Rust for C-Programmers

2.1 The Compilation Process: rustc and Cargo

Like C, Rust is a compiled language. The Rust compiler, rustc, translates Rust source code files (ending in .rs) into executable binaries or libraries. However, the Rust ecosystem centers around Cargo, an integrated build system and package manager that significantly simplifies project management and compilation compared to traditional C workflows.

2.1.1 Cargo: Build System and Package Manager

Cargo acts as a unified frontend for compiling code, managing external libraries (called “crates” in Rust), running tests, generating documentation, and much more. It combines the roles often handled by separate tools like make, cmake, package managers (like apt or vcpkg for dependencies), and testing frameworks.

Creating and building a new Rust project with Cargo:

# Create a new binary project named 'my_project'
cargo new my_project
cd my_project
# Compile the project
cargo build
# Compile and run the project
cargo run

Cargo enforces a standard project layout (placing source code in src/ and project metadata, including dependencies, in Cargo.toml), promoting consistency across Rust projects.