The Growing Demand for Rust Developers: Embracing In-House Training

The Rise of Rust: Closing the Gap in Rust Developer Skills

Embracing Rust

In recent years, organizations have increasingly recognized the benefits of using memory-safe languages in their software development pipelines. As a result, many are shifting away from treating code written in Rust as experimental to fully supporting the language and encouraging widespread use. Rust, known for its memory safety and performance, is emerging as a reliable replacement for low-level languages like C and C++ in various domains including operating systems, network software, and high-performance applications such as video games.

The adoption of Rust has been a strategic move for tech giants like Google and Microsoft. Google’s Android team, for example, has seen a significant decrease in memory-safety vulnerabilities since integrating Rust into the latest version of Android. This achievement has prompted other organizations to follow suit. Microsoft has started porting Windows drivers to Rust, and Cloudflare has developed its revamped proxy framework, Oxy, using Rust. Dropbox, on the other hand, has employed Rust to build its cloud storage system and visual communication tool.

The Challenge: Lack of Rust Developers

While the benefits of Rust are clear, a significant hurdle lies in the scarcity of developers who are proficient in the language. Organizations are aware of this shortage and are taking steps to close the skills gap. For instance, Google has internally developed a comprehensive three-day training course that has enabled them to train over 500 engineers in Rust over the past year. Lars Bergstrom, Director for Engineering for Google’s Android Programming Languages, states that this in-house training initiative allows them to focus on the features and tools specific to their needs while creating a feedback loop for continuous improvement.

Other organizations, too, are working to bridge the Rust developer skills gap. Microsoft has released an introduction to Rust for coders, including a 35-part YouTube video series, to help developers get started with the language. The Rust project also offers various resources, such as “The Rust Programming Language” book, to facilitate learning. The availability of comprehensive training materials is expected to raise the profile of Rust as more developers gain expertise in the language.

Training Systems Programmers in Rust

One challenge that companies face when training developers in Rust is finding programmers with prior experience in C/C++. However, companies like Fortanix have successfully trained their system programmers to become proficient Rust developers. Anand Kashyap, CEO and co-founder of Fortanix, shares that although there is a shortage of knowledgeable Rust programmers, good system programmers can quickly learn Rust given their experience with C and C++.

According to a survey conducted by Google, two-thirds of developers feel confident about writing Rust programs within two months. This quick learning curve is attributed to the fact that many of the concepts in Rust are based on computer science fundamentals. Martin Geisler, a software engineer at Google, emphasizes that the effort invested in training developers in Rust pays off in terms of preventing security vulnerabilities and increasing overall productivity.

Advice for Organizations and Developers

Rust is proving to be a valuable language for organizations seeking memory safety, performance, and productivity gains in their software development processes. To fully leverage the benefits of Rust, organizations should consider investing in comprehensive training programs. Creating in-house training initiatives, as Google has done, allows companies to tailor the content to their specific needs and foster a continuous learning culture. Additionally, organizations should actively participate in community-driven initiatives, such as the Rust project, and collaborate with universities and boot camps to ensure a steady supply of Rust-literate developers.

For individual developers, adding Rust to their skillset can open up exciting opportunities in various domains. System programmers experienced in C and C++ can quickly adapt to Rust, while application programmers may face a slightly steeper learning curve. However, the investment in learning Rust is well worth it, given the language’s increasing adoption and the growing demand for Rust developers.

In conclusion, as organizations recognize the value of Rust, efforts to close the skills gap are gaining momentum. The availability of comprehensive training materials and the initiatives taken by companies like Google, Microsoft, and Cloudflare are encouraging more developers to embrace Rust. By investing in training and supporting the growth of Rust expertise, organizations can secure their development pipelines, increase productivity, and contribute to the overall growth of the Rust community.