How to speed up the Rust compiler in July 2026 (nnethercote.github.io)

submitted 1 week ago by SorteKanin@feddit.dk to c/rust@programming.dev

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[-] FizzyOrange@programming.dev 14 points 1 week ago

I am now pursuing opportunities to return to paid work on the Rust compiler. Wish me luck!

Someone (Rust Foundation?) pay this man! Compilation speed is one of the few weaknesses of Rust and even though I think that in 95% of cases it's actually not that bad and people are just looking for an excuse to not use Rust, it would be great to remove that excuse. (And faster compilation is always nicer anyway!)

[-] a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

Are you being for real that people disparaged an entire language due to compile time? XD

[-] vanillama@programming.dev 6 points 1 week ago

It's a very common criticism

[-] a_non_monotonic_function@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

Oh sure, I just can't fathom caring. I mean, it would have to be substantially bad.

[-] FizzyOrange@programming.dev 4 points 1 week ago

Yes they do. I don't think it's totally unreasonable. Slow compile time is a big productivity drain. But it's not as bad as people often make out for Rust - in large part because compilation speed has at least doubled since Rust 1.0, but its reputation is still based on the 1.0 compile times.

And some specific projects do have substantially bad compile times. When your incremental compilation time is 20 seconds where in other languages it's instant... That's notably worse.

But I don't think it should be a deal breaker. C++ has dealt with similarly bad compile times for decades and people don't like it but it's never been enough for most of them to switch to another language.