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Learning Python or Javascript/node for backend work?Which is in more demand?
Anonymous
To get a job as a backend developer what you will suggest to study python or javascript/node?
Jason Knight
The less code you use, the less there is to break
Aug 9, 2018
IMHO the question is somewhat flawed. "In demand" often boils down to more being about "what's hot and trendy" and not "what are we going to be using a year from now?". Far, FAR too often todays media darling is tomorrows declining forgotten dead-end. Just look at how seven or eight years ago EVERYONE was hyping Ruby on Rails as the latest 'hotness' whilst today forum discussions on the topic have died to almost nothing outside those strictly devoted to the topic. The language certainly isn't dead, and it's not going anywhere, but a lot of people who rode that wave of hype are regretting it today as they have to retrain for something else.
... and for that reason alone, this should be more of a question of "What's the right tool for the job?"
That question would hinge on what it is you are back-ending. Like if you're working on system tools you're far more likely to have ACCESS to python than you are node.js since as of right now, no 'nix distro comes 'out of the box' with node.js installed, whilst python is often present for other software. It's also just easier to set up and simpler to make standalone installers for if going cross platform.
But if you're back ending web technologies for data to be sent client side via something like JSON or XML, node.js is just better suited to the task... though many web hosts will tell you where to stick it if you even ask to have it installed, limiting you to self-managed hosts via VPS or dedicated servers.
Whilst if you're spitting out markup for a front end made by someone else, PHP is better suited to the task. Try finding a web host that doesn't have PHP present by default. It gives you a larger audience.
Pretty much every language in mainstream circulation right now has shortcomings and advantages, and determining which to use needs to be based on that. As such focusing on any one as part of your skillset in the long term is flawed. Programming isn't something you can learn once, then walk away set for life.
As such my answer wouldn't be "either or" it would be "yes, both"
Thomazella
JavaScript Developer & Designer.
Aug 11, 2018
Node is the new s**it right now. I'd take a look at both, but focus on one, whatever you feel better using.
Ben Buchanan (200ok)
I make some bits of the web.
Aug 11, 2018
Learn one, doesn't matter which. You will learn another sooner or later. Or learn a bit of both and see which one you prefer working on, then go all in and look for jobs that need that one.
If you want to know what your best job prospects are, do some research in your specific job market. Compare the volume of listings of job ads. Talk to a recruiter. What's true in my job market might not be true in yours.
Jon
Mentor, Architect, Developer
Aug 20, 2018
Ignoring node.js for the moment, JavaScript is a hot language now that has stood the test of time and survived multiple ages of the web. It is a sound language and ultimately a sound platform with significant investment in its future. For a language in general, I think JavaScript is hard to pass up.
Node.js is basically just the server platform built on top of JS. It keeps abreast of current language versions, is quite powerful and flexible, and has an uncounted host of modules solving every problem imaginable available via npm (or yarn, or pick-your-module-installer-of-choice, dime a dozen these days.) Node is quite mature these days, broadly supported, can perform very well (I run some fairly large systems on node), and is a breeze to work with.
I don't know that I could quite say the same thing about Python as about JS. Python has been around a long time, but its popularity seems to come in waves. It's hot one moment, then not really thought about the next, then hot again. Interesting language, but I wouldn't consider it as the basis for a broad career myself. I have always found it more useful for niche applications and little needs here or there. I've never seen things of the same enterprise-scale built with Python (think Angular, React, and major platforms and systems such as Microsoft Office 365 (which uses ReactJS now)).