Recently, the declarative UI framework for Kotlin, Compose Multiplatform 1.0, was released to enhance the speed of user interface (UI) development. Now, developers can build desktop, Android, and web UIs from a single codebase. Compose Multiplatform is famous as a fast, reactive desktop and web UI framework for Kotlin based on Google’s modern toolkit.
The framework simplifies user interface development for Kotlin apps, and it allows extensive UI code sharing between Android, desktop, and web. Read here what the new Multiplatform 1.0 Framework version has in its bag for app developers.
What Is Compose Multiplatform 1.0?
In a statement, Czech software development company JetBrains says, “With Compose Multiplatform, developers can easily create desktop apps with a user interface (UI) in Kotlin. The framework is declarative, so the code reflects the UI, and developers don’t need to worry about UI update logic. The framework also allows them to preview parts of the UI without building the whole app, and shares the common API with Jetpack Compose by Google to simplify adoption. […] Developers can share their UI and state management code between Android, Desktop, and Web. They can also port the Android Jetpack Compose-based apps to the desktop. ”
The new framework has made it possible for all to create apps across different platforms (Windows, macOS, Android, and Linux) and the web with a single Kotlin codebase. The framework allows desktop apps to use notifications, menus, and keyboard shortcuts with hardware-accelerated rendering through the Skia graphics library. When it comes to interacting with page elements, web apps built with the framework have access to special CSS abilities.
UI speed enhancement = Compose Multiplatform 1.0 + Kotlin programming
On Desktop
Compose Multiplatform 1.0 framework allows you to create Kotlin apps with beautiful user interfaces efficiently and quickly.
- A declarative approach to build user interfaces
- Excellent runtime performance via hardware acceleration
- Short iteration cycles via the Preview Tool
- Interoperability with Jetpack Compose on Java UI frameworks and Android
- Compose Multiplatform wizards to get up and running quickly
On the Web
The newer framework helps developers build production-quality dynamic web experiences with the help of Compose for Web’s stable DOM API with full interoperability with all browser APIs. Developers will also get the ‘Support for Material UI widgets’ feature in a future release. Compose Multiplatform also gives a robust, declarative Kotlin/JS API to work with the DOM. Interestingly, the framework has all the essential features of a modern web framework, including
- Comprehensive DOM API
- Built-in CSS-in-JS support
- Support for SVGs
- Typed inputs and many others
Conclusion
Kotlin is used for writing web targets for Compose Multiplatform, and it gives developers complete control over the language and type system. It is also essential for using the same development workflow for other Kotlin targets. Professional technology companies know how to get the best out of newly released UI frameworks and help business enterprises get better and performing apps for different platforms.
With the introduction of the new framework, it is quite easy to share expertise and code between various platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Compose Multiplatform 1.0 is a UI framework from JetBrains that enables developers to build user interfaces for multiple platforms using Kotlin and a shared declarative UI approach. It helps teams reuse UI code while adapting platform-specific functionality where needed.
Key benefits include code sharing, a consistent user interface, reduced duplication, easier maintenance, and faster development across supported platforms. It can be a strong option for businesses seeking to streamline cross-platform app development.
Compose Multiplatform supports sharing UI code across platforms such as Android, iOS, desktop, and web, although support and maturity can vary by platform and framework version. Teams should verify platform requirements before selecting it for a production project.
It can be suitable for enterprise apps that benefit from shared UI and business logic. However, suitability depends on platform requirements, performance needs, integrations, accessibility, and the maturity of the required features. A technical assessment can help businesses evaluate these factors before committing.
Businesses should consider expert development support when building a new cross-platform app, migrating an existing application, or evaluating whether Kotlin-based code sharing fits their architecture. An experienced development partner can help assess feasibility, design the architecture, and plan testing and deployment.
