Runtime Briefing — Kotlin 1.9 Release
Kotlin 1.9 became available on 11 July 2023 with K2 compiler progress, multiplatform stability improvements, and new language features, prompting Android and backend teams to review build pipelines.
Executive briefing: JetBrains released Kotlin 1.9.0 on , advancing the K2 compiler roadmap and stabilising critical multiplatform APIs.
Key updates
- K2 compiler beta. Expanded language feature coverage and performance gains prepare teams for the forthcoming default compiler switch.
- Multiplatform stability. Kotlin Multiplatform gains stable interop with Swift/Objective-C frameworks and new Gradle configuration options.
- Language features. Context receivers and data object improvements refine DSL authoring and state modelling.
Adoption checklist
- Upgrade Gradle toolchains and Android Studio Arctic Fox+ plugins to ensure Kotlin 1.9 compatibility.
- Evaluate K2 compiler builds in CI to measure performance benefits and identify plugin incompatibilities.
- Coordinate with mobile and backend teams to align on Kotlin Multiplatform packaging changes before syncing to production branches.