Seems like an interesting effort. A developer is building an alternative Java-based backend to Lemmy's Rust-based one, with the goal of building in a handful of different features. The dev is looking at using this compatibility to migrate their instance over to the new platform, while allowing the community to use their apps of choice.

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[–] kameecoding 21 points 5 months ago (5 children)

I like this, I will contribute to this, I think a lot of Java haters in this thread fail to realize just how massive Java is compared to everything else.

Rust might be the latest, hottest, bestest Java killer out there and it might be a completely superior language to Java, doesn't matter, it's dwarfed in terms of how many people actually use it for real projects, projects that should run for years and years. Even if Rust is the true Java killer, it's gonna take a good few more years for it to kill java, measured in decades, there is just way too many projects and critical stuff out there that is running on Java, that means lots of jobs out there for java, still and still more.

This means there are a lot of senior Java programmers out there with lots of years of experience to contribute to this project.

Plus Lemmy itself having alternatives and choices is just a good thing.

[–] CAVOK 10 points 5 months ago

Agreed. I mean COBOL is still a thing, and that's a language that's been dead for 30+ years.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago

I am not a fan of Java. However, I think that you are 100% correct. This is a potentially very useful stack to have available and I hope that the two projects track together well.

This project has potential for high velocity development that Lemmy will never be able to match, purely because of the languages. Rust is, factually, slower to develop in than Java, even for experienced devs. Add to that the greater population that is comfortable with Java, and you have a recipe for really pushing interesting things and innovating quickly. Possibly establishing a relationship somewhat like Debian Sid to Debian Stable. It could also be interesting to have some low-level, Rust modules that are shared between the two when Lemmy gets to 1.0 (API stability), if there is something that is more optimally implemented in Rust but that would introduce more coupling.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

Thank you for your perspective

[–] thedeadwalking4242 4 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Languages won't grow if you ditch them for other ones. There's lots of reasons to use rust, outside of the size of the project

[–] kameecoding 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think you will find that the biggest reason to use a language is to get paid for it and there Java is very well positioned

[–] thedeadwalking4242 3 points 5 months ago

That's the reason for for hire devs yeah, but if you are starting a new project ( especially a community one like lemmy where the profit motive is different) choosing your tech stack is a complex decision

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Rust is as much of a Java killer as C++ is. You could say Rust is the C++ killer, but I really don't see how Rust would be that comparable to Java, which operates at a higher level instead of memory and pointer management. IMO, Kotlin is the Java killer.