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> webpack is more simple than grunt and gulp to configure

That's the first time I've heard that one. In my opinion, what makes Webpack great is its raw power and module-based (rather than file-based) focus. Browserify is easy to work with and get started with but less powerful. (Granted, it's quickly catching up.) Webpack is a lot of things, but easy to configure is not one of them.

By the way, Webpack doesn't really replace Grunt or Gulp. It replaces Browserify. That said, if you use Webpack, you can easily get by with npm scripts instead of Grunt/Gulp.

This response sums up something important about the Javascript development community that I cannot put into words.

You take the struggles of a beginner as an indictment on the broader professional JS development community?

It has nothing to do with them being a "beginner".

I believe (and hope) this is not representative of the JS community.

Given that front ends have a huge visual component, it kind of makes sense that developers would approach them like clothing fashion: you don't have to watch the designers to look reasonably good, or even pay attention to construction, you just have to watch everyone else.

Well, at least that's what I picked up from this rather honest opinion.

I think it sums up the Beginner Community in general, not the JS community. You see this with beginners in everything.

My reaction to your comment is likewise ineffable and mysterious.

The JavaScript "community" feels like more a large country.

Don't take this the wrong way - I mean this with the most respect possible.

You shouldn't be recommending software to anyone.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

I know a huge amount about software development and work with a wide range of technologies.

Learning some completely new field like browser based development is best done by just jumping in and trying to make stuff work. You learn along the way and much of it will be unfamiliar. Over time things will become more and more familiar until you start to develop expertise across the entire field.

If you are suggesting that instead I should learn by sitting down for six months in an ivory tower and learn all the theory and function of every part of the software ecosystem that I plan to work with so that I can then take every step of my journey as an expert, then you are misguided.

All software developers live in a fog of ignorance which they work to push back. No one knows everything. The best way to push back the fog of igorance is to start working with the technology to get real stuff done. To do so, it is necessary to make pragmatic decisions such as "well it looks like everyone in this field is using technology X - so that's what I'll use until I know enough to decide otherwise".

Are you someone with a deep knowledge of JS and react development? If yes, did you step in to it as an expert in all things? Did you use things without knowing why? Of course you did. Everyone has to.

You admitted to being a beginner - a beginner shouldn't be recommending technology choices beyond that a particular choice might help people get started. There is too much a beginner does not know was his/her point.

> You admitted to being a beginner

He said he was a front end JS beginner. He also mentioned being a seasoned software engineer overall.

His advice is completely sound, and a very valid approach: Want to learn a new platform/ecosystem? Take whatever is the most popular and make stuff work. It's the fastest way to learn by far and with an free bonus you get actual valuable software.

Nobody flames people who learn Rails while learning Ruby! What's the matter with you guys?

The only mistake the GP made was "admit" on HN that he's a beginner at something.

I completely agree with your characterization of how beginners can feel. That said,

> If you are suggesting that instead I should learn by sitting down for six months in an ivory tower and learn all the theory and function of every part of the software ecosystem

It's not simply a choice between "learn for 6 months" and "use whatever the latest thing is". You seem to be advocating for the later, which I think is just as unworkable a solution as the former. For instance, a nice medium ground would be to read the github README as well as the front-page website of the candidates.

Also, as someone else here pointed out, you can't kill off gulp/grunt even if webpack exists, because webpack is not a task runner, and some people use the task-runner features of gulp to do more than combine modules, etc.

From my limited POV, this is how I see most of the newcomers to JS community currently behaves. And it's a good example of 'learning by doing', which is the advice that everyone gives around here.

- Do some research, look what successful/smart/sane people are using/working on, and why.

- Jump in, hack stuff, make things work.

- Learn while creating. Discover the insights behind the choices that people you're following made.

- Start making your own informed choices.

As long as you're not stuck in the step 2, and advance beyond doing what everyone is doing, you're probably on the right track.

That's how I learned to build maintainable/scalable/successful applications.

It worked out perfectly for me.

Edit: typo, clarified first sentence.