Developing an Ecommerce App with Kotlin Multiplatform: A Use Case
Tags: webdev, kotlin, developer, devops
Published: 2023-08-22 07:53:52

Are you looking to take your eCommerce business to the next level or new to it? Then you need to know about Kotlin Multiplatform! This innovative development tool is taking the world by storm, allowing developers to create eCommerce apps that run on multiple platforms with just one codebase. So, Developing an Ecommerce App is worth it in every aspect!!! 

An edge over the competition is essential in today's fast-paced online marketplace. With Kotlin Multiplatform, you can streamline your development process and deliver a seamless shopping experience to your customers, no matter where they're shopping from, with eCommerce App Development. 

In this blog post, we'll explore how Kotlin Multiplatform can revolutionize your [eCommerce app development](https://quokkalabs.com/lifestyle-app-development?utm_source=dev&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=industries). We'll provide a real-life use case and sample code to help you get started. 

_Keep reading to find out more!_ 

## Why Kotlin Multiplatform for Ecommerce App Development?
 
Developing separate apps for each platform can be a time-consuming and costly process. With Kotlin Multiplatform, app developers can write code once and use it across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, and backend servers.
 
It significantly reduces development time and effort, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to build a mobile app. 

Kotlin Multiplatform is designed to be flexible, allowing developers to use platform-specific APIs and libraries while still maintaining a single codebase.
 
It means that businesses can take advantage of the unique features and capabilities of each platform while still maintaining consistency across all platforms. 

Great Read: [Koltin vs Flutter Multiplatform Best to Choose](https://quokkalabs.com/blog/kotlin-vs-flutter-multiplatform-best-to-choose/) 

## What Businesses Should Know About Kotlin Multiplatform Before They Develop Ecommerce App?
 
Kotlin Multiplatform is a robust development framework offering plentiful benefits for businesses developing cross-platform mobile applications. Here are some key points that companies should keep in mind when considering Kotlin Multiplatform: 

### Cross-Platform Compatibility with Kotlin – A Reason to Develop Ecommerce App With it 

Kotlin Multiplatform enables developers to write code that can be shared across multiple platforms, including native code for Android and iOS platforms and web applications, servers, and other systems. It helps businesses save time and resources, as they don't need to create separate code bases for each platform. 

### Code Reusability – The Time Saver in eCommerce App Development 

Kotlin Multiplatform offers high code reusability, allowing developers to reuse significant amounts of code across multiple platforms. It can save time and effort and help ensure functionality and user experience consistency across all platforms. 

### Ease Of Maintenance - Developing an Ecommerce App Made Straightforward 

With Kotlin Multiplatform, developers can easily make changes and updates to the app and deploy them across all platforms at once, making it easy to maintain and update the app. 

### Familiarity with Kotlin 

Kotlin is a modern programming language that has gained significant popularity recently, especially in the Android development community. Many developers are already familiar with Kotlin, making it an easy transition to Kotlin Multiplatform development. 

### Growing Ecosystem – A Go-to Reason to Develop Ecommerce App in Kotlin 

Kotlin Multiplatform is a relatively new technology, but its ecosystem is multiplying. Many third-party libraries and tools are already available, making it easier for developers to create robust and feature-rich applications. 

### Potential Cost Savings – A Blessing in Developing an Ecommerce App 

Using Kotlin Multiplatform for mobile app development, businesses can save high costs by reducing development time and resources needed to create separate code bases for each platform. 

## Use Case: The eCommerce App Development with Kotlin Multiplatform

To demonstrate the power of Kotlin Multiplatform, let's consider the example of an eCommerce app. The app allows customers to browse products and securely add them to their cart and checkout. 
 

### Architecture

The app can be divided into three main modules:
 

#### Common Module
 
The module contains the shared business logic and data models that can be used across all platforms. 


#### Android Module
 
This module contains the platform-specific code for the Android app, including UI components and Android-specific APIs. 


#### iOS Module

This module contains the platform-specific code for the iOS app, including UI components and iOS-specific APIs. 


#### Backend Module

This module contains the backend APIs required for the app to communicate with the server.


### Developing an Ecommerce App with Kotlin Multiplatform: A Sample Code for Your Next E-commerce Project

_Let's look at some sample code to see how Kotlin Multiplatform can be used to develop an eCommerce app._ 

**Common Module Code:** 

```
//Data Models 

data class Product(val id: Int, val name: String, val description: String, val price: Double) 

 

data class Cart(val items: List<Pair<Product, Int>>) 

 

//Business Logic 

expect class ProductService() { 

    suspend fun getProducts(): List<Product> 

} 

 

expect class CartService() { 

    suspend fun getCart(): Cart 

    suspend fun addProductToCart(product: Product, quantity: Int) 

    suspend fun removeProductFromCart(product: Product) 

} 
```
**Android Module Code:**

```
//UI Components 

class ProductAdapter(private val products: List<Product>, private val onProductClick: (Product) -> Unit) : 

    RecyclerView.Adapter<ProductViewHolder>() { 

 

    override fun onCreateViewHolder(parent: ViewGroup, viewType: Int): ProductViewHolder { 

        val view = 

            LayoutInflater.from(parent.context).inflate(R.layout.item_product, parent, false) 

        return ProductViewHolder(view) 

    } 

 

    override fun onBindViewHolder(holder: ProductViewHolder, position: Int) { 

        val product = products[position] 

        holder.bind(product) 

        holder.itemView.setOnClickListener { onProductClick(product) } 

    } 

 

    override fun getItemCount(): Int = products.size 

} 

 

class ProductViewHolder(itemView: View) : RecyclerView.ViewHolder(itemView) { 

    private val nameTextView = itemView.findViewById<TextView>(R.id.nameTextView) 

    private val descriptionTextView = itemView.findViewById<TextView>(R.id.descriptionTextView) 

    private val priceTextView = itemView.findViewById<TextView>(R.id.priceTextView) 

 

    fun bind(product: Product) { 

        nameTextView.text = product.name 

        descriptionTextView.text = product.description 

        priceTextView.text = "${product.price}" 

    } 

} 

 

//Platform-Specific APIs 

actual class ProductService { 

    actual suspend fun getProducts(): List<Product> { 

        //Implement Android-specific code here 

    } 

} 

actual class CartService { 

    actual suspend fun getCart(): Cart 

//Implement Android-specific code here 

} 
actual class CartService { 

actual suspend fun getCart(): Cart { 

//Implement Android-specific code here 

} 
actual suspend fun addProductToCart(product: Product, quantity: Int) { 
    //Implement Android-specific code here 
} 
actual suspend fun removeProductFromCart(product: Product) { 

    //Implement Android-specific code here 
} 
} 
```
**iOS Module Code** 

```
//UI Components 

class ProductAdapter(private val products: List<Product>, private val onProductClick: (Product) -> Unit) : 

    UITableViewSource() { 
    override fun tableView(tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection: Int): Int { 

        return products.size 

    } 
    override fun tableView(tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt: NSIndexPath): UITableViewCell { 

        val cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier("productCell") ?: 

            UITableViewCell(style = UITableViewCellStyle.Subtitle, reuseIdentifier = "productCell") 

        val product = products[cellForRowAt.row.toInt()] 

        cell.textLabel.text = product.name 

        cell.detailTextLabel.text = product.description 

        cell.detailTextLabel.textColor = UIColor.grayColor() 

        cell.textLabel.font = UIFont.boldSystemFontOfSize(14.0) 

        cell.detailTextLabel.font = UIFont.systemFontOfSize(12.0) 

        cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryType.DisclosureIndicator 

        return cell 

    } 
    override fun tableView(tableView: UITableView, didSelectRowAtIndexPath: NSIndexPath) { 

        val product = products[didSelectRowAtIndexPath.row.toInt()] 

        onProductClick(product) 

        tableView.deselectRowAtIndexPath(didSelectRowAtIndexPath, animated = true) 

    } 

} 
//Platform-Specific APIs 

actual class ProductService { 

    actual suspend fun getProducts(): List<Product> { 

        //Implement iOS-specific code here 

    } 

} 
actual class CartService { 

    actual suspend fun getCart(): Cart { 

        //Implement iOS-specific code here 

    } 
    actual suspend fun addProductToCart(product: Product, quantity: Int) { 

        //Implement iOS-specific code here 

    } 
    actual suspend fun removeProductFromCart(product: Product) { 

        //Implement iOS-specific code here 

    } 

} 
```

### Bottom Lines: Way to Go with Developing an Ecommerce App

Kotlin Multiplatform provides developers a powerful tool for building mobile apps that run on multiple platforms with a single codebase. By using Kotlin Multiplatform to [develop an eCommerce app](https://quokkalabs.com/mobile-app-development?utm_source=dev&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=service), businesses can significantly reduce development time and effort while providing customers with a seamless shopping experience. 

In this blog, we've explored a use case for an eCommerce app and provided a sample code for the standard Android and iOS modules. Though, it is just the tip of the iceberg. Kotlin Multiplatform can be used for various [mobile app development](https://quokkalabs.com/mobile-app-development?utm_source=dev&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=service) projects or eCommerce App Development projects, from social networking apps to productivity tools. 

If you're interested in exploring Kotlin Multiplatform further, why not give it an attempt and see how it can benefit your next mobile app development project? 

_Thanks for Reading!_