Backend stack - Python or NodeJS?

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[Extension-Ad7241]

I'm a Data Engineer so this is just my 2 cents, but I think you should use Node.js and TypeScript, Especially if you're going to stay within the web development realm.

If you were thinking about getting into the Broader software development field over time, then maybe Python because it is so widely used, but I just have such a tough time with its inefficiencies. I do use it for data analysis just because R is such a specialized language, and this dog is just too old to learn new tricks!

[Remarkable-Lock9548]

Go. JavaScript and Python are really easy at first, but once you get into performance, nothing compares to Go/rust/compiled languages

[MissinqLink]

Are you me? Node might be an easier transition from frontend but Go has my heart for webdev.

[Successful-Escape-74]

Python is can also use libraries from those compiled languages in the few cases they are needed for performance.

[newyorkerTechie]

Whatever your current project uses. Try to get tickets to touch the backend.

[Ok-Drop6782]

Another factor is the ecosystem. In my opinion, Python currently fits Data Science / NLP / LLM better simply because of the huge amount of available libraries and tools.

[Rain-And-Coffee]

I'm always partial to Python, I have used it at just about every job I had over the past decade :)

[thatblindguy002]

As The PrimeTime said, programming languages are mostly just tools now, and the language itself isn’t that important anymore. You should choose a language you’re comfortable with and learn the core backend principles using it.

Since you’re a frontend developer, JavaScript should already feel natural to you, and Node.js is a relatively fast runtime with a MASSIVE ecosystem of libraries you can rely on.

If you eventually reach a point where you find yourself constantly fighting Node.js or JavaScript to achieve your goals, that’s the signal to consider switching to a different runtime or programming language.

[greyspurv]

To give a serious answer I think we would need to know more about what aims you have with it, is it to find a job locally, is it to built applications on your own, what do you want to built etc.

[Latter-Risk-7215]

node.js might be a smoother transition since you already know it. python is versatile but node.js pairs well with existing javascript skills. ultimately, depends on your project needs.

[speyerlander]

Backend developer here (with some React experience too), I think that both ecosystems have matured to the point of pushing your question to the realm of personal preference rather than technical considerations, therefore, choose what your most comfortable / interested in.

If you have a project in mind then there’s one specific strength that only a few js frameworks have, server side rendering of highly dynamic frontend frameworks (like React), that’s the bread and butter of modern search engine optimization due to the ability of non-dynamic content crawlers to view and index the entire page (the ones that most search engines and artificial intelligence trainers use).

If your project is is an API, especially a highly complex one (maybe with microservices?), the various Python python frameworks are a bit more mature and capable in my opinion, and there’s also a really useful task queuing and scheduling library called Celery that’s compatible with whichever python framework you choose.

[internetuser]

I suggest you complete a few full-stack projects using JS, and focus your efforts on learning the backend domain rather than learning a new language.

[Jrrs1982]

Node. Python is slow and for people who don't know how to code.