The dream of writing code once and running it everywhere has driven cross-platform frameworks like Flutter and React Native. But Kotlin Multiplatform (KMP) takes a different approach—sharing business logic while keeping native UIs. Could this be the perfect balance between efficiency and performance?
- Why KMP is Gaining Momentum
- Where It Shines (and Stumbles)
Challenges:- Who’s Betting on KMP?
True Native Performance – No virtual machines or interpreters; compiles directly to native binaries.
Selective Code Sharing – Share business logic (networking, databases, analytics) but keep platform-specific UI native.
Kotlin Everywhere – Use the same language for Android, iOS (via Kotlin/Native), and even backend (Ktor).
JetBrains & Google Backing – Strong corporate support with growing tooling (Compose Multiplatform, KSP).
Best for:
Teams already using Kotlin for Android
Apps where performance is critical (e.g., finance, IoT)
Projects needing gradual adoption (mix shared + native code)
iOS devs may resist Kotlin (Swift is still king)
Smaller ecosystem than Flutter/React Native
Debugging can be tricky across platforms
Netflix (for cross-platform plugins)
McDonald’s (in-store kiosk apps)
Cash App (shared business logic)
The Verdict
KMP isn’t a “Flutter killer,” but it’s a game-changer for teams prioritizing performance and code reuse. As Kotlin/Native matures, it could become the gold standard for shared codebases.