How To Build Your Career in Rust

Why are so many companies adopting Rust as their preferred language? What does it take to learn Rust? If you are in touch with the latest developments in technology, you would find that this programming popularity is blooming faster than people liking Narendra Modi’s tweets (this may not be true).

At first, Rust can appear quite daunting to approach. However, if you understand the main concepts and ideas that the programming language is built around, it will be natural to write good Rust code. In this article, we will deep dive into why you should learn Rust and how you can build a career in this language.

What is Rust?

The modern programming language Rust was created for use in creating computer systems. Safety and speed are of the essence. Mozilla's Rust project attempts to address concerns such as preventing programs from misusing memory, ensuring error-free management of numerous processes running concurrently, and avoiding actions that could lead to errors or security breaches. Using Rust is supposed to be a dependable substitute for languages like C and C++.

Why to Use Rust?

Rust is famous for making sure memory is used safely, doing many things at once, and getting tasks done fast. Due to its many potent features, developers want to use it for many kinds of software development. Let's now look at some of the key features of rust.

• Memory Safety: Rust's ownership model and borrowing system ensure memory safety without the need for a garbage collector. It achieves this by enforcing strict rules at compile time, preventing common pitfalls like null pointer dereferencing and dangling pointers.
• Concurrency: Rust provides powerful abstractions for concurrent programming, allowing developers to write safe and efficient concurrent code. The language's ownership model helps prevent data races by statically enforcing the rules of mutable borrowing at compile time.
• Performance: Rust is designed to deliver performance comparable to C and C++, making it suitable for systems programming tasks where efficiency is critical. Its zero-cost abstractions and emphasis on low-level control enable developers to write code that runs close to the metal without sacrificing safety.
• Expressive Syntax: Rust offers a clean and expressive syntax that combines the best of modern programming languages. Its expressive type system and pattern matching capabilities allow for concise and readable code, enhancing productivity and maintainability.
• Ecosystem and Tooling: Rust has a vibrant ecosystem with a rich collection of libraries and tools that facilitate various aspects of software development. The Cargo package manager simplifies dependency management and project building, while the Rust standard library provides a comprehensive set of core functionalities.
• Community and Support: Rust boasts an active and welcoming community that fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. The documentation is very detailed and well-maintained which makes it easier for developers to learn and adopt Rust for their desired projects.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Rust is also used in cross-platform development that allows developers to write their code that can run on a variety of operating systems and systems with different architectures. This flexibility makes Rust suitable for a wide range of applications, from embedded systems to web services.

How Can You Build A Career in Rust?

As We've stated before, Rust is quite trending in today’s age. But what is Rust used to build? Well. . . the answer may either be exciting or boring - anything! With Rust, you can build command-line programs, websites, and HTTP servers. Now let's explore the path to build career in Rust.

1. Knowing Your Preferred Domain

We know you may not have the ability to write Rust yet! Nonetheless, it is always a good idea to know the motivation to learn a new programming language. This could be because you are tired of Javascript for websites; you hate C/C++ memory management; or there is a rust library that makes something you want to build easier.

Since the onset of Rust, multiple developers have created wonderful packages for everyone else to work on. Let’s look at common field domains that you can build using Rust.

1. Command-line tools: If there is one community that loves Rust, it is the Linux community. Building command-line tools in Rust is super simple. ratatui is a famous library that you can use to make a UI inside the terminal. Spotify TUI is a well-known TUI written in Rust that uses “ratatui” to build the application.
2. Websites: This repository presents a nicely ranked table of Rust web libraries. The RustLang documentation for WebAssembly is also a great way to get started with developing websites in Rust.
3. HTTP Servers: The previous repository shared above also ranks the libraries for writing backend APIs. When it comes to the backend, there must be no bugs or crashes. Writing good rust code ensures that your code will never crash. The most popular library is Rocket.rs, but the alternatives are great as well.
4. Systems programming: You nearly have a library to work on anything in Rust. This can involve embedded system design, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or even work with your PC’s operating system. Libraries like Joycon and Enigo help you communicate with different physical devices.
5. The list is endless: One of the most interesting features of Rust is that it is highly versatile. You can build a multi-layered project involving apps, websites, servers, Internet of Things (IoT) - all in the same language. Being able to build anything and everything in Rust is also a major contributing factor to its growing popularity.

2. Learning the Basics

The Rust community is very welcoming to new “Rustaceans”. There are multiple resources to learn Rust and many ways to get involved in the Rust community.

1. The Rust Lang book: This book has everything you need to know to kickstart your career in Rust. It teaches you the basic programming constructs, ownership and borrowing rules, and automated testing. Not just the required knowledge, but it also teaches you how to build real-life applications like a guessing game and a small command line program.
2. Let’s get Rusty: If you aren’t a reader and if you get bored having to go through the book mentioned above, then YouTube has amazing playlists and videos that teach you Rust.
3. Joining Discord and Subreddits: Without any hesitation, you must join the Discord servers and subreddits for hobbies or careers you’re interested in. If you think StackOverflow is the best place for you, then r/rust is an amazing subreddit to ask your questions and get your doubts cleared by advanced developers around the world!

3. Hands-on Projects and Coding Exercises

It is a given that “Practice breeds Perfection”. Just learning and learning but never applying the concepts you learned to real-life projects is the best way to trap yourself in a situation you don’t want to be in. You must regularly test yourself by using the libraries you worked on before you move forward. Some great ideas to work on Rust are:

1. A basic calculator.
2. A command-line program that quickly directs you to your desired project.
3. Leetcode/Hackerrank questions.
4. Advent of Code exercises.
5. Budget tracking application.
6. Implement DSA in Rust from scratch.

4. Never Stop Learning

How do you know if what you are writing is good? How do you know if your code meets the industry standard set by expert developers out there? What we have observe over the period of time that as a developer, there is always something you can improve on in your code - Nothing is perfect or finished. In that case, Tech companies wouldn’t exist, “Yay, we built YouTube! Time to move on.” You’ll realize that it is always the constant work on these applications that makes it successful. As you keep learning the language, try to improve your existing applications or build new mini-products.

5. Explore Internships

This goes without saying - find jobs that are tailored to your interests. New rust jobs are springing up daily with its growing popularity. Not many companies will ask you to have existing Rust experience in the industry; however, they would love to see your enthusiasm in the form of personal projects. Your projects may not be a unique idea, but should be something substantial to show your employers, “I know Rust! I am a Rustacean!”

Conclusion

In conclusion, those who are proficient in Rust have a wealth of fascinating opportunities in the field of software development and systems programming. In order to succeed in this sector, newbies must become familiar with Rust, participate in the vibrant community, and stay up to date on its most recent advancements.