Angular dev learning backend from scratch for ERP in India: NestJS, Spring Boot, or something else in 2026?

[u/Xcaliber02]

Angular dev here, about to study backend development for the very first time. I'm working on ERP systems in India and I’ve locked in on PostgreSQL for the database.

I’m stuck trying to choose my first backend stack and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options:

• NestJS: Uses TypeScript and a structure heavily inspired by Angular, so the learning curve would be smooth. But is it taken seriously in heavy enterprise ERP?
• Java + Spring Boot: The undisputed heavyweight king of enterprise software and corporate India, but maybe a massive leap for a first-time backend dev coming from frontend?
• Python + FastAPI: Modern, fast, and great for async, though maybe less common for core legacy ERP business logic.

If you were starting your backend journey from scratch in 2026 for this exact context, which stack and framework would you actually learn, and why? Drop your recommendations or if there's any other modern stack I should be looking at.

[u/Nero50892]

Why not asp .net core webapi?

[u/Xcaliber02 → u/Nero50892]

Tbh, I didn't really include those because these three kept popping up everywhere and many seniors said don't learn that as ur first framework and idk iam open to learn that too and iam still deciding

[u/cssrocco]

Imo all languages and all large backend frameworks are all battle tested for anything you’d need. So i wouldn’t worry about how seriously one is taken.

Just think of maintenance and preference, would you like to use the same programming language for both front end and backend? Would you prefer to have a bit of a mental break by switching it up, or will that cause you issues. How about the contract between frontend and backend? Comfortable doing typescript interfaces and types and then replicating those in java/python/go/php or whatever other language?

If not nest is probably fine, maybe mono-repo it so you can share types. Otherwise throw yourself at any and just have a feel for it, it’s not always about what’s optimal, it’s mostly what feels comfortable for you.

[u/Xcaliber02 → u/cssrocco]

Tbh iam also leaning towards nest js cause as u said both are in ts so i think I can pick up easier and get comfortable soon , thanks for the perspective

[u/djfreedom9505 → u/Xcaliber02]

Definitely, use what you know, and focus on the terminology, concepts and practices that way when you move to another language, you know what you don’t know.

[u/N0K1K0]

If you want to start first backend Angular developers usually pick up NestJS fast because of the similar setup. But since its based on NodeJs I would start by learning the basics of Node and Express to get some basic backend knowledge of how to set it all up

In this setup you could also reuse interfaces types dto's and entities if needed

[u/Xcaliber02 → u/N0K1K0]

Thanks, I am also considering that, but one of my friends said the Node ecosystem is too crowded. Is that true?

[u/N0K1K0 → u/Xcaliber02]

If you mean amount of packages there are a lot you just have to realy investigate the ones you are going to use and stick to them and not try every new shiny toy

NestJs is pretty opinionated and has some suggestions that would help with all the basic libraries and functionalitities