RUST VS C++ 2023

Both Rust and C++ are popular choices for systems programming.

If you are interested in working on large systems, games, servers, search engines, electronics, etc. you should learn C++.

C++ was designed with an orientation toward system programming and embedded, resource-constrained software and large systems, with performance, efficiency, and flexibility of use as its design highlights.

On the other hand, if you are interested in building command line tools, network services, embedded systems, webAssembly, or systems programming, you should learn Rust.

Rust helps developers to have low-level control without giving up high-level conveniences.

Choosing which programming language to learn can trick, there are many factors to consider when learning a new technology or programming language.

Popularity, opportunities, types of projects, salaries, resources, learning curve, etc. are some of the factors that many people consider when choosing to learn a programming language or a framework.

Here are some of the considerations you should make when choosing to learn a new programming language.

RUST VS C++ POPULARITY

If you want to learn a programming language or framework solely for its popularity among developers, you should learn C++.

C++ is a very popular choice for developing operating systems, compilers, embedded systems, servers, telecommunications systems, game engines, AAA games, and more.

C++ is generally more popular than Rust. As of September 2023, the TIOBE INDEX ranks C++ as the 3rd most popular programming while Rust is ranked 17th.

According to a Stack Overflow survey of 2023, C++ is the 9th most commonly used programming language, it is used by 22.42% of developers.

On the other hand, Rust is the 14th most commonly used programming language, it is used by 13.05% of developers according to the same survey.

It is worth noting that Rust is a newer language compared to C++, it is actually rapidly growing in popularity. Rust has been the most loved programming language for seven years straight.

As of 2022, Rust was loved by 86.73% of developers versus 13.27% of developers who dreaded it. Compare that to 48.39% of developers who love C++ versus 51.61% of developers who dreaded it.

As of 2023, Rust is the most admired programming language. It is admired by 84.66% of developers while C++ is admired by 49.77% of developers.

Ultimately, if your choice of which programming language to learn depends on popularity, you should learn C++.

Plus, there are more opportunities for C++ Developers than Rust developers because C++ has been around for a very long time and has been used on many systems than Rust.

Here are 7 jobs that you can get as a C++ developer.

RUST VS C++ SALARY

Another popular criterion that many people use as an incentive to learn a new programming language is salary.

Salaries for developers differ from one company to the other and from one country to the other.

Experience is another factor that comes into play as far as salaries are concerned.

The more experience you have with a certain technology or programming language, the more likely you are to get a higher salary.

Generally, C++ developers get higher salaries than Rust developers. Glassdoor reported that in the United States, C++ developers with 1 – 3 years of experience get a base salary of $94,116 per year.

On the other hand, Rust developers with 1 – 3 years of experience get a base salary of $82,407, about $11,000 lower than C++ developers.

So, if the salary is your major incentive for learning a language or framework, you should learn C++.

You are more likely to get a higher salary as a C++ developer than as a Rust developer.

Here are 10 Programming Languages that Pay $90,000

IS RUST HARDER THAN C++

No, Rust is not harder than C++. Rust is generally easier to work with than C++.

If you want a programming language that is beginner-friendly and develop different types of applications, you should learn Rust over C++.

Rust is far easier to learn than C++, its syntax is easy to read and write. Even when you are targeting low-resource devices, Rust will give you low-level control without giving up high-level conveniences, this makes it a little bit easy to work on systems.

Contrastingly, C++ is harder than Rust, C++ is one of the most difficult languages to work with. C++ is not very easy to learn and work with.

You can read How Long Does it Take to Learn C++?

C++ concepts that allow developers to allocate and deallocate memory make it even harder to work with the language.

The good news is that there are many helpful resources for both Rust and C++ to help you learn the languages.

The Rust and C++ communities are very active and helpful, in case you get stuck with something.

RUST VS C++ PERFORMANCE

If you plan on working on applications where top-notch performance is critical, both Rust and C++ will do the job just right but C++ is still a little more performant than Rust.

C++ is a very fast and high-performance language, it is one of the few high-level programming languages in which petaFLOPS computations have been achieved, others being C, Julia, and Fortran.

C++ allows for precise control over memory management.

You can allocate and deallocate memory explicitly, which can lead to more efficient memory usage and better cache performance compared to languages with automatic memory management.

C++ provides the capability to use inline assembly, allowing you to write machine-level instructions when necessary for specific performance-critical sections of code.

This can be extremely useful for optimizing algorithms or accessing hardware features.

C++ has many other advanced features that make it a popular choice for developing operating systems, compilers, game engines, servers, space probes, desktop applications, telecommunication systems, embedded systems, and many other large applications.

C++ is used by many companies such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, Intel, Adobe, IBM, Epic Games, LinkedIn, NASA, Apple, and many others.

Rust has great unique features that make it suitable for building command line tools, network services, embedded systems, and more. One of the best features of Rust is how it handles memory.

While developers have to manually handle memory management in languages like C++ or use a garbage collector with languages like Java, C#, Kotlin, Go, etc.

Rust takes a unique approach, developers can still handle memory without shooting themselves in the foot with a concept of ownership and borrowing. This makes it easy and quick to build reliable and efficient software.

Rust can also interface with other programming languages such as C and C++, it has a foreign function interface that can be used to call code written in C from Rust and to call Rust code from C.

Rust also has a library called CXX that can be used to call C++ code from Rust and to call Rust Code from C++.

There are many companies using Rust, some of the popular ones include Dropbox, Firefox, Cloudflare, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Facebook, Discord, Mozilla, NPM, etc.

WILL RUST REPLACE C++ IN THE FUTURE

Is it had to say with certainty whether or not Rust will replace C++ in the future.

There are a number of factors that suggest that Rust is well-positioned to gain market share from C++ in the coming years.

Rust is a newer language than C++, and it benefits from a number of design lessons learned from C++.

Rust is also more memory-safe than C++, which can be a major advantage in many development scenarios.

However, C++ is a mature language with a large and established ecosystem.

It is also used in a wide range of industries, including gaming, embedded systems, and high-performance computing.

As a result, it is unlikely that Rust will completely replace C++ in the near future.

However, it is possible that Rust will become the preferred language for new development projects in many of the same areas where C++ is currently used.

Rust’s combination of performance, safety, and expressive power makes it a very attractive language for a wide range of applications.

Overall, it is too early to say definitively whether Rust will replace C++ in the future.

Rust is a rapidly growing language with a number of advantages over C++. It is likely that Rust will continue to gain market share from C++ in the coming years.

CAN C++ DO EVERYTHING THAT RUST CAN?

Yes, C++ can do everything Rust can. Both languages are Turing complete, meaning that they can be used to compute any computable function.

However, there are some key differences between the two languages.

Rust is designed to be more memory-safe than C++, and it has a number of features that make it easier to write safe code.

For example, Rust’s ownership system prevents dangling pointers and memory leaks.

C++, on the other hand, gives programmers more control over memory management.

This can be useful for certain types of applications, such as embedded systems and high-performance computing.

However, it also means that C++ programmers are more likely to make memory safety errors.

In general, Rust is a good choice for developers who prioritize safety and ease of use.

C++ is a good choice for developers who need more control over memory management or who need to write code that is as fast as possible.

SHOULD I LEARN C++ OR RUST

Once you have evaluated all the factors, you can choose which programming language to learn depending on the factors that are on your side and what you want to build.

If you want to learn easily, develop systems quickly, and work on command line tools, network services, embedded systems, and webAssembly, you should learn Rust.

If you want to work on large systems, performance-critical applications, AAA video games, and get a higher salary, you should learn C++.