008.

🚫 Lack of Modern Conciseness Functional programming? Null safety? Smart casts? Java is getting there, but Kotlin just does it better. The moment I switched back to Java after using Kotlin, I felt like I had to explain everything twice to the compiler.

🤔 So Why Do I Still Use Java?
Because it works. It’s fast and reliable, and I understand it inside out. When deadlines are tight, the last thing I need is to Google how Kotlin’s coroutines work again or why a Flow isn’t emitting.

Also, Java is an amazing teacher. It helps you understand how things work under the hood. That knowledge sticks with you, no matter what language you move to next.

💭 Final Thoughts
I’m not saying Java is better than Kotlin.

But I am saying it’s time we stop treating Java like that old dev who’s stuck in the past. Instead, let’s acknowledge what it brought us, how it’s still useful, and when it’s perfectly fine to use it.

🔥 Over to You!