Understanding Imperative vs. Declarative Programming in Kotlin and Jetpack Compose vs. XML

Modern Android development has changed in recent years. Kotlin has become the go-to language, and Jetpack Compose has completely redefined how we build user interfaces. These shifts mark a move from traditional imperative programming to a more declarative and reactive style.

Part 1: Imperative vs. Declarative Programming in Kotlin

Imperative Programming: The Traditional Approach

Imperative programming focuses on explicitly describing how a program should accomplish a task through a sequence of statements that change the program state. In Kotlin, imperative code typically involves:

• Step-by-step instructions detailing the execution process
• Mutable state management
• Control flow structures (if/else, for loops, while loops)
• Direct manipulation of data

Here’s an example of imperative programming in Kotlin:

fun calculateTotalPrice(items: List<Item>): Double {
    var total = 0.0
    for (item in items) {
        if (item.isDiscounted) {
            total += item.price * (1 - item.discountRate)
        } else {
            total…