Programming is one of the most in-demand professions among students. Most students desire to learn a programming language and apply it in their professions, but they are often confused about which programming languages to learn. So, today, we're going to compare Rust vs C++. Two of the most important languages for developing the Internet of Things are Rust and C++. Both of these languages are well-known in fields requiring low-level memory and controller access, as well as speed and a direct relationship to HW configuration. This blog is useful not only for students, but also for programmers who are deciding between Rust and C++ for their project.

Rust vs C++: What are the Differences?

Following are the main differences between Rust vs C++

Pointers

In computer science, a pointer is an object that stores a memory address. The address can also be said to "point to" data elsewhere in the programme. Data structures containing additional functionality and metadata are known as smart pointers. Almost all low-level and high-level languages include pointer capabilities. In C++, the smart pointer types std::shared_ptr and std::unique_ptr can be used. One of the smart pointer types in Rust's standard library is the reference counting smart pointer. Smart pointers in the form of objects (std::string in C++ and String in Rust) are used extensively in both C++ and Rust, and they enable numerous additional possibilities.

Memory safety

Most system-level languages don't support automatic memory management since features like garbage collection can degrade performance. Memory safety has been lost in order for C++ to keep its speed, which is a flaw in the language. In recent C + + upgrades, new capabilities such as Resource Acquisition and Initialization have eliminated manual memory management. They do not, however, address the underlying issues.

To overcome this issue, Rust uses an ownership system that ensures and improves memory safety across the board. It eliminates the need for any memory management procedures that are done manually. Rust has built-in management functions, whereas C++ relies on the programmer to do so.

Compile Time

Depending on how many templates a C++ project implements, both Rust and C++ take nearly the same amount of time to compile. The compilation will take longer if there are more templates. In general, incremental compilation in C++ performs better. Rust's compiler is renowned for its friendliness. The tooling is superb, and the error messages are reasonable.

Game Development

C++ is now the most widely used programming language in the video game industry. The Unreal Engine, which is written in C++, is a fascinating game creation framework. Unreal Engine is a well-known, well-developed, and sophisticated engine. Rust is a relatively new game development language. However, it lacks the power of C++ frameworks. Rust can undoubtedly be used to make games, however it will take a long time for it to catch up to C++'s capability in this area. However, if more Rust developers contribute to the ecosystem, it may become more competitive.

User Interface

Though no language can be the first choice for UI development, it is one of the key areas where Rust and C++ can be compared. GTKmm, a new GTK+ C library interface, is now accessible in C++. Azul, a popular open-source immediate-mode GUI framework, is now available in Rust. It's up to date and has a vibrant community.

Conclusion

We've covered the differences between Rust and C++ in depth in our blog. As you can see, there are some fundamental differences between Rust and C++ to consider. We attempted to list all of these languages' flaws and merits in relation to one another. Hopefully, you can now tell the difference between Rust and C++ and pick which is best for your project.

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