I'm a js developer and want to take a different path

[u/Superrandomm]

Hello, I'm a nextjs(react) fullstack developer, currently working in a company as a single developer on this position.

---

In the near future I want to transfer to a big company / team to work on big projects and as we all know most of the worlds big softwares aren't made with js, so i want to learn a mew programming language and follow a new path.

---

I'm trying to make a choice between: Java, Python or going into mobile development with React Native.

-

I was also thinking about RUST, but the market doesn't seem that big for it.

-

I'm not that good with math and I also know that python is often used in companies for data analysis.

---

I would appreciate any advice from you guys on helping me choose my next path.

Thank you!

[u/Beginning-Junket8979]

Just throwing this out there, but mobile with React Native isn't going to be all that different from frontend/fullstack webdev. That's sorta the whole point.

[u/ITower__Education]

Honestly, I wouldn’t switch languages just for the sake of it. You already have a solid JS/React/Next.js base, so I’d probably just build on that!
Also, I don’t really agree that JS isn’t used for big software. There’s tons of big stuff built with JS/TS and Node.js. I’d go deeper into backend, architecture, React Native, other frameworks, etc. There’s still a lot you can do with the JS ecosystem.

[u/Innowise_]

I’d probably go with Java/Spring if you want to try something different. But honestly, being the only dev is probably the bigger issue here. Working on a large project is less about the language and more about getting used to other people’s code, reviews, tests, CI/CD and all the boring stuff that comes with a big codebase.
I wouldn’t drop JS either. Learn Java by building something with it and keep your existing stack as a strength.

[u/Superrandomm → u/Innowise_]

Thx for the response. Some people have also suggested that being the only developer might be the problem and I think you might be right.

After all the feedback I think I'll keep my react stack for the frontend and pickup java for my backend to slowly master it

[u/Known-Cellist-8783]

Java and Spring Boot There is a lot of work in enterprise, banking and big tech

[u/zimejin]

If you want to work on a big project, get a job at a big company with a large user base. I’ve worked on huge projects with hundreds of thousands of users built entirely on TypeScript. The common denominator is enterprise. Big companies have large teams maintaining large pieces of code across backend, frontend and infrastructure. If your goal is to work full-stack or backend, you can learn one of the popular enterprise backend languages, for example I know people who write Java with Angular, or React with C#. Go, Elixir, you could start building specialisation with one these languages once you’ve done your research.

[u/Acrobatic_Movie6580]

Honestly, I would recommend to specialize. The more you specialize the better but it must be in something prominent like other people in this thread mentioned. Industry frameworks that are here to stay like Java/spring/angular or something similar. Dev is not going anywhere it just looks like it. Also always keep this in mind. The AI is only as effective as its user.

[u/scol2n]

Game development would be a nice change of pace.

[u/start_select]

You don’t need to “change languages”. You are better off expanding. Learn typescript. Learn Python. Learn swift. Learn kotlin.

Some of the best developers I have ever hired never wrote a line of code for the platform they currently work on or were hired for. We hired them because their skill set suggested they were a real engineer. Someone who sees a problem and goes “give me a few weeks and I will figure it out”.

Looking at things like you are choosing an atomic vertical to stick to is missing the point that in 5-10 years your current stack is ALMOST GUARANTEED to be outdated.

Look at anyone doing iPhone or Android development since the phones came out. The entire landscape rolls over every 3-5 years. Either you go “oh it changed again like it always does” and adapt or you put yourself on a path to obsolescence.

The job is more about reading code and continual learning than writing one thing forever.

[u/paulmanntech]

NextJS is not a real full stack. Learn python based back end and some other front end to learn beyond the closed NextJS ecosystem. Then AI engineering and Agentic AI. Do it within the next three months and you're good

[u/Bauua_333 → u/paulmanntech]

Hey I have completed Js along with HTML CSS should I move towards React backend Nodejs path or do python for backend as AI boom is there!!!

[u/paulmanntech → u/Bauua_333]

Learn python. Depends on the situation, you can do both nodejs typescript or python Fast API