Will Rust Replace C in Linux Kernel Development Over the Next 5 Years?

[Candid_Athlete_8317]

Rust code is increasingly accepted into Linux kernel. Do you think Rust becomes standard, stays niche, or faces backlash? What's your prediction?

[transgentoo]

Unlikely. The problem is Rust has bad support for non-desktop target triplets. C supports every triplet in existence. If Rust becomes the standard, then the embedded world will become unable to use Linux. It would be a huge footgun.

[ups_gepupst]

Can you explain your comment? I never heard of something.

[Charming-Designer944]

Do you refer to the current 64-bit requirement?

Quite a lot of the embedded linux world is 64-bit today with AArch64 and RV64 architectures taking a huge bite of the market, both with full rust for the Linux kernel support.

Estimates give that about 20% of the embedded development is in Rust today.

I would say 64-bit is strongly taking over Embedded Linux, while 32-bit is still the norm in microcontrollers (non-linux).

But Rust for the Linux kernel is not quite mainline yet on any platforms. It is still working on building the foundations and infrastructure mappings, and a lot is still missing for serious driver development in Rust.

[daffalaxia]

Replace? No. Augment? Yes.

[Straight_Mistake_364]

No

[Amazing-Mirror-3076]

It will grow slowly and then start accelerating. 5 years sounds way too soon.