Getting Started with Rust

Welcome to Rust for JavaScript Developers! This guide will help you transition from JavaScript to Rust by building on your existing knowledge. We’ll explore Rust concepts through the lens of JavaScript, highlighting similarities and differences along the way.

How This Guide Is Structured

This guide follows the structure of The Rust Programming Language book (often called “The Rust Book”), but with JavaScript developers in mind. For each topic, we’ll:

1. Explain the Rust concept
2. Show equivalent JavaScript code where applicable
3. Highlight key differences and similarities
4. Provide practical examples to reinforce learning

What You’ll Learn

By following this guide, you’ll learn:

• The fundamentals of Rust’s syntax and type system
• How Rust’s ownership model works compared to JavaScript’s garbage collection
• Building data structures with structs and enums
• Error handling with Result and Option types
• Creating modular code with packages, crates, and modules
• Working with collections like vectors, strings, and hash maps
• Advanced features like generics, traits, and concurrency
• Building real-world applications with Rust

Prerequisites

This guide assumes you have:

• Working knowledge of JavaScript (ES6+)
• Familiarity with programming concepts like variables, functions, and control flow
• Basic understanding of terminal/command line usage

Installation Options

To start coding in Rust, you have several options:

1. Install Rust locally (recommended for the full experience)
2. Use an online playground like Rust Playground for quick experimentation

Jump Right In

Ready to start learning? Choose one of these paths:

• Introduction to Rust - Learn why Rust is valuable for JS developers
• Installation Guide - Set up your local Rust environment
• Hello World - Write your first Rust program
• Building a Guessing Game - Create a complete application to get a feel for Rust

Community Resources

• The official Rust Book
• Rust by Example
• Rustlings Course
• Rust Playground
• Rust Forums

Let’s embark on your Rust journey together!

Next Steps

Now that you have an home of what you’ll learn and how to get started, head to the Introduction to Rust section to begin your journey. There you’ll learn about what makes Rust special and how it compares to JavaScript.