Koin vs Hilt/Dagger

This page compares Koin with Hilt and Dagger to help you understand the differences and decide which framework fits your needs.

info

Koin supports both DSL and Annotations - choose what fits your team. Both are first-class citizens, equally powerful, and powered by the same Compiler Plugin. This comparison shows annotation examples for fair comparison with Hilt, but Koin's DSL offers equivalent functionality with even less boilerplate.

Philosophy Differences

Aspect	Koin	Hilt/Dagger
Learning curve	Minutes to learn	Hours/days to master
Code complexity	Simple DSL or annotations	Complex annotation rules
Debugging	Clear errors, no generated code maze	Generated code can be hard to trace
Setup	One plugin, minimal config	Multiple annotations, strict rules
Compile safety	✅ With Compiler Plugin	✅ Always
Runtime flexibility	✅ Dynamic features	❌ Static only

Annotation Comparison

Even annotations are simpler in Koin:

Task	Koin	Hilt
Singleton	@Singleton class MyService	@Singleton class MyService @Inject constructor(...)
Interface binding	Automatic	Requires @Binds in abstract module
Component scanning	@ComponentScan("package")	Not available
Module discovery	@Configuration - auto-discovered	Manual @InstallIn per module
Provide 3rd party	@Singleton fun provide()	@Provides in @Module + @InstallIn
ViewModel	@KoinViewModel class MyVM	@HiltViewModel class MyVM @Inject constructor

Code Comparison

Simple Singleton

Koin:

@Singleton
class MyRepository(val api: ApiService)

@Module
@ComponentScan("com.app")
class AppModule

Hilt:

@Singleton
class MyRepository @Inject constructor(val api: ApiService)

@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
abstract class AppModule {
    @Binds
    abstract fun bindRepository(impl: MyRepository): Repository
}

Interface Binding

Koin - Automatic:

@Singleton
class UserRepositoryImpl(val db: Database) : UserRepository

// That's it! Koin automatically binds to UserRepository interface

Hilt - Requires explicit binding:

@Singleton
class UserRepositoryImpl @Inject constructor(val db: Database) : UserRepository

@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
abstract class RepositoryModule {
    @Binds
    abstract fun bindUserRepository(impl: UserRepositoryImpl): UserRepository
}

Multi-Module Apps

Koin - Modules auto-discovered:

// feature/auth/AuthModule.kt
@Module
@ComponentScan
@Configuration  // Auto-discovered!
class AuthModule

// feature/profile/ProfileModule.kt
@Module
@ComponentScan
@Configuration  // Auto-discovered!
class ProfileModule

// app/MyApp.kt
@KoinApplication  // No need to list modules
class MyApp

Hilt - Must manually install each module:

// feature/auth/AuthModule.kt
@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
class AuthModule { ... }

// feature/profile/ProfileModule.kt
@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
class ProfileModule { ... }

// app/MyApp.kt
@HiltAndroidApp
class MyApp  // Still need correct @InstallIn everywhere

ViewModel

Koin:

@KoinViewModel
class UserViewModel(
    private val repository: UserRepository,
    private val savedStateHandle: SavedStateHandle
) : ViewModel()

// In Activity/Fragment
val viewModel: UserViewModel by viewModel()

// In Compose
val viewModel: UserViewModel = koinViewModel()

Hilt:

@HiltViewModel
class UserViewModel @Inject constructor(
    private val repository: UserRepository,
    private val savedStateHandle: SavedStateHandle
) : ViewModel()

// In Activity/Fragment
val viewModel: UserViewModel by viewModels()

// In Compose
val viewModel: UserViewModel = hiltViewModel()

Providing Third-Party Libraries

Koin:

@Module
class NetworkModule {
    @Singleton
    fun provideRetrofit(): Retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
        .baseUrl("https://api.example.com")
        .build()

    @Singleton
    fun provideApi(retrofit: Retrofit): ApiService =
        retrofit.create(ApiService::class.java)
}

Hilt:

@Module
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent::class)
object NetworkModule {
    @Provides
    @Singleton
    fun provideRetrofit(): Retrofit = Retrofit.Builder()
        .baseUrl("https://api.example.com")
        .build()

    @Provides
    @Singleton
    fun provideApi(retrofit: Retrofit): ApiService =
        retrofit.create(ApiService::class.java)
}

Dynamic Features: Koin's Unique Advantage

Koin is runtime-based but performant and compile-safe. This enables dynamic features that Hilt cannot offer:

Dynamic Feature	Koin	Hilt
Load modules at runtime	✅ loadKoinModules()	❌ Not possible
Unload modules	✅ unloadKoinModules()	❌ Not possible
Lazy background loading	✅ lazyModules()	❌ Not possible
Feature flag injection	✅ Easy	⚠️ Complex workarounds
Plugin architectures	✅ Natural fit	❌ Very difficult
A/B test implementations	✅ Runtime swap	⚠️ Compile-time only
Dynamic configuration	✅ Supported	❌ No, Must recompile

Example: Dynamic Module Loading

// KOIN - Dynamic module loading
if (userHasPremium) {
    loadKoinModules(premiumFeatureModule)
}

// Later, if subscription expires
unloadKoinModules(premiumFeatureModule)

// Lazy loading for faster startup
startKoin {
    modules(coreModule)
    lazyModules(
        analyticsModule,  // Loaded in background
        heavyFeatureModule
    )
}

This is impossible with Hilt - all dependencies are wired at compile time.

Example: Feature Flags

// KOIN - Switch implementations at runtime
val featureModule = module {
    if (FeatureFlags.useNewApi) {
        single<ApiService> { NewApiService() }
    } else {
        single<ApiService> { LegacyApiService() }
    }
}

// Or dynamically
fun updateApiImplementation(useNew: Boolean) {
    unloadKoinModules(apiModule)
    loadKoinModules(if (useNew) newApiModule else legacyApiModule)
}

Setup Comparison

Koin Setup

See the Compiler Plugin Setup Guide for detailed instructions.

Hilt Setup

// settings.gradle.kts
plugins {
    id("com.google.dagger.hilt.android") version "2.x" apply false
}

// app/build.gradle.kts
plugins {
    id("com.google.devtools.ksp")
    id("dagger.hilt.android.plugin")
}

dependencies {
    implementation("com.google.dagger:hilt-android:2.x")
    ksp("com.google.dagger:hilt-compiler:2.x")
}

Error Messages

Koin

org.koin.core.error.NoBeanDefFoundException:
No definition found for class 'com.app.UserRepository'.
Check your module definitions.

Clear, points directly to the issue.

Hilt/Dagger

error: [Dagger/MissingBinding] com.app.UserRepository cannot be provided
without an @Inject constructor or an @Provides-annotated method.
com.app.UserRepository is injected at
    com.app.UserService(repository)
com.app.UserService is injected at
    com.app.UserActivity.service
com.app.UserActivity is injected at
    dagger.hilt.android.internal.managers.ActivityComponentManager.inject

Longer, requires understanding the component graph.

When to Choose Each

Choose Koin When:

• You value productivity and simplicity
• You need runtime flexibility (dynamic modules, feature flags)
• You're building Kotlin Multiplatform apps
• Your team wants to learn quickly
• You prefer less boilerplate
• You want easier debugging

Choose Hilt When:

• Your team already knows Dagger
• You need Google-first ecosystem compatibility
• You require Dagger's specific features

Migration from Hilt to Koin

If you're considering migration:

Concept Mapping

Hilt	Koin
@HiltAndroidApp	@KoinApplication and startKoin<T> { }
@AndroidEntryPoint	by inject()
@HiltViewModel with by viewModels()	@KoinViewModel with by viewModel()
@Inject constructor	Just constructor (auto-detected)
@Binds	Automatic or bind
@InstallIn(SingletonComponent)	@Configuration
@Provides on a function	@Factory on a function

Gradual Migration

You can migrate incrementally:

1. Add Koin to your project
2. Migrate one feature module at a time
3. Both DI frameworks can coexist during transition (Koin can scan target packages with @ComponentScan)
4. Remove Hilt when migration is complete

See Migrating from Hilt for detailed steps.

Summary

Koin: Simple AND Powerful

• Compile-time safety like Hilt (with Compiler Plugin)
• DSL or Annotations - both equally powerful, your choice
• Simplicity and productivity that Hilt can't match
• Dynamic runtime features that Hilt can't do

You don't have to choose between safety and simplicity. With Koin, you get both.

Next Steps

• What is Koin? - Learn more about Koin
• Setup Guide - Add Koin to your project
• Migrating from Hilt - Step-by-step migration guide