Context

The server had been a Deno-based TypeScript runtime since 2022. After v2 moved all logic to the client, the server became a thin file store so the heavier, TypeScript-oriented Deno runtime bought little, and a leaner compiled server looked attractive.

Decision

Rewrite the server in Go. Being just a file store, the whole backend was ported becoming significantly less memory and significantly smaller in size than the Deno build.

Consequences

Positive

• Much lower memory use and a smaller, single compiled binary than the Deno server.
• Cheap to attempt, thanks to the thin-server model (ADR/007 Core Application Logic on the Client).

Negative / trade-offs

• Since the development of SilverBullet+ which required adding Rust to the stack, this resulted in 3 tech stacks (TypeScript, Go and Rust).
• The Go CRDT ecosystem was immature, foreclosing a future CRDT sync engine.

Status update

Superseded by ADR/010 Rust Backend. The Go server was replaced by a Rust backend to converge the codebase on TypeScript + Rust and reopen the CRDT path. See ADR/010 Rust Backend for the current decision.

References

• Go backend: PR 1555.
• Superseded by the Rust rewrite: PR 2010.