Why Rust is NOT a Passing Fad...

Summary

In this video, the speaker argues that Rust is not just a passing trend, but a language gaining serious adoption in the tech industry. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Discord are rewriting parts of their codebases in Rust for its performance, memory safety, and productivity benefits. Despite Rust's steep learning curve, its growing use in system-level programming and high-performance applications showcases its long-term potential. With Rust improving developer confidence, productivity, and reducing vulnerabilities, it’s clear that this language is more than just a fad and is here to stay.

Takeaways

• 😀 Rust is gaining significant traction across various industries and is being adopted by companies like Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Discord for its performance and memory safety.
• 😀 Despite its steep learning curve and 'ugly' syntax, Rust offers a safer alternative to languages like C and C++ by automating memory management while maintaining high performance.
• 😀 Rust's memory safety and performance advantages make it a popular choice for industries where speed and scalability are critical, such as blockchain technology (e.g., Caspa).
• 😀 Major projects like Tailwind CSS and Microsoft’s Windows services are rewriting parts of their codebases in Rust to improve performance and reduce defects.
• 😀 Rust has proven to increase developer productivity, with reports suggesting developers are twice as productive as when using C++.
• 😀 Rewriting systems code from languages like Go to Rust has shown no loss in productivity, and often results in reduced memory usage and fewer defects.
• 😀 Companies are moving from Go to Rust not because Go is bad, but because Rust offers superior performance and safety for critical systems.
• 😀 Rust's growing use is supported by strong community engagement, with resources like The Imposter Devs Community helping developers bridge gaps in learning.
• 😀 Despite being more complex, Rust is proving to be easier to maintain and review compared to other languages like C++, with high confidence in the correctness of Rust code.
• 😀 Rust's adoption is not just a trend but a strategic move by large companies and organizations looking for long-term performance, safety, and scalability improvements.
• 😀 Although Rust may not be ideal for web development, it excels in systems programming and is gaining traction in areas like WebAssembly (WASM), indicating its future potential.

Q & A

Why is Rust considered not just another passing fad in programming languages?

Rust is gaining widespread adoption for its ability to deliver high performance while ensuring memory safety, a crucial factor in systems programming. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Discord are rewriting their systems in Rust for its security, performance, and scalability benefits, indicating its long-term viability.

What are some major companies using Rust, and for what purposes?

Companies like Microsoft, Google, Dropbox, and Discord are using Rust for rewriting parts of their systems to enhance performance and ensure memory safety. Microsoft is also rewriting core Windows services and the M365 core platform in Rust.

How does Rust address performance and safety concerns compared to C and C++?

Rust offers the performance of C and C++ without requiring manual memory management. It provides built-in memory safety features, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities that are common in languages like C and C++.

What is the significance of the 'borrow checker' in Rust?

The borrow checker in Rust ensures memory safety by enforcing rules about ownership and borrowing of data. While it can be challenging for developers to navigate initially, it significantly reduces errors related to memory access and concurrency.

Why is there skepticism about Rust among developers, particularly from the C and C++ communities?

Many developers in the C and C++ communities see Rust as a threat to their preferred languages, viewing it as a competitor for systems programming. Additionally, the complexity of learning Rust, especially its borrow checker, contributes to some resistance.

How does Rust compare to Go in terms of performance and productivity?

While Go is easier to use than Rust, particularly for developers new to systems programming, Rust offers better performance and safety. Companies have reported no loss in productivity when transitioning from Go to Rust, with some noting reduced memory usage and lower defect rates.

What are some examples of Rust’s impact on performance in real-world applications?

Examples include the rewrite of Dropbox services, the launch of the Firecracker micro VM by AWS, and the migration of Discord's codebase to Rust. These companies have reported significant performance gains, such as faster execution times and more efficient use of resources.

What are the benefits of Rust over languages like Python, especially in tool development?

Rust-based tools like UV, a faster alternative to Python’s pip, demonstrate that Rust can significantly speed up processes, such as package installation and virtual environment creation. Rust’s performance can outperform Python by a factor of 10 to 100 times in certain areas.

How does Rust contribute to memory safety without sacrificing performance?

Rust ensures memory safety through its ownership system and the borrow checker, which automatically handles memory allocation and deallocation. This removes the need for manual memory management, reducing errors while maintaining high performance.

What are some challenges developers face when learning and using Rust?

Rust’s steep learning curve, particularly due to the borrow checker and its unique ownership model, can be challenging. Additionally, there are fewer developers experienced in Rust compared to languages like C and C++, making it harder for beginners to find real-world projects to practice on.