Install kotlin with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, chocolatey

Project links

• Homepage
• Repository
• Upstream docs
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

• kapt
• kotlin
• kotlinc
• kotlinc-js
• kotlinc-jvm

Project history

JetBrains started Kotlin in 2010 and open-sourced it early in its development. JetBrains' 2011 explanation emphasized internal productivity, Java interoperability, and compilation speed: the company wanted a more expressive language for IntelliJ-based development without abandoning the JVM ecosystem.

Kotlin 1.0 was released on February 15, 2016 as a stable language for JVM and Android development. JetBrains positioned it as a pragmatic language focused on Java interoperability, null-safety, clarity, tooling, and use across server-side, mobile, and desktop applications.

The language broadened after 1.0. Google announced official Android support for Kotlin in May 2017, JetBrains and Google announced the Kotlin Foundation work around the same era, Kotlin/Native and multiplatform support expanded through 2017 and 2018, and Kotlin 2.0 in May 2024 introduced the stable K2 compiler as the default compiler architecture.

Adoption history

Kotlin's adoption accelerated through Android. The Android team announced official support in 2017, noting production use by companies such as Expedia, Flipboard, Pinterest, and Square. At Google I/O 2019, Google reported that more than 50 percent of professional Android developers used Kotlin and described Android development as increasingly Kotlin-first.

Beyond Android, Kotlin became part of server-side JVM work, Gradle build logic, multiplatform mobile projects, browser and Wasm experiments, and native targets. Package-manager adoption reflects that spread: the formula exposes command-line tools such as `kotlin`, `kotlinc`, `kotlinc-jvm`, `kotlinc-js`, and `kapt` for users who want compiler access outside an IDE.

How it is used

The Homebrew formula installs the Kotlin command-line compiler and related launchers. Users run `kotlinc` for compilation, `kotlin` for running Kotlin programs and scripts, target-specific compiler frontends for JVM and JavaScript, and `kapt` for annotation-processing workflows in JVM builds.

Why package nerds care

Kotlin is a classic language-runtime package with an unusually strong IDE and Android story. For package nerds, it is notable because a Homebrew formula can give shell access to a language whose day-to-day use is often mediated by Gradle, IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, or platform-specific SDKs.

It also illustrates how modern language packages accumulate companion artifacts: Gradle plugins, compiler plugins, `kotlinx` libraries, native toolchains, LSP servers, and IDE integrations all orbit the base compiler package.

Timeline

• 2010: JetBrains started the Kotlin project.
• 2011-08: JetBrains publicly explained why it was investing in Kotlin.
• 2016-02-15: Kotlin 1.0 was released.
• 2017-05: Android announced official Kotlin support.
• 2018-10: Kotlin 1.3 shipped with stable coroutines and Kotlin/Native Beta.
• 2019-05: Google reported Kotlin-first Android momentum at Google I/O 2019.
• 2024-05: Kotlin 2.0 shipped with the stable K2 compiler.
• 2026-06-03: Kotlin 2.4.0 was released.

Related projects

• Kotlin is related to JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, Gradle, Kotlin Multiplatform, Kotlin/Native, Kotlin/JS, Kotlin/Wasm, Ktor, kotlinx.coroutines, kapt, KSP, and the Kotlin Language Server.

Sources

• https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2017/05/android-announces-support-for-kotlin.html
• https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2019/05/google-io-2019-empowering-developers-to-build-experiences-on-Android-Play.html
• https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2011/08/why-jetbrains-needs-kotlin/
• https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2016/02/kotlin-1-0-released-pragmatic-language-for-jvm-and-android/
• https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2018/10/kotlin-1-3/
• https://blog.jetbrains.com/kotlin/2024/05/celebrating-kotlin-2-0-fast-smart-and-multiplatform/
• https://kotlinlang.org/docs/faq.html
• https://kotlinlang.org/docs/releases.html