Exploring Rust language adoption
The Rust programming language has rapidly emerged from its niche origins to become a widely embraced programming language, with over four million developers adopting it globally.
Renowned for its innovative approach, Rust addresses persistent challenges in software development, delivering both memory safety and high performance — all without the need for a garbage collector.
In this blog, we outline key insights into Rust language adoption.
What is Rust programming language?
Rust does not use a traditional garbage collection (GC) system like many other programming languages. Instead, Rust relies on its ownership system and borrow checker to manage memory safely and efficiently at compile time. This deterministic approach eliminates runtime overhead while ensuring safety and performance.
Memory safety has long been a concern in software development. Traditional languages like C and C++ offer high performance but are prone to memory safety bugs, while languages with built-in garbage collectors, like Java and Python, often suffer from performance trade-offs. Rust programming language addresses this tension by implementing a strict compiler-enforced ownership model. This model eliminates many common memory errors without introducing the unpredictability of garbage collection.
In a recent webinar on Rust adoption, Shane Miller, Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and Distinguished Advisor to the Rust Foundation, explained Rust "threads the needle" by delivering both performance comparable to C and robust memory safety guarantees. This dual advantage made Rust a natural fit for safety-critical and security-critical applications, ranging from embedded systems to enterprise software.
Challenges in Rust adoption
Despite its advantages, Rust's adoption comes with challenges. The language introduces a steep learning curve due to its unique ownership and borrowing rules, which can be frustrating for seasoned developers used to traditional paradigms. Miller highlighted this, recounting a developer's experience of grappling with Rust's strict compiler, describing it as a "guard" that enforces memory safety before allowing a program to compile.
Organizations also face hurdles when integrating Rust programming into their workflows. The ecosystem, while growing, is still relatively immature. Developers often need to carefully vet open source libraries (or "crates") for safety and maintainability.
Additionally, the upfront costs of adopting Rust can be a barrier, as development timelines may initially be longer and specialized Rust developers can command higher salaries. However, experts agreed that these costs could be offset by reduced maintenance efforts and improved software reliability over time.
Where Rust programming excels
Rust is particularly well-suited for applications where performance and security are paramount. Rust is able to handle low-level programming tasks close to the hardware, making it ideal for systems programming and environments where minimal abstractions are critical. From desktop and server-side applications to safety-critical embedded systems, Rust's performance and memory safety offer compelling advantages.
For embedded software, however, Rust faces unique challenges. Aiello noted many embedded applications require certification, which adds complexity to Rust adoption.
To address this, the Rust Foundation established the Safety-Critical Consortium, an open-membership initiative aimed at advancing Rust's use in embedded and safety-critical domains.
The broader implications of Rust
Rust's benefits extend beyond memory safety and performance. As Miller pointed out, Rust's efficiency can lead to significant cost savings in compute and storage, as well as reduced carbon footprints. These advantages make Rust programming language an attractive option for organizations seeking both technical and environmental sustainability.
In the public sector, government agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are actively promoting memory-safe languages, including Rust, as part of their secure-by-design initiatives.
While rewriting legacy codebases in Rust may not always be feasible, hybrid models — where Rust is integrated into critical components — are gaining traction. For example, key parts of the Linux kernel are now being written in Rust, showcasing its potential for interoperability.
Looking ahead
Rust's trajectory signals a paradigm shift in software development. While challenges remain, its adoption continues to grow across industries, from tech giants like AWS and Microsoft to safety-critical sectors like aerospace and defense. As Brian Fox, CTO and co-founder of Sonatype, remarked, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today." For organizations considering Rust language adoption, the time to invest is now.
For more insights into Rust, explore our documentation or dive into Rust's impact on the software industry with our State of Rust Adoption webinar. This webinar is part one of a three-part series. Join us for the next session on February 27, where we will delve into Rust's adoption in the enterprise and best practices for leveraging it in safety-critical applications.
Aaron is a technical writer on Sonatype's Marketing team. He works at a crossroads of technical writing, developer advocacy, software development, and open source. He aims to get developers and non-technical collaborators to work well together via experimentation, feedback, and iteration so they ...
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