Rust in the Industry – Secure and Sustainable Development

Embedded systems, largely developed in C and C++, often grapple with security concerns and the challenge of maintainability. Rust emerges as a solution with its unique safety features, especially as the industry moves towards stricter security standards. In this talk, we'll explore:

• Security First: Delve into Rust's guarantees around memory safety and its approach to concurrency. These foundational principles make it a compelling choice for creating secure IoT and industrial automation applications.
  
• A new build paradigm: Understand how Rust's build and package manager, Cargo, streamlines the development workflow. It promotes consistent builds and fosters collaborative team environments, supporting the long-term viability of projects.
  
• Rust on ESP32 and beyond: Drawing from our experiences at Espressif Systems, we'll highlight Rust's adaptability with the ESP32 chips. This spans std development backed by ESP-IDF, to the leaner no_std environments, and extends to platforms such as NuttX or Zephyr. These strategies not only allow Rust applications to function in isolated settings but also emphasize the value of security and modular design in embedded ecosystems.
  
• Accelerated Learning with AI: Tools like ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot provide a boost for developers venturing into Rust. These AI-assisted tools help in faster learning and quicker prototyping, allowing teams to bring their visions to life efficiently

Lernziele

This talk offers insights and experiences that can benefit C/C++ developers curious about Rust, as well as team managers keen on enhancing security and sustaining project longevity in the realm of embedded development.