What is this?
This is the main source repository for the Rust programming language — it contains the compiler (rustc), the standard library, and documentation.
Is this the compiler itself, or a library I add to a project?
It is the compiler toolchain and standard library source, not something you add as a dependency — you install the Rust toolchain itself and then use Cargo to build and manage your own projects.
How do I install Rust?
Follow the 'Installation' chapter in The Book, which walks through installing the Rust toolchain (typically via rustup).
Do I need anything besides the toolchain itself to get started?
No extra tooling is required upfront — the toolchain bundles Cargo as the package manager and build tool, plus rustfmt for formatting, Clippy for linting, and rust-analyzer for editor support.
Is building Rust from source recommended?
No — the README explicitly warns that installing from source is not recommended; most users should install a prebuilt toolchain instead.
Does Rust work cross-platform, including on embedded devices?
Yes — Rust is designed to be fast and memory-efficient, making it suitable for critical services and embedded devices as well as desktop platforms like Windows, macOS, and Linux.
What is Cargo?
Cargo is Rust's built-in package manager and build tool, used to manage dependencies, compile code, and run tests.
What tools come with the Rust toolchain besides the compiler?
The toolchain includes rustfmt for auto-formatting, Clippy as a linter, and rust-analyzer for editor integration.
Why is Rust considered memory-safe without a garbage collector?
Rust's ownership model and rich type system enforce memory and thread safety at compile time, catching many bugs before the program ever runs.
What are similar projects?
goose, mquickjs, carbon-lang, CalcKernel, Odin, Singeli, sway, lua
Which topics is it in?
toolchain, memory-management, language, embedded-systems, programming-language, low-level, systems-programming, embedded, compiler, cloud, performance, rust