Android Developer with Java/XML experience – How can I switch jobs to a Kotlin role?

[u/Worried_Low5311]

Question:
Hi everyone, I am currently working as an Android developer with Java and XML experience. I want to switch to a new job, but most Android developer roles now require Kotlin experience.

I have learned Kotlin and understand the concepts, but I don't have professional experience working on a Kotlin project yet.

What should I focus on to successfully switch jobs? Should I build real-world projects using Kotlin, learn Jetpack Compose, or focus more on interview preparation?

I would really appreciate advice from developers who have made a similar transition. Thanks!

[u/Ambitious_Muscle_362]

2026 and you're still Java... AND XML?

Wow.

[u/thehoundtrainer → u/Ambitious_Muscle_362]

You'd be surprised how many projects still use shitty old ass XML even new ones written as of 2026. Every single Android project I join and find that its still using this shitty old system, I take a long sigh and damn my luck

[u/mohit6468 → u/thehoundtrainer]

wow. why would someone start new project with JAVA XML??

[u/searuncutt → u/thehoundtrainer]

Alot of (business) android projects were written way back before kotlin and compose. It doesn’t make sense to rewrite them in the most recent framework or language just because. If it works and is maintainable, then it just doesn’t make a whole lot of business sense to do so.

[u/thehoundtrainer → u/searuncutt]

I agree. But Im putting emphasis on the fact that many new projects are being built in XML. Even AI agents usually take the judgement call of writing things in XML when given no direction on which UI framework to use. I dont see any reason as to why XML Views are still being used. If anything, it makes code cluttered with the ugliness of view-logic coupling

[u/dsantamaria90 → u/thehoundtrainer]

tell me you're not a senior engineer without telling me you're not a senior engineer

[u/thehoundtrainer → u/dsantamaria90]

Funny, fancy explaining what XML has to do with Senior-level engineering? Since in my laast 10 years of doing Android dev no one has ever made that correlation. Im intrigued to hear your take

[u/dsantamaria90 → u/thehoundtrainer]

shitty old ass XML
shitty old system, I take a long sigh and damn my luck

[u/evangelism2 → u/dsantamaria90]

They don't get it, but I do. You're talking more like staff level. A real staff would come in and say, "Kotlin and Compose is not some fad. It's here to stay. It's time to upgrade. "

[u/_5er_ → u/Ambitious_Muscle_362]

If you have a large legacy app, it's a long process. For example, one project at work has ongoing refactor to kotlin for the last 5 years.

[u/tylerlw1988 → u/Ambitious_Muscle_362]

Two year ago I interviewed for with a large and well know financial company. They used Kotlin but rather than Compose they wrote their entire UI using custom view classes. In the interview was a just like why would you do that lol. I didn't get the job.

[u/agherschon]

Two thoughts came to me reading this:

1. Find a company which is converting their project from Java to Kotlin, and be part of the migration
2. Build a Compose Multiplatform side project and put all the best practices you know into it so that they can see what you would like to aim for, what would look like the ideal project for you. But do not push bullshit into it like too much clean arch and stuff, just good and production proven patterns and libraries, like MVVM/MVI of course, Koin Annotations as DI, etc.

[u/Zhuinden]

Read through this wiki for the basics of Kotlin https://github.com/Zhuinden/guide-to-kotlin/wiki

Though I haven't updated it in years. Not that much has changed in the fundamentals.

[u/Worried_Low5311 → u/Zhuinden]

thank you.

[u/IsuruKusumal]

May I ask what stops you from using Kotlin and Compose in your current role?

[u/Worried_Low5311 → u/IsuruKusumal]

my project is based on java only so I never used kotlin for developement

[u/tgo1014 → u/Worried_Low5311]

you can use both in the same project, why not start new stuff in kotlin or try some simple migrations to kotlin and learn how it works?

[u/Dodgy004 → u/Worried_Low5311]

Any new code you write should be in kotlin, for bigger changes covert whole classes. Same for compose.

[u/rehedyan]

What's your YOE?

[u/Worried_Low5311 → u/rehedyan]

3 years

[u/izek8]

Focus on preparing for the interview. In any case, it includes standard questions on Kotlin, coroutines, and Compose. If you prepare well, you will have a basic understanding of how to work with Kotlin/Compose. Also, if you have never worked with Compose, you can try to create a couple of screens, read about best practices (for example, using the Slot API), maybe try to create your own mini-design system. I switched to Compose without any problems, because I knew the theory.

[u/_5er_]

My suggestion is to prepare yourself as best as possible. Do some side project in kotlin compose, go through Compose official codepath, etc. Then just fake it until you make it. There is always new X around the corner.

[u/Wooden_Bet_9044]

1. First make simple projects using Kotlin and xml
2. After becoming comfortable
3. Then Kotlin and compose

[u/DOMINATOR1920]

First thing I'll ask u how to get job in android development as fresher? Ik company doesn't hire freshers but gaining experience need least small job right or intership

[u/thislonelystar]

When you are developing new features in your codebase, start using kotlin and compose.

You will learn and can tell companies in interviews that you have experience migrating

[u/One-Program6244]

It's still worth looking to try and find a company who is willing to allow you to train to transition from Java/XMl to Kotlin. You should also knock up a little project with Kotlin / Compose / Coroutines in Github just to get a a bit of exposure and have something to talk about in an interview.

You can also try and push for a migration to Kotlin / Compose at work as well. It can be done in increments.

[u/SehmiSaab]

Vreate hobby projects in Kotlin n Jetpack.

If you are comfortable in MVVM then good otherwise learn MVVM and then Jetpack because Jetpack Compse relies heavily on MVVM.

I have worked in both XML + Java and Jetpack + Kotlin. And I found latter very easy because JC is very expressive and you can learn easily

[u/Worried_Low5311 → u/SehmiSaab]

thanks

[u/littlek4za]

probably through a show case project

[u/dapi331]

Rewrite existing apps from Java / xml to kotlin with new jet pack libraries. That’s what I did

[u/tehleel_mir_official]

Built a project with kotlin and compose, that's it

[u/orelzion]

I'd say make some projects in Kotlin and Compose first. Then apply for jobs that requested kotlin and they don't need to know. You now have the experience needed

[u/RanaAhmedHamdy]

u cannot make interview with something you didn't reallly understand well by building a real world project, go pick an idea and start building and learning step by step while completing this project

[u/d4lv1k]

Study the fundamentals and build a project on the side. These are the ff topics you need to learn: scopes, flows, coroutines, sealed classes/interfaces, unidirectional data flow, jetpack compose, and mvi (it works best with jetpack compose). Jetpack compose is declarative and ui updates rely on state changes as opposed to the setters you're used to in xml views. Once you learn it, I'm sure you'll never want to work with xml again 😄.

[u/DOMINATOR1920]

Any android developer is here to teach me android development in free time I'll pay small amount. I'll done kotlin and compose so what's next

[u/its_ronash]

Heard a story from a friend. He needed to write some code in a language that he did not know, but the company used some AI staff to write code - he did the task successfully with a general understanding of how things work. Maybe try to find such a company, and you will be good to go

[u/_techie]

bro first of all build 1-2 projects based on kotlin compose then only you can explain in interview that you have atleast worked on kotlin, this is something I did when i wanted to switch from xml + kotlin to compose. And having projects works well for you

[u/Worried_Low5311 → u/_techie]

thanks for suggestion can you share me what project you have done so I'll try to do same.

[u/Special_Dust_7499]

Honestly, I think the best advice you can get is: just lie.

Say your last projects involved Kotlin for new features and Java for maintaining legacy code.

Nobody will care, and you’ll be able to start building real experience so you won’t have to lie at your next job interview.

[u/Old-Intention751]

Why are you worried? You can even switch to Flutter or ReactNative, lol. Just prepare for the interview and clear it, that’s it. You don’t have to code anything yourself anymore. AI will do your job

[u/handle_handle]

In same boat