~ $ cargo new becoming-a-rustacean

Becoming a Rust developer

Java developer, learning Rust in the open

Why

After almost twenty years with Java and the JVM, I fell in love with Rust. My current contract ends in December 2026, and I want to give the new year to Rust as fully as I can. My goal is to start working as a Rust developer from January 2027.

The plan

  1. Build thingsNights and weekends, I build interesting things I find on the internet, in Rust.
  2. Meet the peopleI want to get to know the Rust community: who the people are, how they think and how they work together.
  3. Write about itI will blog about the journey step by step: what I learned, what surprised me and where I got stuck.
  4. Share everythingCode, notes and mistakes, all in the open, so I can get feedback as early as possible.

Log

I started with a quick Rust refresh and went through Rustlings again. I love programming, so programming is also how I learn best.

Right now I am completely hooked on Jon Gjengset and his YouTube videos. I can really feel the positive energy in them, and I enjoy every minute. My plan is to go through all of them.

I started with impl Rust: One Billion Row Challenge, a beautiful 10.5-hour livestream of programming. I love watching how he writes code and how he thinks about it, so I am going to take it apart piece by piece until I understand as much of it as I can.

My machine

I recently bought a very modest MacBook, so I will be learning Rust within real limits. I actually enjoy that.

Model
MacBook Air 13″ (M4, 2025)
Chip
Apple M4, 10 cores (4 performance, 6 efficiency)
Memory
16 GB
Storage
256 GB SSD

For Java developers

If you are a Java developer who might want to move to Rust one day, I hope this helps. You will be able to see exactly how I did it, including the parts that did not go well.

Feedback

Please be critical, but not mean. I am a good person trying to learn this the right way, and honest feedback is the best gift you can give me.

Blog

The first posts are on the way.