Are metadata removed during the Kotlin compilation process using the kotlinc tool?

During Kotlin compilation with kotlinc, metadata such as type information, annotations, and debug data are generally stored in the compiled classes (bytecode) to ensure proper reflection and other mechanisms.

However, some metadata can be removed or optimized if special compilation options are enabled or if they are not needed for execution. For example, debug information may be excluded when building a release version.

Thus, metadata is not completely removed by default but is preserved to support functionality related to Kotlin-specific features.