I agree. I am using Java (and other languages) both for my day job and for side projects. Everything just flows smoothly and I don't encounter any frustrations or slow downs that can be attributed to Java the language (or the framework).

Kotlin is also an exciting language that I have started to like, so it could be an option for those who dislike nulls.

Golang frankly seems boring and doesn't have any features I feel is worth switching for. I do understand that others may feel differently and I respect that.

My next side project will probably use a Java backend and a Laravel frontend with HTMX. I'm getting tired of React