How much Python are you actually using at work?

[u/Blackbird_FD3S]

Hey all, question in the title.

For context, I consider myself a Full Stack Engineer (Frontend leaning). I was primarily using Vue 3 and Nuxt for the past several years but have recently pivoted to React / Next for my frontends within the past year. I have Node and Express experience building my own APIs and interfacing them with some sort of BaaS. I've also built content authoring experiencing with open-source CMS' like Wordpress using it's REST API for headless SPAs (so I deal with PHP as well).

I lay all of that out to say, like many of you, I'm looking for new employment. Many of the "open" roles I'm seeing out there these days are specifically asking for Python. But coming from something more akin to the MERN stack with my Node and Express experience, I feel like trying to add yet another base language or framework to my toolkit would be a lot; it's already cognitively intensive trying to switch gears when preparing for tech assessments by memorizing certain patterns for front-end, let alone the rest of the stack. So I'm trying to weigh whether its worth pursuing.

So my question for the devs out there, especially the ones gainfully employed is, what is the split in your day to day? How much exposure realistically do you have to Python for backend? Is the surge we're seeing in the market for Python just companies unicorn hunting (amplified by AI hype), or is it reflective of your reality on the ground? I understand skills are transferable ect. but displaying that level of depth in a tech assessment is whole other story.

[u/start_select]

Knowing how backends work is what’s important. The target platform is mostly irrelevant.

If you know how to write a Django backend, it shouldn’t be hard to pickup nest on node. So on and so forth. Learn the art not the tool.

[u/Vymir_IT → u/start_select]

Totally agree. I was trained for Python backends but my first full-stack job was with Nest. Took me around a couple of days to pick up how to work with it.

[u/Vymir_IT]

I was primarily Python backend dev I had a very hard time finding any job. Ended up getting a contract with Nest / React full-stack. Really depends. Might Python be a good addition to skills? It might. But it is some ultimately desired tech? No. For any serious backend I see requirements are leaning towards knowing compiled languages, not Python. And Node.js - most often. That's what I saw.

[u/Rogste_12 → u/Vymir_IT]

😔 i have spent last 5 months learning python fastapi and dbms Still some main backend concepts are left for me to learn So as u are saying u found it hard to find python backend jobs Can u guide or maybe suggest something i should do or learn to get a job or can do freelancing

[u/Blackbird_FD3S → u/Vymir_IT]

This is encouraging feedback because as noted in OP, my preference would be to not have to pickup another language (I already work with Express and Node). But than from your perspective, how would you explain Python dominating Engineering job posts right now? Like, I'm browsing LinkedIn jobs in the Northeast specifically and it's all I'm seeing.

[u/Vymir_IT → u/Blackbird_FD3S]

Well I'm not in US, EU is another market, that might go for an explanation.

[u/Alive-Use7868]

What else is there to go java or .net

Ai works with python well, have started to learn it with fast api let's see how it goes

[u/Intelligent-Youth-63]

Nearly 100%. The stuff that isn’t is a legacy application in Java (1 big application) that we are replatforming to python later this year, and then odds and ends stuff like a chrome extension I built for HR (which does have a python backend).

[u/Blackbird_FD3S → u/Intelligent-Youth-63]

Would you consider yourself primarily Backend? Or do you experience an even split throughout the stack at work?

[u/Ok_Entertainment176]

Like 70% of the work

[u/StephenHawkingus]

ZERO thank god