Wow I feel like anybody here is Pro-Node JS here.
I’m learning and working with Ruby right now during my free time.
This is a resourceful for ruby : https://github.com/markets/awesome-ruby
The fact that Ruby has lesser demands than Node JS is completely false. Javascript regroup front-end, back-end and other things than MEAN stack.
Node JS is great but it is not readable like Ruby. Do you know what is Aspect Oriented Programming. You will this concept with C# and especially with the framework Postsharp. When you read your code, it feels like reading a book. Ruby is not base on performance but on readability.
And a lot of people have forgotten that Rub is older than NodeJS. So that means Ruby is much more stable than NodeJS. Rails is great tools. You will find job not only on ruby and rails but also on system programming. Because a lot of tools is automatized by ruby script. It’s just that like Java, these jobs are hidden.
Ruby market are completely different on different area. If you’re like corporation, you will choose .NET or Java. If you’re more web, you will choose PHP. NodeJS is still hype and less stable than the other language.
Some major website still use Ruby. The fact the FreeCodeCamp use MEAN, I believe it’s because NodeJS is on demand on right now. But that doesn’t mean, it’s the main demand. In my country, they’re looking more for Java, .Net and PHP than Nodejs. The country where I live right now look only for .NET developer.
The market is completely different. So just check your area or the are you want to work and see if there ruby opportunity there.
Ruby is simple than NodeJS, on the mechanism and the readability. But NodeJS is faster and have better compatibilities with some tools. And ruby is pretty big and still evolving. Try Ruby and see if it fit you.
The MEAN stack is great, but when you enter complex application, the MEAN stack is useless. Mongo is not perfect database and there are limite on what I can do with express, mongo and angular. So you will play with everything anyway. You may see one day what is cloud programming for example. The fact that we store everything is one thing, it’s just ridiculous.
Ruby is more worldwide I think, but there are more Senior job than graduate job. I found the same equivalent of offer in Ruby.
I got a little experience in the industry and can tell you that discover other languages is great. But try to manage at least one language. Recruiter and tech leader don’t like to hire polyglot. And you will see that master every language is full-time job.