• mac@lemm.ee
    52·
    3 months ago
    • The integration of Rust into the Linux kernel has been a contentious topic, with some long-term maintainers resisting the changes required for memory-safe Rust code.
    • The debate over Rust vs. C in the Linux kernel has taken on “almost religious overtones” in certain areas, reflecting the differing design philosophies and expectations.
    • Linus Torvalds sees the Rust discussion as a positive thing, as it has “livened up some of the discussions” and shows how much people care about the kernel.
    • Not everyone in the kernel community understands everything about the kernel, and specialization is common - some focus on drivers, others on architectures, filesystems, etc. The same is true for Rust and C.
    • Linus does not think the Rust integration is a failure, as it’s still early, and even if it were, that’s how the community learns and improves.
    • The challenge is that Rust’s memory-safe architecture requires changes to the existing infrastructure, which some long-time maintainers, like the DRM subsystem people, are resistant to.
    • The Linux kernel has developed a lot of its own memory safety infrastructure over time for C, which has allowed incremental changes, whereas the Rust changes are more “in your face.”
    • Despite the struggles with Rust integration, Linus believes Linux is so widely used and entrenched that alternative “bottom-up grown-up from the start Rust kernels” are unlikely to displace it.
    • Linus sees the embedded/IoT space as an area where alternative kernels built around different languages like Rust may emerge, but does not see Linux losing its dominance as a general-purpose OS.
    • Overall, Linus views the Rust debate as a positive sign of the community’s passion and an opportunity to learn, even if the integration process is challenging.