Abandoning JavaScript for Backend Development

Hey everyone,

I’ve been using JavaScript for backend work for a while now, but I’m starting to feel like it might be time for a change. Don’t get me wrong, JS has been great, but I’m wondering if there are better options out there for server-side programming.

Has anyone here made the switch from JavaScript to another language for backend development? What was your experience like? I’m particularly interested in hearing about:

  1. What language you chose and why
  2. The main differences you noticed
  3. Any challenges you faced during the transition
  4. Whether you feel it was worth it in the end

I’m just trying to get a feel for what’s out there and if it makes sense to explore other options. Thanks in advance for any insights!

I made the transition from JavaScript to Kotlin for backend development about 18 months ago, and it’s been a game-changer. Kotlin’s conciseness and null safety features were major draws for me. The transition wasn’t without challenges - getting used to static typing took some time. However, the improved code reliability and excellent Java interoperability made it worthwhile. I found Kotlin’s coroutines particularly powerful for handling asynchronous operations, something I struggled with in JavaScript. While I occasionally miss the flexibility of JS, the robustness and performance gains in Kotlin have significantly improved our backend infrastructure. If you’re considering a switch, I’d recommend giving Kotlin a serious look.

hey there! i switched from js to python last year. it’s been a fun ride! python’s simplicity is awesome, but i do miss some js features. have u considered trying rust? i’ve heard great things about its performance. what’s pushing u to switch, btw?

hey, i’ve trayed go instead of js. switched a yr ago. go’s concurrency is epic, though i had issues with its strict types. overall, it’s boosted our perfomance. maybe u cud try it.