HPR3426: Rust 101: Episode 0 - What in Tarnishing?

Talking Points

• What is Rust?
  • " Garbage Collection " - Resource Acquisition Is Initialization (RAII)
  • Strict Typing with Type Inference
  • Reference pointers
  • Immutable by default
  • Unsafe Mode
• Why use Rust over Python?
  • Speed
  • Compiled
    1. Help from compiler
    2. Smaller binary size
    3. Useful in high throughput/embedded applications
  • Logically consistent
• Why use Rust over C?
  • Safe by default
  • Easier to read
  • Forces you to write good code
  • Arrays without stupidity++ and built in vectors
  • Option<T> and Result<T> or a match {} made in heaven

Show Notes

Strict Typing

fn main() {

    // Type declared with var: <T> syntax
    let penguin_one: &str = "gentoo";
    
    // Type &str is inherited from "gentoo"
    let penguin_two = "gentoo";
    
    // Will not panic if they are the same
    assert_eq!(penguin_one, penguin_two);
}

Reference Pointers

Wrong Way:

fn print_u8_vector(vec: Vec<u8>) {
    println!("{:?}", vec);
}

fn main() {
    let penguin_ages: Vec<u8> = vec!(2, 4, 6);
    print_u8_vector(penguin_ages);
    
    // This line will throw an error
    println!("{}", penguin_ages[0]);
}

Correct Way:

fn print_u8_vector(vec: &Vec<u8>) {
    println!("{:?}", vec);
}

fn main() {
    let penguin_ages: Vec<u8> = vec!(2, 4, 6);
    print_u8_vector(&penguin_ages);
    
    // This line will print '2'
    println!("{}", penguin_ages[0]);
}

Immutable By Default

Wrong Way:

fn main() {
    let my_num = 2;
    
    // This line will throw an error
    my_num = my_num + 1;
    println!("{}", my_num);
}

Correct Way:

fn main() {
    let mut my_num = 2;
    my_num = my_num + 1;
    
    // This line will print '3'
    println!("{}", my_num);
}

Unsafe Code

Hello World Program in C in Rust:

extern "C" {
    fn printf(input: &str);
}

fn main() {
    unsafe {
        printf("Hello, World!");
    }
}

• Important Links:
  • Rust Programming Language Homepage
  • Rust Playground
  • Ben Eater: Comparing C to machine language <WARNING: YouTube Hosted>

• Wikipedia Pages:
  • Rust Programming Language Wikipedia article
  • Resource Acquisition Is Initialization (RAII)

Contact Me

Email: izzyleibowitz at pm dot me

Mastodon: at blackernel at nixnet dot social

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