Linux could go Rusty in the next release

We will C what happens next

Linux has been written in the C programming language for more than 30 years but the last few years have seen a growing momentum to make the Rust programming language Linux's second Linux language.

Speaking to the gathered throngs at the Open Source Summit in Austin, Texas, Linux creator Linus Torvalds said he could see Rust making it into the Linux kernel as soon as the next major release.

"I'd like to see the Rust infrastructure merging to be started in the next release, but we'll see. I won't force it, and it's not like it's going to be doing anything really meaningful at that point -- it would basically be the starting point. So, no promises."

Rust is better at writing more secure software by ensuring thread safety and preventing memory-related errors, such as buffer overflows that can lead to security vulnerabilities.

Torvalds likes the fact that Rust is more memory-safe.

However while there are technical reasons like memory safety and why Rust is good to get in the kernel, no one is going to rewrite the entire 30 or so million lines of the Linux kernel into Rust. But it could lead to a world where new code is written in Rust.

The three areas of potential concern for Rust support are making use of the existing APIs in the kernel, architecture support, and dealing with application binary interface (ABI) compatibility between Rust and C.

Source