Kotlin 1.7.0 is out! This release brings: 💫 Kotlin K2 compiler for JVM to Alpha. 💫 Performance improvements of the Kotlin/JVM compiler. 💫 New Gradle Incremental Compilation. 💫 OptIn annotations & Builder inference to stable. 💫 Allows implementation by delegation to inlined values of an inline class. And many other things! Learn more in the blog post and try out the new features.

Can't wait to use it as soon as Compose support arrives 🙏🏻

Ooh. Can't wait to enable the k2 compiler! hopefully it improves ide perf

Alpha of IDE plugin with K2 will be available only in 1.8 or 1.9 But AFAIK compose team already worked on porting compose to K2 Also preview of K2 compiler API most likely will be available in 1.7.20, and at this point most official JB compiler plugins will be supported

Given that compiler integration is critical to Compose, are there any major threats/opportunities for Compose on K2? For example: • Threat?: Is it a very big effort to port Compose to K2, such that we can expect not to see it for a while? • Opportunity?: Does the K2 compiler offer a more flexible API such that Compose won't be quite as hard-tied to Kotlin minor version as usual?

"Underscore operator for type arguments" it looks like the baby stage of associated types

@darkmoon_uk Compose is generally backend IR plugin with very small frontend part (few checkers, as I know), so it should be not very hard to port it to K2. Also it won't have any significant benefits of K2 frontend API because of same reason For any particular details it's better to ask Compose team directly

Does the K2 compiler offer a more flexible API

It will offer a more stable API, so yes, it should help Compose support more compiler versions AFAIU.

looks like this link “includes a number of bugfixes” on the announcement is busted

Hmm. Seems an issue with tag. Will inform the team, thanks.