Kotlin is a modern, statically typed programming language that runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and can also be compiled to JavaScript or native code. It was developed by JetBrains and first appeared in 2011. Kotlin is designed to be concise, expressive, and easy to learn, with features such as null safety and type inference that help prevent common programming errors. Kotlin is interoperable with Java, which means it can be used alongside Java code and can access Java libraries. It is particularly popular for Android app development due to its ease of use, compatibility with Java, and support for functional programming paradigms. Kotlin is widely used in enterprise software development, web development, and scientific computing, among other domains.