HACKER Q&A
📣 speedgoose

Would you chose Node.js, Golang, or Rust for a GraphQL pet project?


Hi HN,

I have ideas for a new pet project, nothing really important, and I think it's a great opportunity to learn a new stack. I want to use GraphQL and I hesitate between NodeJS, Golang, and Rust. If you have any other suggestions I would gladly hear them.

I'm not deploying on AWS or Azure so I don't really mind ram usage or cpu usage. The database will probably be PostGreSQL because I want a boring (in a good way) database on this project. I will also do some light crypto to play with Merkle trees, but I feel like all languages have acceptable crypto libraries nowadays.

Thanks !

  👤 verdverm Accepted Answer ✓
If you want cryptos, Merkel tree is not enough. You need consensus for proof of (whatever) unless you are doing single node proof of authority.

Node has a benefit that the frontend is in the same language. You might check out https://apollokit.org

👤 troyk
I have no experience with GraphQL, but if I were doing a pet project today I'd spin up https://github.com/absinthe-graphql/absinthe and check it out
👤 steveklabnik
I don't know much about Go's GraphQL support, but the majority of the ecosystem exists in node today, and Rust has some stuff, but it's not as mature.

I would have other reasons to use Rust here if I were to do this, but Node is the safest choice, imho.