Ask HN: Stay with Java or learn something new for Web Applications?

[j29h]

I have an idea for a web application which I wanted to code as a side-project for some time. I already have experience with Java and C# because I learned them mostly during University and Internships.

What would you recommend? Stay with Java and try to get better with it? Or learn something new? There are too much possible choices and I have a hard time deciding what too use.

I was quite excited when I found dropwizard though.

[emsy]

You should definitely focus on one technology, until you feel safe to call yourself an experienced Java developer. Of course you can and should look at other technologies but try not to get distracted until you know the fundamentals of professional (web) development. Once you're confident in a certain technology, picking up a similar technology will be relatively quick and easy. Another reason is that web frameworks are quickly outdated, and learning them to have them in your portfolio doesn't make sens in my opinion.

To paraphrase a common saying: Someone who works 10 years and every year with a different technology has 10x 1 year experience, not 10 years experience.

[ElectronCharge]

Scala and Clojure are worth investigating, and retain most of your expertise with the Java stack.

Javascript expertise is also worthwhile, though there's a interesting Scala -> Javascript framework as well...

[tehansen]

while javascript is not my most favorite language, I think the opportunity to keep pretty much your whole stack in one language is worth alot. node / io.js let you do this; at the end of the day you can't "really" get around JS on the browser anyway.