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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[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 61 points 10 months ago (29 children)

What missing features are so important that you decide to recreate the entire backend of Lemmy because you think the devs aren't fast enough?

[–] Ghostalmedia@lemmy.world 55 points 10 months ago (23 children)

Java instead of Rust is going to be a big thing for a lot of people who would like to contribute in their spare time. Yeah, Rust is cool, but every CS grad and their mother knows Java.

Back during the migration surge a few months ago, you commonly saw a LOT of comments from folks saying they would love to help eat away at the project’s backlog, but they just didn’t have the time or energy to learn Rust at the moment.

[–] ComradeKhoumrag@infosec.pub 5 points 10 months ago (7 children)

I think rust is a very pragmatic choice, lemmy is decentralized, the security benefits are a necessity when it comes to self hosters donating hardware

[–] redditReallySucks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 10 months ago (2 children)

Java is also memory safe

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

After working in java for over a decade, I will never use another garbage-collected language if I can avoid it again. I still have nightmares about debugging memory build-ups and having to trace down where to do manual garbage collection. I remember my shop eventually just paid for 32 GB ram servers, and java filled those up too.

Rust doesn't have these problems because its not a garbage collected language like java or go, and has an ownership-based memory model that's easy to work with.

[–] redditReallySucks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Is that still a problem in newer java versions? I have to admit I have only written simple things in java.

[–] dessalines@lemmy.ml 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Garbage collection is by nature imperfect, its impossible for it to always be correct about when and what things to free up in memory. The best option is to not use a garbage collected language.

[–] kaffiene@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Wow. It's amazing that anyone ever got anything to work in java. Must have never got used for anything

[–] HopperMCS@twisti.ca -1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Ah yes, that explains the log4j fiasco

[–] kaffiene@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

That wasn't a memory safety issue, that was a what the fuck were you thinking design issue. It would have been batshit in any language

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