Google Begins Allowing Rust Code For Developing Android

Not only is the Linux kernel moving to allow Rust code to be optionally used within the kernel, but Google is now allowing Rust code to be used for system programming work on Android's low-level operating system components too.

Google announced on Tuesday by way of their security blog that they are now allowing Rust to be used for Android platform system code. Rust will be allowed in the Android Open-Source Project for "developing the OS itself" given its emphasis on memory-safety and security.

The memory safety guarantees of Rust are a big attraction for using it in low-level systems programming. Google engineers have been said to be working on this Rust support for the past 18 months and they will be talking about some of the early adopter code projects making use of Rust in the coming months but overall will be a multi-year effort to fully embrace Rust.

More details on this Rust embracement for low-level Android platform code via the Google Security Blog.