Many organizations are realizing the benefits of using memory-safe languages like Rust and are transitioning from treating it as an experimental language to fully supporting its use. However, one major issue that organizations face is a shortage of developers who are proficient in Rust. To address this, organizations are taking initiatives to close the gap and provide training opportunities for developers.
An example of this is Google, which trained over 500 engineers in Rust over the past year. Lars Bergstrom, director for engineering for Google’s Android Programming Languages, explains that Google developed a three-day training course internally to focus on the features and tools that engineers need to be successful at Google. The course material has now been made available to the public as an open-source resource. Bergstrom states that the decision to open source the Rust training was based on the observation that there was a lack of publicly available resources in this area.
Google’s adoption of Rust is not an isolated case. Other major companies like Microsoft and Cloudflare have also embraced Rust for various projects. Microsoft is porting its Windows drivers for handling fonts and graphics to Rust, while Cloudflare has developed its revamped proxy framework, Oxy, in Rust. Dropbox has created its own cloud storage system, Magic Pocket, and a visual communication tool called Dropbox Capture using Rust. However, all of these companies have had to grapple with the challenge of training their developers in Rust.
The shortage of Rust developers has led to the emergence of various training materials and resources. Universities, bootcamps, and online courses are increasing their offerings to meet the demand for Rust training. Microsoft has released an introduction to Rust for coders and a 35-part YouTube video series for beginners. The Rust project itself provides resources such as a book called “The Rust Programming Language.” The availability of these comprehensive training materials could help raise the profile of Rust and attract more developers to learn the language.
While Google opted for a formalized training approach, other companies have taken a more ad-hoc approach due to the shortage of Rust programmers. Data-security firm Fortanix, whose core products are built in Rust, had to rely on teaching its developers themselves. Anand Kashyap, CEO and co-founder of Fortanix, explains that most engineers hired by the company had no prior Rust experience, but they were able to quickly learn the language with their C/C++ background.
According to a survey conducted by Google, two-thirds of developers feel confident in writing Rust programs within two months of learning the language. This indicates that developers with experience in system programming and knowledge of languages like C or C++ can adapt quickly to Rust. The concepts in Rust are based on computer science fundamentals, which makes it easier for skilled software engineers to understand and learn the language.
The training efforts and investment in learning Rust are seen as valuable by organizations. The Android team at Google, for example, has made a concerted effort to provide the technical foundation and necessary training to adopt Rust organization-wide. This strategic effort not only helps prevent classes of security vulnerabilities but also increases productivity.
In conclusion, as the benefits of using memory-safe languages like Rust become more evident, organizations are shifting towards supporting and encouraging the widespread use of Rust. Recognizing the shortage of Rust developers, companies like Google are providing training opportunities and open-sourcing their training materials. Other organizations are also investing in training initiatives to help close the gap in Rust expertise. With the availability of comprehensive training resources, more developers are expected to learn Rust, which will further contribute to the language’s adoption and growth.