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Discussion on: What made you switch your main programming language?

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Jose Gonzalez

Ooh story time!

I've been doing this professionally for over a decade now (yep, I'm old, get off my LAN!).

I started with VB.NET and quickly jumped into C#.

C# and web development ASP.NET have been great to me all these years. I can't complain. But I think it's time to see other languages or think in different paradigms. This explains my reasoning/research into functional programming over the last 2 years.

Over the years

  • Ruby
  • Python
  • F#
  • Elm
  • JavaScript (of course)

Lesser extend

  • Clojure
  • Scala
  • Haskell (this one scared me, I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!)

Today

I'm still doing C# and .NET to pay the bills. I've been having a tough transition from C# to JavaScript. It's harder when you are branded as "back end developer" now-a-days.

This is why I have double down on JavaScript via React. I've talked to plenty ex-.NET developers who've made the transition to more front-end development. They are my inspiration in the dark times when my mind tells me I'm nothing more than a back end dev.

Future

Ideally, I'd love to work full time in FP regardless of language. I'm using JavaScript as my language/syntax but using the FP paradigm. React scratches that itch really well.

As I said, I've done imperative for over a decade and needed a change. FP gives me that huge change and has re-kindle my love/hate with programming.

Newbies devs

It's true. Once you learn your first language/syntax, the next one becomes easier. But the pain cannot be avoided.

You cannot teach experience, you must go thru with it.

  • Albert Camus