I’ve been working with JavaScript and Node.js for backend development for quite some time. The main reason I stuck with it was because of how well it handles multiple requests at once without blocking operations.
But honestly, I always had some doubts about using JavaScript for server stuff. Things like catching errors before they happen, making sure variables are the right type, and keeping code maintainable over time were always challenging. Sometimes fixing bugs or making the application bigger felt harder than it needed to be.
Recently I started looking into Rust and frameworks like Actix Web for building backend services. What really caught my attention was how Rust catches problems before the code even runs, manages memory automatically, and has great tools available.
Has anyone here tried both Node.js and Rust for backend work? Would love to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of each approach.
interesting timing - i’ve been eyeing rust too but haven’t pulled the trigger yet. what finally made you switch? was there a specific project or bug that pushed you from node to rust?
switched to rust 8 months ago - zero regrets. the learning curve’s brutal coming from js, but once ownership and borrowing click, the performance gains are crazy. my apis run 3x faster and i actually sleep well knowing the compiler already caught most bugs lol
I did this about a year ago. Started with a hybrid approach - rewrote the performance-critical microservices in Rust but kept the main app in Node.js. Compilation time was annoying at first, especially after getting used to JavaScript’s instant feedback. But the reliability improvements showed up within weeks. Memory usage dropped big time, and Rust’s error handling made me catch edge cases I’d normally miss in Node.js. The ecosystem’s smaller but growing fast. If you’ve got existing Node.js services, migrate gradually instead of doing a complete rewrite - way less risky.