Why Use Rust Over C++ for IoT Solution Development

The Internet of Things has become integral to our daily routines, and devices are increasingly becoming smart. As this domain expands, there's an urgent need to guarantee these software-enabled devices' security, productivity, and efficiency. Hence, the Rust programming language is becoming the second popular choice after C++ for IoT device developers. This article will explore why Rust is becoming a favored choice for embedded IoT development and how it can be effectively used in this field.

In IoT development, C++ has always been a go-to solution when speaking about IoT and embedded systems. Also, this language has an experienced development community and is widely used by engineers worldwide. However, recently, Rust came into play and showed its potential. So, we decided to explore why developers keep leaning toward embedded programming with Rust over tried-and-proven C++.

History of Rust Software Development Services

Rust, a modern system programming language, was initially conceptualized by Mozilla and the broader development community. It was designed for secure, swift, and parallel application development, eliminating potential memory and security challenges related to embedded solutions & custom IoT development. Since its inception in 2006, Rust language has undergone many changes and improvements and was finally introduced as an open-source ecosystem in 2010.

Beyond the development community, major corporations like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook, Intel, and GitHub also support and finance Rust, furthering its development and usage. This undoubtedly speeds up its growth and increases its attractiveness for use.

Rust vs. C++ Dilemma: Why Everyone Is Shifting From C++ to Rust in Embedded System Creation

Rust and C++ programming languages are powerful tools for high-performance application development. For embedded IoT applications, several crucial factors influence development speed, security, and reliability beyond the foundational software. Below are the Top 5 most significant factors:

1. Security and Memory Management

A standout feature of Rust is its compile-time security system. This ensures that many memory-related issues, like memory leaks and buffer overflows, are detected and addressed during the compilation phase, leading to more dependable and maintainable code. Rust employs a unique ownership system and moves semantics that proficiently handles object lifetimes, mitigating data access conflicts. However, this uniqueness can raise the entry barrier, particularly for newer developers, who might find these techniques somewhat unconventional.

The C++ language also provides memory control, but it requires more careful programming. It’s susceptible to pitfalls like memory leaks and unsafe data access if not handled precisely.

2. Performance

Rust aims to be competitive in C++ performance. The Rust compiler generates efficient machine code, and thanks to a secure type of system, Rust can predictably optimize code.

C++ also safeguards high performance and provides a wide range of tools for optimization.

3. Code Syntax and Readability

Rust offers state-of-the-art and clean syntax that helps create readable and understandable code. The Rust template system (traits) makes the code more expressive, legible, and easily extendable.

C++ has historical syntax, which may be less intuitive and readable for some developers.

4. Integration and Multitasking

Rust provides a convenient way to integrate with C and C++ through a Foreign Function Interface (FFI), which makes it easier to port existing projects but still requires additional effort. The Rust tenure and type systems exclude “data race” and help create secure multitasking applications. Rust also supports threads and competitive multitasking from the box.

C++ also provides multitasking but can be integrated with C code with little or no effort.

5. Ecosystem and Community

Rust has an active and rapidly growing development community. Cargo–Rust’s dependency and build management system make development more convenient and predictable.

C++ also has a large and experienced community and an extensive ecosystem of libraries and tools that exceed the volumes of Rust.

As we can see, Rust offers IoT app developers advanced security features that prevent many common errors and result in more reliable, clear code. It also benefits from active community support and utilizes the Cargo system for efficient dependency management and compilation. At the same time, Rust provides numerous tools and out-of-the-box libraries that allow results comparable to those of C++ but with significantly less effort and code. Yet, Rust still trails C++ in ecosystem maturity, C integration, and accessibility for Rust software development beginners.

Real-Life Case of Using Rust for IoT Device Development: Smart Monitoring System for Toddlers

The Sigma Software team was engaged as a technical partner to help develop a product that simplifies diverse childcare routines for parents. Namely, we were to build software for a baby monitoring device connected to the ESP32-S3 MCU.

Our team was looking for the best-fit solution that could provide us with everything needed for successful delivery: multitasking capabilities, a secure coding environment, and interfaces with a network, microphone, and speaker connections. We saw the potential of Rust to fulfill these requirements as it had a robust ecosystem that allowed us to integrate the required functionality without much effort. Even though we chose Rust as our primary tool, we also effectively integrated specific C and C++ libraries using the Foreign Function Interface (FFI).

As a result, it took us just six months from the project’s kick-off to the release of its beta version. One month later, the solution was already on the market and available for purchase. Over the next half-year, we refined and expanded its functionalities, including remote control, regime planning, and smooth integration options into the user’s existing ecosystem. The functionality expansion went smoothly, without much effort, and without leaving behind the smell of code, thus reducing the need for refactoring to a minimum.

This project, completed by a trio of developers in just over a year, has reached over 5,000 households, underscoring Rust's viability in IoT development.

C++ vs. Rust: Final Thoughts

Unlike C++, Using Rust in embedded systems creation has a learning curve. Yes, this requires more time at the start of the project, as developers need to learn the language's innovations and features. Yes, finding, refining, or partially porting the necessary libraries for use in a specific solution will take longer. But the result is beautiful and readable code that expands quickly. Hence, a productive, safe, and lightweight solution is needed for embedded IoT applications.