F# is my go-to language for new backend projects and console apps. You can be as functional as you like, with imperative/mutable/OOP escape hatches available for those rare but unavoidable times you need them

Have to agree. Recently decided to try out Python instead. Everyone at work wanted Python, it's popular, so why not give it a shot. In constant regret, missing the type checking in F#.

I haven't done so yet but I keep meaning to check out Fable's support for F#-to-Python: https://fable.io/docs/getting-started/python.html

for console apps, F# sadly suffers from general .NET issues for console apps. Very large size (>150MB for a simple app) and at least 400-700msec startup time

AOT compilation is actually usable in net7, and I'm told it's got much better in net8 - massively reduces startup time (and in net8 apparently binary size too)!

Interesting. I never upgraded to 7, been waiting to try 8 when it’s out. Might give the beta a try

My CLI is 180-185ms startup time, and about 10-20MB for a complex app (with a runtime dependency).

keyword: with a runtime dependency :)

For CLIs I much prefer self-contained build outputs which is quite huge when it comes to .NET unfortunately.

I concur. All the .NET devs seem to prefer C# and are afraid to go near F#. It seems to be out of their comfort zone.Once people learn to code one way, they often don't want to try new things, since C# works and pays the bills, they don't even try F#.

Is it easy to develop in it without using Windows?