· Travis Rodgers · Reviews · 4 min read
The BEST Resource For Learning the Rust Programming Language This Year
What is the Rust Programming Language?
If you’re looking to learn Rust, keep reading! Rust has become one of the most popular programming languages in recent times, known for its performance, reliability, and memory safety.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced programmer, there are plenty of resources available to help you on your journey to mastering Rust.
In this article, we’ll explore the best resources to learn Rust programming language and provide a comprehensive guide to getting started.
Why Learn Rust?
Before we dive into the resources, let's take a moment to understand why learning Rust is worth your time. Here are some compelling reasons why Rust should be on your radar this year:
Performance: Rust is renowned for its speed and efficiency. It is designed to provide high-performance code, making it an ideal choice for applications that require lightning-fast execution.
Memory Safety: Rust's strict ownership and borrowing rules ensure memory safety, preventing common issues like null pointer dereferences and data races. This feature makes Rust's code robust and reliable.
Concurrency: Rust's ownership model enables safe concurrency by preventing data races. It guarantees thread safety and allows you to write concurrent code without worrying about bugs caused by simultaneous access to shared data.
Platform Independence: Rust offers excellent cross-platform compatibility. You can write code on one platform and easily compile and run it on another, making it a versatile choice for developers targeting multiple operating systems.
C++-like Syntax: If you're already familiar with C++ or come from a C/C++ background, Rust's syntax will feel natural to you. Its syntax is inspired by C++, making it relatively easy to pick up for C++ developers.
With these compelling advantages, it's clear why Rust has been gaining popularity among developers. Now, let's explore what I think is the best resource to learn Rust and kickstart your learning journey.
The Absolute Best Resource For Learning Rust
What is the best resource for learning Rust, then?
I went down this rabbit hole, myself.
And like every good developer looking to learn Rust, I went with the recommendation of working through “The Rust Book.” This book, available for free online, covers everything from the basics of the language to advanced concepts and features. It provides clear explanations, numerous examples, and exercises to help you practice and solidify your knowledge.
And while it’s great, and you will benefit greatly from it, it is a bit boring to say the least.
However, there is no way around it. It is THE authoritative resource written by two Rust community team members and Rust community. You will learn Rust properly if you can slog through it.
And you should! Twice!
But I also wanted something more practical, in video format, but taught by a seasoned expert in the language. I don’t see any harm in supplementing The Rust Book with another, more “entertaining”, course simultaneously.
And I didn’t feel satisfied with any of the options on Udemy, which is usually my first pick for coding courses.
So I ultimately ended up discovering and working through a course by a skilled Rust expert by the name of Jayson Lennon and his course on Zero To Mastery.
It’s comprehensive, always up-to-date, and highly practical.
The course takes you from fundamentals to advanced Rust development with many activities (30 in fact!) and two final, substantial projects (BillingApp and ClipStash).
Sure it’s not free. But it’s not expensive either for the value you are getting.
He also has a course on Udemy for beginners, but it’s not NEAR as comprehensive as the course he teaches on Zero To Mastery.
And that’s where I ended up.
And it’s what I now recommend as the best resource for learning the Rust programming language this year.
