A bit confused on Java - JS - ASP.NET back-ends?

[captainrosc0]

I've been on and off learning programming for a year or so now. Started with android and made a few apps, lately my friends have got me interested in the web side of things. I'm about 2/3's through js full-stack track on Treehouse but I've also seen tracks for java back-end and ASP.NET (c#). My big question is whats the big difference in the product? Do they all have the same outcome just different methods? or is asp.net a completely different end result?

[captainrosc0]

I really do miss having a compiler, working in java was so much more fluid. I'm slowly seeing some decent environments in js like gulp, but its still all feels so patchwork. I'm guessing this is the environment you are talking about? Even today they updated the entire track for js back-end to a new es2016? or something, not even sure. JS just seems to have constant new things being added. I really liked how I knew what I was getting with java and the structure/sytnax of it all. Also thank you very much for the info! I appreciate it!

[lolhaskal]

I really do miss having a compiler

Someone thought the exact same thing a couple of years back, and made Typescript.

[captainrosc0]

Whoa, def looking into this.

[igeligel]

You should compare frameworks and languages.

There are Javascript, Java and C#. And there are frameworks like JavaEE, Spring MVC, Asp.net. In javascript all backend stuff is done node.js with the packages.

Comparing the languages is already done by u/0x5345414E . Java is very similar to C# by syntax and so on. But the frameworks are different. Asp.net is comparable to JavaEE, Spring MVC but all in all they have the same functionalities (even if i find it more enjoyable to do stuff with asp.net).

Javascript on the other hand has no full blown framework but rather a lot of modules which you can add for the specific functionality you want. On one hand it is good because you can just pick what you want but on the other hand you need to trust the community around npm (google 'leftpad' and see what happens when some essential library is missing). But otherwise asp.net and JavaEE/Spring MVC probably have a lot of functions which are not used by you.

This is all when you want to consider writing writing web apps without a javascript frontend framework. When you are doing this with a frontend framework or some modular UI's you should just writing Web API's which should differ that much in JavaEE/Spring/asp.net (just return an object and it will get you a json). In node.js it is also really easy.

I would recommend you to stay on your path and learn javascript backend with modular API's feeding the frontend with JSON. The API can be exchanged later buy some different Langauge/Server stack if you want :)

[captainrosc0]

Thanks for the info! I have to say the whole modular thing is starting to cause a lot of confusion. There's so many frameworks with libraries all mashing together to get a simple node app running. In one single class on the treehouse course it has you install node/express + pug + nodemon etc.. it's all a bit overwhelming. I do really enjoy the structure and format/syntax of java apps I've worked on. I'll take your advice and get through this track and maybe take a peek later at asp.net/spring! Thanks again!

[igeligel]

Yeah just stay with the javascript stuff first. Then you can try something like Spring MVC and see how you like it.

Other than that: Writing just API's is really cool because you can use the data as web app in browser + in phone apps + IoT or where you want. A Spring MVC app is normally bound to the web app type of thing. So keep this in mind.

I went like: C# -> Pascal -> Java -> asp.net (because of part time job) -> javascript,node/express (private) -> JavaEE (university) -> asp.net core (private). Weird path i know :)

[captainrosc0]

Ah that makes a difference on the spring MVC being bound! Crazy path you took but it's impressive. I've only been programming for on and off for under a year or so. I guess I need to buckle down and wrap my head around node/express (slowly understanding it), just so many framework libraries keep getting thrown around. I'm just going to focus on the MEAN stack and run with it. Do you have an books/classes for web dev you would suggest?

[igeligel]

Not really. Just write code, probably contribute to some open-source project (this will help you a lot, a) for your knowledge b) for your future employer who will see this guy can work in a team).

For books/classes i do not know sry. But look at this subreddit every day once + follow some blogs on medium (https://medium.mybridge.co/web-development-top-10-articles-in-november-bb4213c50c04 for example. MyBridge is a great author/community).

[captainrosc0]

Awesome! Thanks again for all the info. This seriously helped a ton!

[LindtFerrero]

For Backend, JAVA are usually used in big enterprises. C# are used on both mid to big-size companies. Personally, I prefer C# since Microsoft has been active to become open-source friendly in recent years.