I left my last job which was entirely C++ because of lower wages compared to the industry and low upside in wage growth potential. While I enjoy the lower level nature of that kind of work why stay somewhere solving hard C++ problems when I can go do some easier web backend stuff somewhere else making 15% more or become a kubernetes expert and break into new pay band all together?
>solving hard C++ problems when I can go do some easier web backend stuff
As guy who worked with both C++ and backend I would assume you don't have much experience if you say one is harder than the other. Different beasts, different problems to solve, complexity lies in different parts.
I did low level C/C++ stuff in the algo trading world until 2014, and since then have done a plethora of other things from node.js for a BIG e-commerce player, python, cloud architecture, SRE type stuff, etc... and every single job has been an absolute cakewalk compared to fighting against the various footguns and headaches C++ has to offer. No more fighting huge object hierarchies and having to put in hacks because making a change to the base class would require half the company to recompile, no more migraines from template compiler errors vomiting out on my screen, debugging template metaprograms, memory leaks, "oh crap this copy constructor doesn't do what I assumed it would do " type errors, "I have to read 10 different files worth of code to track down whether this legacy library is going to delete the object for me or I have to do it myself" headaches, dealing with huge build times, etc... I could go on.
C++ is essentially 4 different languages rolled into one (C, C with classes/OOP, templates, template metaprogramming), and while I am sure greenfield entirely modern C++ projects exist and are a bit nicer to deal with, they are unicorns for most devs out there using the language daily.
Why would you dismiss my comment on my presumed experience? Seems a bit arrogant. Did I say all backend problems are easier or that all C++ problems are harder? No, I merely stated why work on hard C++ problems for less pay when one can work on easier backend problems for more pay.
Wasn't even a good comparison either, would be like calling a Ferrari the same speed as a push-bike because you saw the former driving slowly alongside the latter.
