Kotlin 2.0, released in May 2024, marked a significant milestone in the language's evolution. At the heart of this major version lies the new compiler front-end, codenamed K2. The release delivered better performance and stabilization of the language features across multiple compilation targets. Despite being a major release, Kotlin 2.0 prioritized a smooth migration path, focusing on refinement rather than introducing drastic changes.

We will first take a look at improvements in Kotlin 2.0 release, highlighting the introduction of frontend intermediate representation (FIR) and the new control flow engine.

Then, we'll shift our focus to the horizon, and discuss the new ideas on Kotlin's roadmap:

* Guard conditions - enhancing control flow and null safety
* Context parameters - improving code organization
* Union types for errors - bringing more expressiveness to type systems
* Named-based destructuring - for better readability and reducing errors
* Contracts - enabling more precise static analysis

Whether you're a seasoned Kotlin developer or just starting out, this talk promises to expand your understanding of the language.