Supporting Linux kernel development in Rust

Posted Sep 2, 2020 16:48 UTC (Wed) by rgmoore (✭ supporter ✭, #75)
In reply to: Supporting Linux kernel development in Rust by darwi
Parent article: Supporting Linux kernel development in Rust

If the concept of a new language in the kernel is now open, then honestly C++2x would be a much better option.

It's not likely to happen as long as Linus is in charge. He has been very negative about C++ for a long time, and there's no indication that's going to change. As I understand his view, Linus doesn't see C++ as bringing in any real capabilities that the kernel needs, while it does massively expand the size of the language in a way that makes it very difficult to keep everyone using the same abstractions. There's a reason people who talk about how great C++ is always talk about the need to use a limited subset of the language.

In contrast, Rust brings some capabilities for memory management that are sorely lacking in C and C++. The ability to exclude whole categories of error is potentially really valuable, and one can see why kernel developers would like to add those capabilities to their toolbox.