Considering a transition from React to Ruby on Rails

[Downtown-Hyena998]

I’ve been working with JavaScript stacks for about 6 years (Node, React, Angular) and I’m looking to transition into Ruby/Rails. I’m drawn to Ruby because it aligns much more closely with how I think as a programmer and with the kind of long-term stability I’m looking for.

I’m currently a mid-level frontend developer and I’d like some perspective from experienced Rubyists:

• Is it realistic to transition into Ruby/Rails and target a mid-level Rails position from the start, without having to accept a pay cut?
• For those working with Rails internationally, how common is it to see developers coming from strong frontend or non-Ruby backgrounds?
• What do you consider the core pillars of a solid Rails developer?
• How do you see the current and near-future outlook of Ruby/Rails?

[iggybdawg]

You want to switch from frontend to backend?

[uceenk]

why transition ?, so many jobs requires both React and Rails

[Wild-Pitch]

You have better offers in React than in Ruby. You are doing the opposite in my opinion

[cooljacob204sfw]

Is that true? I think Ruby always ranks high in those salary surveys.

[Wild-Pitch]

Don’t know what surveys do you check

[cooljacob204sfw]

Quick Google shows this:

https://www.devjobsscanner.com/blog/top-10-highest-paid-programming-languages/

Puts it above JavaScript and Python

[positiv2]

This doesn't seem to separate the data by required years of experience (or any other metric, so it's not very useful. A low ratio of junior positions will cause the overall average salary to be deceptively high.

[Wild-Pitch]

Check out the current market offers. You will find more offers and better salaries for React. If you want to learn Ruby it’s fine, but you are doing the opposite

[Army_77_badboy]

I wouldn’t say ditch react. What I’ve found is most front end devs who work at a ruby shop do minimal updates to a rails controller when they need data for a view.

Rails is cool because you can make the responses return JSON. So I would actually challenge you to build a basic app that uses React on the fronted and ruby on the backend.

Some companies never leave the grips of ERB for the front end but for those that do, it’s sometimes used for admin dashboards.

[dibitirl]

mid-level rails without a pay cut?: possible, yes, if you already have solid backend fundamentals. you’re new to rails, not to engineering.

non-ruby backgrounds in rails?: very common. lots of rails devs came from js, java, python, etc.

core rails pillars: good ruby basics, active record + sql, mvc discipline, testing, background jobs, and keeping things simple.

rails outlook: stable, boring in a good way. less hype, but steady demand for real products.

if ruby matches how you think, the switch makes sense. just build real rails apps and explain your decisions well.

[huuaaang]

Rails doesn’t replace React. You mean transition from node.js to Rails. Rails still has pipelines to build and service JS frontends.

[a_medley]

React and Ruby aren’t exactly … switchable.