Final Year CS Student Confused Between Java vs Python for DSA/FAANG Prep — Need Honest Career Advice

Posted by Pristine_Fun2146@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 12 comments

I need some honest career advice from people who’ve been through this.

I’m currently a final-year Computer Engineering student and I also have 8 months of internship experience as a MERN Stack Web Developer.

My current background:

I know basic Java and have been learning it for around 1 year
I mainly use Java for DSA/interview preparation
I’m not very consistent with Java
I’ve solved around 80–90 DSA problems so far
I’m already a MERN developer
I also know basic Next.js

Long term, I do NOT want to become a Java backend developer.

I’m not interested in Spring Boot or Java backend roles.

This is my main issue:

Because I don’t see myself becoming a Java developer in the future, I don’t enjoy practicing Java that much. And because I don’t enjoy it, I’ve become very inconsistent with DSA.

Now I’m confused:

Should I continue using Java only for DSA and interviews?
Or should I switch to Python for DSA/interview prep since it feels easier and maybe I’ll stay more consistent?
For FAANG/top product companies, does it really matter whether I use Java or Python for DSA interviews?
Since I already come from a MERN background, would switching to Python be a smarter decision for consistency and interview preparation?

My goals are:

Crack top product companies / FAANG-level interviews
Stay consistent with DSA
Focus on a language I can continue long term

I don’t want to waste more time forcing myself to use Java if it’s not the right fit for me.

Would genuinely appreciate advice from people who were in a similar situation or from interviewers/recruiters who have seen this in the industry.

What would you do in my situation as a final piece of advice?

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Dzeddy@reddit

Python is better for Leetcode because it’s so syntactically simple.

It's good to learn python, though I feel it would be better for you to continue in Java. Both Java and python can do DSA. But I feel that Java gives you a better chance of employment, and the market is rough right now.

Spare_Dependent6893@reddit

And why not focus on MERN stack for DSA and interviews if it is more confortable for you ? and in the company where you will start you will switch on whatever languages/feameworks they use : language is not the key point to be recruited as developer n.

Pristine_Fun2146@reddit (OP)

Sorry but i didn't get you. What you wannaa trying to explain can you please brief

You could solve DSA problems using Java, Python, C++ or JavaScript

yeah i am confused , between python and java

But you know JavaScript and nodejs

yes

dmazzoni@reddit

If you interview for a frontend position at a top tech company, they're going to expect you to solve problems in JavaScript or TypeScript. I'd practice solving DSA in TypeScript, personally.

if you interview for a general software engineering position at many tech companies, they won't care which language you use, as long as you know it really well. So in that scenario, either JavaScript or Java would be equivalent to them, you just need to pick the one you prefer.

Why not python?

smichaele@reddit

Unless you're explicitly interviewing for a technology-bounded role, the company's don't care what language you use in your interviews. Pick the one that works best for you in terms of preparing with DSA.

Thank you 😊