rust

Rust is a systems programming language focused on safety, speed, and concurrency. It was designed at Mozilla Research by Graydon Hoare with contributions from the open source community, with its first stable release in 2015. Rust aims to provide memory safety without a garbage collector, primarily by using an ownership system, borrowed references, and a compile-time borrow checker.

Code is compiled to native machine code via the rustc compiler, using the LLVM backend. The language emphasizes zero-cost abstractions, allowing high-level features without runtime penalties. Core features include a strong type system with generics and traits, pattern matching, algebraic data types, and a module system that helps organize large codebases. The language also provides a mature macro system and extensive error handling.

Rust's tooling includes Cargo, a build and package manager, and crates.io, the central package registry. The combination of safe concurrency and performance makes Rust popular for systems programming, game engines, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications; it also compiles to WebAssembly for running in web contexts.

Development and governance are community-driven. Rust is open-source under a dual Apache/MIT license, and the Rust Foundation oversees stewardship and funding. An RFC (request for comment) process guides language evolution. The ecosystem continues to grow with a focus on safety, reliability, and predictable performance.