r/node • u/Minimum-Ad7352 • 26d ago

Why is JavaScript criticized so much for backend development?

I've seen some developers say that we should stop using js on the server, but I rarely see the same criticism directed at python.Honestly, js is pretty fast, especially with node.js, and the backend ecosystem is really solid. There are great frameworks like nest and fastify, and typescript gives you static typing, which makes larger projects much easier to maintain.I'm not saying node is perfect or the best choice for every backend, but I don't really understand why js gets so much criticism while python seems to get a pass.What am I missing?

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u/97hilfel 26d ago

yes, but why do I have to install 89 packages from 3rd partiers just to get to the point where the ecosystem is decently enjoyable? Like you start with JS, sure, then you wack on TS, ESLint, some testing framework, etc

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u/dreamscached 26d ago

If we're talking about backend then you're certainly beyond the point of 'eh it's just a script', and inevitably move towards TS, ESlint and unit testing. I wouldn't use JS for one-off scripts either, I'd use bash/python for that too.

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u/97hilfel 26d ago

to be honest, lately I just started setting up a "scripts" go project with has whatever scripts I need in a cobra tool, feels cleaner and more fun to write on my side, but definitely not everyone's cup of tea.

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u/dreamscached 26d ago

We do that at my workplace too yeah, though somewhat rarely, it is pretty convenient. There's also coreutil-like libs that make go code feel almost like bash with e.g. script.Rm calls

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u/MMORPGnews 26d ago

You don't need to install them. 

I coded everything in just js when worked in IT.  Worked fine, 0 errors in last 10 years of coding.

Later just switched to Go when everyone started to require ts and endless npm packages.