C++ Vs Rust - Which One to Consider for Your Next High-Speed System?

Years ago, during an interview for a Lead position at Mentor Graphics, I was asked a thought-provoking question by Fuad:

"Ijaz - Despite the fact that C++ has evolved so much, why is ANSI-C still widely used in system-level programming?"

Honestly, I didn't provide a satisfactory answer at that time. Clearly, Fuad wasn't convinced by my response. However, the takeaway from that day was clear: The importance of appropriate tooling support and an ecosystem cannot be underestimated when considering only abilities and performance — after all, Assembly language itself can be the most efficient.

When it comes to choosing between C++ and Rust, it's essential to ask:

Why was Rust developed in the first place?

It wouldn't have emerged if there were no value addition.

Rust was developed because developers like us often make mistakes in managing memory safety, concurrency, and performance. While C++ itself doesn't inherently suffer from memory safety issues, problems arise when developers decide to manually take control of the memory (using pointers and dynamic memory allocation etc.) and overlook proper handling. This applies equally to concurrency and performance optimizations. With sufficient C++ expertise, developers can achieve what Rust's safety features encapsulate.

It sounds like Rust is superior to C++, doesn't it? Yes, but finding the desired level of experienced resources is equally important. Of course, there are the early adopters who Win or Lose (actually Learn) the game, and then there are the rest.

Yet, there's another crucial factor to consider:

The winds of change are blowing.

Leading to the inevitable choice of "Accept or close your eyes (and be stagnant)."

As Rust gains momentum, more developers are weighing whether to stick with C++ or transition to Rust for their next high-speed processing engine. This decision isn't straightforward, but ultimately, industry trends will dictate the direction.

Here are a few factors to consider when deciding which language to choose for your next high-speed system engine:

Memory Safety and Concurrency:

One of the primary motivations for Rust was to eliminate common memory-related errors that plague systems programming languages like C and C++. These errors include null pointer dereferencing, buffer overflows, and use-after-free bugs. Rust achieves this through its unique ownership system, which enforces strict rules about how memory is accessed and managed at compile time, thereby preventing many of these issues before the code even runs.

Concurrency:

As multi-core processors became more prevalent, the need for safe and efficient concurrent programming grew. Traditional languages like C and C++ often make concurrent programming difficult and error-prone due to issues like data races and deadlocks. Rust was designed with concurrency in mind, providing language features that make it easier to write safe and efficient concurrent code.

Performance:

While ensuring safety, Rust was also designed to deliver performance comparable to C and C++. Rust achieves this by allowing low-level control over system resources, similar to C and C++, while providing abstractions that do not incur runtime overhead. This makes Rust suitable for performance-critical applications where efficiency is paramount.

Developer Productivity

Rust aims to improve developer productivity by offering modern language features and tools that streamline the development process. For instance, Rust's package manager (Cargo) and its comprehensive standard library simplify dependency management and common programming tasks. Additionally, Rust's compiler provides detailed and helpful error messages, making it easier for developers to understand and fix issues in their code.

Security:

Many security vulnerabilities in software arise from memory safety issues and concurrency bugs. By eliminating these classes of bugs at compile time, Rust helps developers write more secure code. This is particularly important for systems programming, where security vulnerabilities can have severe consequences.

Modern Language Features:

Rust incorporates modern programming language features such as pattern matching, type inference, and algebraic data types. These features not only make the language more expressive and easier to use but also help in writing robust and maintainable code.

In summary, Rust was developed to provide a systems programming language that offers the performance and control of C and C++ while addressing their shortcomings in memory safety, concurrency, and developer productivity.

Rust as an Investment:

Learning and adopting Rust is like an investment in the future of software development. Rust's emphasis on memory safety, concurrency control, and performance optimization lays a solid foundation for building robust and efficient applications. By mastering Rust, developers not only enhance immediate project reliability but also set themselves up for long-term success. Its growing popularity and adoption in industries highlight its potential to offer promising job opportunities and competitive advantages. Embracing Rust today is akin to planting seeds for future growth and innovation, ensuring that developers and organizations thrive in an increasingly complex technological landscape.