Rust app development
Rust is increasingly favored by developers who value its clean, well-documented, and functional approach to application programming. Rust is particularly valued in the IoT, IIoT and wearable device markets thanks to its high-performance and low drain on memory and energy and is a popular choice for many embedded projects.
What is Rust application development?
Rust, recognized from the community by the unofficial mascot, the red crab Ferris, is a functional embedded language which, like C or C++, is close to the hardware level of the device it is installed on. As a result, Rust apps are known for their high performance, low memory footprint, thread safety, and small binary size.
Using Rust, developers can build mobile and desktop apps that run on different operating systems, like Windows or Linux. All of these are reasons why Rust is an excellent choice for low-power IoT and IIoT devices where low computing power, relatively small on-device memory, and battery life can constrain developers and product owners alike.
The main challenges of rust application development
Lack of internal expertise
While the Rust community grows and Rust has been adopted rapidly by developers across industries, it remains relatively new in comparison to competing languages like C++ used for building mobile or desktop applications and IoT-devices. While its support, alongside C and assembly, in Linux kernel development since 2022 has brought it more attention in the embedded world, deep Rust experience can still be hard to find and retain.
Knowing whether Rust is right
Your teams might have some expertise in Rust but knowing when to deploy a Rust application instead of a C++ application takes a different skill set. Rust is a great choice for many projects, but there are others where other languages might be a better choice to create an app. Having the experience with details like compile time or memory safety of different programming languages, like C++ or python, to know when to choose Rust is important, above and beyond having the experience to develop in Rust.
Developer quality
The Rust programming language is appreciated by developers because it will not compile insecure or unsafe code. This is a clear advantage when building an application, but for developers whose code quality is sub-par, the effort writing in the rust development environment can be frustrating and delay development. Developers new to Rust or developers that have picked up bad coding habits using tools and other languages, like Python or Java, will find it difficult to deliver applications on a proper development time and on budget using Rust.
Key elements to consider
Write application
- Code application
- Test & validate
- Write documentation & handover
Maintenance & updates
- Raise problems
- Analyse problems
- Fix within timeframes
Ismail Tounsi
Product Line Manager
Working with Witekio has been instrumental in upgrading our commercial building solutions. The team’s ability to understand our needs, coupled with their collaborative approach, ensured the delivery of a user-friendly and highly efficient product. This project has not only modernized our offerings but also positioned us strongly in the market.
How to develop a Rust application
Architect project
Before a single line of Rust code for a new project is written, our teams work with your product owners, marketers, and development teams to ensure that the application will meet all needs, key-factors and expectations.
Our teams begin by identifying the use cases with your internal teams. It is important to identify not only the end users but also the specific physical locations of the device running this Rust application, as well as the expected lifespan for this device.
As part of these discussions, our teams will also identify the functionality expected for the devices. Your teams will explain what are ‘must have’ functions, what are ‘nice to have’ functions, and what hardware will be available for the application to exploit to reach these expectations.
Fully informed, our teams will present a work roadmap with deadlines for delivery of the different components of the application. Regular check-ins will be scheduled, and testing and validation planned to ensure that handover of the application is smooth, on time, and on budget.
Write application
Writing the application in Rust comes next and our teams leverage their expertise in the language to rapidly deliver your Rust project on the roadmap.
Developers code the application and compile that Rust code to ensure a safe, secure, and reliable application. The application can be integrated with a variety of front-end languages to be sure that the user interface on your Rust application makes the most of its powerful and efficient codebase.
All of our applications go through significant testing and validation. In the case of Rust things move rapidly as the code will not compile if it is unsafe or insecure, so fewer bugs emerge in the testing phase than with alternative languages.
With the code is tested and validated, our teams can write the documentation file that is essential for your teams to manage the application post-delivery. Witekio documentation is complete, detailed, and ensures that your developers will be able to take full control of the application after handover.
Finally, with the documentation and coding complete, we handover the application to your developers. There are no surprises at this point as regular check-ins and feedback sessions during development mean that the application is well-known, and teams not only have access, but are well-prepared for taking control. The Rust application is now entirely in your hands.
Maintenance & updates
Post-delivery, there are still some important considerations for product owners relating to their new Rust application. Maintenance and application updates pushed over the air help keep your application up to date and safe.
Should the application run into issues, your teams can raise the problem for Witekio’s engineers, who are ready to address any problem. An ongoing maintenance contract with Witekio helps to derisk your application in a world where attacking and exploiting devices is sadly common.
When apprised of a problem, our teams can analyze that problem and determine the best way to alleviate it or mitigate the threat. With deep experience in any operating system, security and OTA updates, Witekio’s engineers can rapidly secure your deployed devices and maintain the Rust application software remotely.
All of these fixes and maintenance activities take place within the agreed timeframes in your service license agreement. These timeframes offer peace of mind for your teams and a point of pride for Witekio engineers. Nothing is left to chance and updates are pushed fast to ensure productivity and the satisfaction of your end users in the device market.
The main benefits of Rust application edvelopment
Less complex code
Rust is less complex than alternative embedded languages, and your teams will have an easier time and less effort with the code post-handover. Rust is clearly and fully documented and its compiler has both clear and useful error messages to make coding more productive. Rust has an integrated package manager, pattern matching, borrow checker, supports multiple code editors, prevents data races, offers autoformatting and autocompletion alongside many other advantages and resources that developers of the Rust community appreciate when it comes to making updates and pushing changes to the codebase of the software. Simple and powerful, Rust is a reliable and efficient language that your internal teams will appreciate.
Better performance
Rust applications are well known for their high performance. They tend to be more efficient than applications composed in other languages, use less memory, drain less battery, and put processors under less strain. Described as “blazingly fast” by experts, Rust has no runtime or garbage collector and can easily integrate with another programming language used for your device’s front-end user interface. When energy use is a concern or when processing power and memory are limited, the high performance of Rust adds enormous value and uplifts your product in the eyes of end users.
Ultimate stability
The nature of Rust and the way in which it is compiled means that it is almost impossible for a Rust application to crash or freeze for an end user. Unlike other languages where bugs or non-standard use might result in an application freezing or the device crashing, Rust applications are safe from such things. For devices in critical industries such as energy or healthcare, this sort of stability is a base expectation. When a device crash can truly be a matter of life and death, building in Rust helps you assure end users that the stability of your product is at top of mind.
Witekio can support your Rust project
Witekio engineers are experts in functional application development using languages like Rust. With a track record that includes projects and clients in a variety of industries and in Europe and North America, Witekio can help and support you to commercialize a stable, secure, and safe Rust application for your device.
High performance and security are hallmarks of our best practice approach to development and your teams can leverage our deep experience and knowledge of industry best practices to produce a market leading product.
Contact our teams today to discuss how Witekio can help you take your Rust application development to the next level.
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