Had to pick between Python and JavaScript for my first real project

I finally decided to build a proper project after 3 months of tutorials. I had this idea to make a tool that tracks my weekly spending and gives me a simple summary. I went back and forth between Python and JavaScript for about two weeks before settling on Python with just plain text files for storage. The hardest part was picking between Flask for a web interface or keeping it as a command line app. I ended up going with the command line version and honestly it took me about 4 evenings to get something working. Has anyone else struggled with picking a first language for a real project instead of just following tutorials?

3 comments

3 Comments

troy9772mo ago

What kind of project exactly? Python's fine for tracking spending but JavaScript would've let you build a proper web interface without switching languages. Flask adds complexity you probably didn't need for a personal tool anyway.

dylan_stone332mo ago

That part about getting lost in dependencies and build tools really hits home. I think people starting out don't realize how much time you burn just setting up JavaScript projects before you write any actual code. @troy977 you said Flask adds complexity but honestly even plain Python with text files has its own headaches like figuring out how to save and load data properly. But at least with Python you can open a file and just read or write lines without installing anything extra. I wonder though did you consider using something like csv files from the start or did you just go straight to plain text? Sometimes those little decisions about storage end up taking way more time than the actual logic of the app.

foster.dylan2mo agoMost Upvoted

I actually used to think the opposite... I was all about JavaScript for everything because of how versatile it is on the web. But then I tried to build a similar personal finance tracker in JS and got completely lost in dependencies and build tools. Python with just text files sounds so much simpler and honestly that's probably why you actually finished it. The command line route was smart too because you avoided all that HTML/CSS overhead that would've doubled your work. It's wild how picking the "boring" option actually helps you learn more... you're forced to think about the logic instead of fighting with frameworks.