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When GO is better than Rust for Development
Updated 12/20/23: Added section on async in Go Vs Rust + links to deep dives
Rust and Go are two popular programming languages that have gained significant traction among developers in recent years.
Both offer a modern, efficient, and safe approach to software development that has attracted the attention of many big-name companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and more. While both Rust and Go have their unique strengths and weaknesses, there is often a debate among developers about when it is better to use one over the other.
As we enter 2024, I would like to share my insights on situations where Go excels over Rust, as well as when a transition to Rust may prove beneficial. In my own day to day job as Senior Cloud Engineer and Architect I often have to make decisions about what languages and tools we need to support our team and infrastructure.
This analysis is based on my personal experience and extensive research into the industry’s heated discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of using Golang for development.
I hope it helps you and your team going forward.
If you want to see when Rust might be a more preferable choice see:
Why Go is Often the Preferred Choice
Simplicity and Learning Curve
Go’s straightforward syntax and minimalist design principles make it incredibly accessible, especially for teams that are onboarding new or less experienced programmers. Its simplicity not only accelerates the learning curve but also streamlines the development process, making it a go-to choice for projects with tight deadlines.
Let’s illustrate the simplicity and learning curve in Go versus Rust with a basic example: writing a function to calculate the sum of numbers in a list.
