Rust vs Python– is the most common debate of the year. Python is an old robust language while Rust is a newbie but making its mark in the developers’ community. As per the StackOverflow developer’s survey, Python is preferred over Rust, but making Rust is somehow better in some scenarios.
To know which programming language to choose for your next project, read our detailed comparison and understand its unique features and architecture.
Python is a versatile programming language known for its object-oriented and functional programming styles, with dynamic features. Created by Guido van Rossum and released in 1991, it’s ideal for fast application development due to its dynamic typing and binding. Python is used widely for tasks like data analysis, web development, automation, testing scripts, and creating prototypes. Its straightforward syntax makes it easy to learn, reducing the complexity of maintaining programs.
Python is user-friendly for both beginners and seasoned developers. Its extensive library and third-party packages enable efficient completion of tasks, from analyzing data to building machine-learning models. Like other languages, Python has a strong community offering support, resources, and detailed documentation for ongoing help.
Python is loved by 49% of developers, below are the reasons why.
Despite Python being used across industries, and suitable for several use cases, it still shows some limitations.
Also read- The Definitive Guide to Python App Development in 2024
Graydon Hoare at Mozilla Research introduced Rust a versatile programming language. It is known for its safety, stability, and performance, to build memory-efficient architecture that follows C/C++ standards.
Despite being newer than Python, Rust has rapidly become a favorite among developers. Rust finds applications in various domains, including system development, web applications, embedded systems, blockchain, and game engines. Over 84% of Developers using Rust, love it and want to keep working with it!
Rust is known for its high performance. Below are other benefits of using Rust.
Rust has the following limitations.
Rust combines the strengths of C++ with additional features. Its main advantages are memory safety, thread safety, cross-platform support, and zero-cost abstractions.
Python’s simplicity and extensive libraries make it globally popular and easy to learn. It’s recommended for beginners over Rust due to its straightforward syntax.
Python’s user-friendly development and broad application in diverse industries highlight its accessibility. Researchers find Python straightforward, requiring fewer lines of code than Rust for similar tasks, making it the preferred choice for ease of learning and usability.
Rust excels in performance compared to Python. It’s built for high-performance applications, known for its speed and efficient memory management without an interpreter.
In contrast, Python’s performance is hindered by its interpreter and inefficient memory management with runtime garbage collection. This makes Python less suitable for performance-intensive applications.
Rust does not use runtime garbage collection, unlike Python. This means Rust does not spend time checking for unused memory during program execution, which can slow down performance.
In contrast, Python’s runtime garbage collection can contribute to slower program execution compared to Rust.
Python uses a garbage collector that continuously scans for unused variables in code and frees up memory accordingly.
In contrast, Rust utilizes an ownership model to manage memory, which checks for ownership rule violations during compilation.
Rust distinguishes between stacks (for scalar values) and heaps (for non-scalar values) to store data. This approach allows Rust to manage memory more efficiently than Python’s runtime garbage collector.
Python handles errors by throwing exceptions at runtime without offering suggestions for fixes during compilation. This method lacks opportunities for improvement before runtime.
On the other hand, Rust identifies errors during compilation and suggests possible solutions without halting the program.
This approach makes error handling in Rust more straightforward and facilitates the creation of high-quality programs by catching issues early in the development process.
Rust emphasizes security by focusing on memory safety through its Secure Rust Guidelines. It detects all memory issues during compilation, preventing unauthorized access to variables.
Additionally, the Rust team actively addresses security vulnerabilities in the Rust ecosystem, regularly issuing patches that developers can track through the Rust security announcements mailing list.
In contrast, Python does not offer the same level of memory and thread safety as Rust. Developers using Python must manually manage memory and address potential memory leaks themselves.
Both Python and Rust are open-source languages, allowing developers to contribute directly to their development and enhancement.
Python, being more mature and extensively used, boasts a significantly larger and more accessible community compared to Rust at present. It offers abundant resources catering to various development needs.
Rust’s community, although smaller, is supportive, active, and growing. However, Python holds an advantage due to its larger community, which means resources are more readily available and easier to find compared to Rust.
Python’s slower performance and inefficient memory management can limit its ability to scale applications for larger user bases.
However, techniques like horizontal and vertical scaling of infrastructure can overcome these limitations. Despite these challenges, tech companies use Python extensively, scaling applications effectively through proper infrastructure management.
In contrast, Rust’s high-performance design enables scalable web services to be built with reduced reliance on extensive infrastructure scaling and associated costs.
Python leads Rust in extensibility due to its vast array of libraries, modules, frameworks, and tools. This allows Python to handle tasks from simple scripts for daily automation to complex web applications with minimal coding. Its high extensibility makes Python versatile across numerous industries.
In contrast, Rust’s ecosystem is expanding rapidly, with continuous growth in the Rust community crates registry. However, the current number of crates available in Rust does not match the extensibility seen in Python.
Developers use Python widely because it is very popular for various purposes. Rust, though newer, is gaining popularity because of its advantages over Python, especially in safety features and efficient performance.
Both languages are extensively used by top tech companies. Rust is known for its thread and memory safety, and it offers zero-cost abstractions.
On the other hand, Python is valued for its easy-to-understand syntax, flexible typing, large community, and many libraries.
Rust, however, has slower compile times and lacks support for certain programming techniques. Python is slower and doesn’t have strong support for databases and mobile development.
Python stands out for its user-friendliness, job opportunities, developer salaries, extensibility, popularity, and community support.
Despite being newer, Rust surpasses Python in error handling, memory management, performance, scalability, security, and speed.
In conclusion, Rust is seen as a superior language with competitive advantages over Python, positioning itself to potentially become one of the dominant programming languages globally.
It’s highly recommended to consider learning Rust for future projects.
As we explore the ever-changing world of app development, Rust vs Python significantly impact app development in 2024.
OnGraph, is a leader in innovation, providing developers with powerful tools to build dynamic and efficient applications for different niches.
Connect with OnGraph to build customized Rust and Python solutions for your business needs, leveraging innovative technologies and best practices.
Python is used for a wide range of applications including web development, data analysis, artificial intelligence, automation, scientific computing, and more. Its versatility and ease of use make it popular among developers.
Rust is chosen for its focus on safety, performance, and concurrency. It prevents common programming errors at compile-time, making applications more secure and efficient, especially in systems programming and performance-critical applications.
Yes, Python is often recommended for beginners due to its simple and readable syntax. It allows new programmers to focus on learning programming concepts rather than dealing with complex syntax and rules.
Learning a programming language with a large community, such as Python, provides access to extensive resources, tutorials, libraries, and support forums. This community support can help developers solve problems faster and stay updated with industry trends.
Performance is crucial depending on the nature of the application. High-performance applications like games, real-time systems, or large-scale data processing benefit from languages like Rust, while Python’s flexibility and ease of development may be preferred for less performance-critical tasks.