> JS devs aren't as obsessed with their software ecosystem as PHP or Ruby devs.

Sure, individual developers like vanilla js. However corporations like Next.js & React. Because "everyone knows Next.js & React". And the same JS developers who love to tinker in their free time insist their job use Next.js & React. It's a challenge for me because I like to use my own stack that I developed. So I'm mainly focused on freelance or contract work as a sole developer. I'm happy with the tech but I sometimes have to take on work using other stacks. I prefer to avoid JS for these types of gigs.

My experience with Rails back around 2010 was attempting to transcend the constraints Rails imposes on the developer. Which led me to nodejs. People like me left the Rails ecosystem & those who liked Rails largely remained.