Why Rust is the future but not for everyone
Either you love it or you hate but one thing is for sure, Rust is here to stay. But why is Rust so popular and why the future of Rust might start with C code?
Why is Rust so popular?
Rust has a steep learning curve and even if you are seasoned in Rust, development will probably take longer than in other languages. So what makes Rust so popular then? In a nutshell Rust makes you save time in the long run by preventing bugs and type errors and memory errors, which results in less time spent debugging and more time spent developing. Also Rust does not have a garbage collector and it has an intuitive way of managing memory which makes it a good choice for systems programming and a perfect fit for any project that requires high performance.
Why is it so hard to learn?
Ever heard of the Stockholm syndrome? That is when a victim develops a bond with their captor. Rust is like that. It is hard to learn but once you get the hang of it, you will love it. The one thing that I like most about Rust is that it forces you to document every in and out going type in such a OCD way that you will probably never have to worry about type errors again.
Should I rewrite it in Rust?
Two words: Of course!
Are we Rust yet?
In many fields there are some go to starter projects and packages that are already in use. The community maintains some lists of the most popular Rust libaries in the so called are we Rust yet lists. This list is a good starting point for any project that you want to start in Rust. Here are my favorites:
What's with the Rust memes?
The Rust community is known for its memes and jokes. But why is that? Rust developers are a nieche minority and they know it. They probably feel such a loneliness writing Rust code that they try to desperately connect with other Rust developers. Also every line of code that the compiler is happy with is a probably a days work and something that is worth sharing. Also did you know that the inventor of the Rustlang started the project because the elevator in his building had a high failure rate and he wanted to fix it? Rust developers are the OG overengineers and now they have community and a programming language to support it.
Future of Rust
Rust is here to stay and after the adoption in Microsoft and the recommendations of the US government it got only more popular. The US government even started a new project called TRACTOR in which they outline their plans to develop a C to Rust converter. This is a strong testimony for the future of Rust but also makes it clear that it might not be necessary for everyone to learn.
Conclusion
Rust is hard but once you are in the community, there is no turning back. It's Typescript on steroids and it covers a big range from low level to high level code. Stay tuned for more content and happy coding!