The Hidden Risks of Betting on JavaScript

I’m not here to tell you that JavaScript is dead or that you should switch to language X. Instead, let me share my thoughts on the current state of the market.

When everyone is using something, it might be time to rethink it. Why? Because when everybody uses it, there are a lot of job opportunities — but also a lot of competition.

Big money moves quietly. When they have an idea, they don’t go public and say, “Hey, everyone, do this!” Instead, they prepare in silence and only reveal their actions later. We can see this behavior in the crypto markets. When prices are low, nobody wants to buy, but when prices go up, everyone rushes in — often when it’s too late.

I think the same applies to JavaScript. Many beginners start with Python or JavaScript, leading to a large number of easily replaceable programmers.

We aren’t paid based on how hard we work, but on how hard we are to replace. The harder it is to replace you, the more you are paid. JavaScript is still worth learning, but if you want a big salary, you have to be exceptionally good. The question is: do companies need a super-talented developer, or are they okay with an average one at an average salary?

For some positions, you can’t afford to be average. Take, for example, someone working on a matching engine for a crypto exchange. It can’t fail — it must work flawlessly. There are other critical positions like that as well.

People say C++ is dead, but is it? Maybe that’s a hint for us to reconsider where we should focus.