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Ask HN: Is Node.js recommended in the long term?

8 points by applecrazy ↗ HN
I'm developing a side project using Vue, Express, and Mongo. I'm wondering whether this is the best idea, since I want the app to last 5-7 years before needing a rewrite. Is it a good idea to choose NodeJS for the backend or should I go with something more old-fashioned?

11 comments

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bbcbasic
Is Mongo recommended in the long term?
murukesh_s
Yes it's fine..
h1d
People need to speak up when they want to provide opinion. It's not a vote.
rohithv
I would simply say no..
dvdcxn
Could you please elaborate?
applecrazy
Could you explain why? What do you recommend instead?
thefastlane
take a look at python+flask and clojure+ring+compojure (and other tech too) before throwing your hat in the node ring. going with a more general-purpose language might serve you better down the road. javascript will limit you to web dev essentially -- which you want to do now, but what about 5 years from now, etc
rohithv
Its a personal choice more than many things. The more I do this, I realize why I prefer strong typing for a server stack or to build a platform base.
chatmasta
While others may suggest clojure or elixir or some equally esoteric development stack, there is one important advantage of nodejs: almost everybody uses it.

Maybe other languages will allow you to program more efficiently, but they have a learning curve and a fraction of the developer adoption that nodejs has.

When you pass your project onto someone else, there's a high chance they are already familiar with nodejs. Whereas if you pass a project to someone else in a less-known language, they are likely not familiar with it and will need to overcome a steep learning curve.

If you want maintainable projects, where a freelancer is always available who knows how to continue development of your project, then go with nodejs. If you want to learn a new language or framework, do it for pet projects with no collaborators.