Kotlin Setup, JDK, IDE, CLI, Build Tools, and First Program
Set up a working Kotlin environment and understand how to compile and run Kotlin code from both IDE and command line workflows.
Inside this chapter
- What You Need to Start
- Running Kotlin from the Command Line
- A Minimal Kotlin Program
- Using IntelliJ IDEA or Android Studio
- Gradle and Project Structure
- Common Setup Problems
Series navigation
Study the chapters in order for the clearest path from Kotlin setup and syntax to coroutines, backend work, clean design, multiplatform thinking, and advanced engineering practice. Use the navigation at the bottom to move smoothly through the full tutorial series.
What You Need to Start
To begin Kotlin development, students typically install a JDK, an IDE such as IntelliJ IDEA or Android Studio, and optionally build tools like Gradle. Kotlin development can be very beginner-friendly because modern IDEs provide strong autocomplete, refactoring, inspections, and code explanation support.
Running Kotlin from the Command Line
kotlinc -version
kotlinc Hello.kt -include-runtime -d hello.jar
java -jar hello.jarThis teaches an important idea early: Kotlin source code is compiled before execution. On the JVM, Kotlin compiles to bytecode that can run alongside Java code.
A Minimal Kotlin Program
fun main() {
println("Hello, Kotlin!")
}This first example introduces the main entry point and standard output. Even a tiny program is a chance to explain how code is organized, compiled, and executed.
Using IntelliJ IDEA or Android Studio
JetBrains tools provide an especially strong Kotlin experience because the language was created by JetBrains. Students should learn the basic workflow of project creation, code execution, debugging, breakpoints, refactoring, and project navigation inside the IDE.
Gradle and Project Structure
plugins {
kotlin("jvm") version "..."
}
repositories {
mavenCentral()
}
dependencies {
testImplementation(kotlin("test"))
}Many real Kotlin projects use Gradle for dependency management, testing, packaging, plugins, and build automation. Beginners do not need every detail immediately, but they should know Gradle is a central part of professional Kotlin development.
Common Setup Problems
- JDK version mismatch
- Gradle sync failure
- IDE plugin misconfiguration
- Incorrect source folder structure
- Dependency resolution or proxy issues in enterprise environments