Ask HN: How to switch to a different programming language? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How to switch to a different programming language?

2 pointsthrowawaynoway2 comments

I've been working using the same programming language professionally for the better part of about 10 years. It's been an easy transition between the few jobs that I have had.

Lately, I feel like it's time for to move away from this language as I've really started to hate its, at least what I now believe to be, frustrating shortcomings.

What's throwing me off is that most titles require senior developers to have at least n number of years of experience with their stack and even frameworks.

I have been working on side-projects in the language I would like to switch to, but nothing that I feel confident enough to publish anywhere yet.

So, my question. How have you pulled off switching between different languages, both as obtaining the requisite skills (conventions, tool chains, libraries) on your own and actually making the switch?

I think it's mostly a confidence thing.

Let me write out some facts: - You can obviously program pretty well with some 10 years of experience

- You know one language very well

- You have made (side) projects in a different language so you have the ability to pick up something new and build something with it

- N number of years experience on job listings is often not as absolute as it might seem

- Learning a second language is not the same as learning your first, it's much easier as a lot of concepts are the same or similar

> requisite skills (conventions, tool chains, libraries)

I literally google all of it + I browse Github projects; find some bigger open source projects in your language, see what libraries they use, how they structure etc.

> making the switch

I just start using it for work projects. You could also just apply for a job and see how it goes.

What matters in the end is; can you build [stuff] with it? If the answer is yes, great, you win. If not, maybe build some more projects. Obviously it's a spectrum but with your experience you are likely able to know if you can build enough to be useful. My guess is; you probably can.

Some details might help here to help plan around the specifics of the problems. For example do you do full stack? What language from and to?

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