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Fundamentals with Rust

Build a CLI Distance Calculator

Harrison Kong

Do you know that according to surveys, Rust is one of the most admired computer programming languages for 8 years in a row? Rust is a language that is prized for its performance, memory safety, and concurrency, making it ideal for today’s cloud-based computing world. It is used by major technology companies such as Microsoft and Github.

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Do you know that according to surveys, Rust is one of the most admired computer programming languages for 8 years in a row? Rust is a language that is prized for its performance, memory safety, and concurrency, making it ideal for today’s cloud-based computing world. It is used by major technology companies such as Microsoft and Github.

In this 1-hour long project-based course, your Rust learning journey will take off with the fundamental concepts and language syntax of Rust. We will do this by building a command line interface tool that calculate distances between cities. At the end of the course, you will be able to use Rust to create and build other projects.

This course is aimed at learners who have at least intermediate level proficiency with at least one modern high level programming languages such as JavaScript, Java, C, C++, Swift, Go, Kotlin. As we will leverage that knowledge and further explore Rust’s unique features.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Develops industry-standard tools and skills for cloud computing
Employed by industry leaders such as Microsoft and GitHub
Increases learner proficiency in programming languages
Projects include building a tool that calculates distances between cities
Suitable for learners with intermediate programming skills
Course is taught by Harrison Kong, an expert in Rust programming

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Reviews summary

Hands-on rust introduction for experienced developers

According to learners, this course offers a quick and effective introduction to Rust, particularly for those with intermediate proficiency in other programming languages. Students praise its project-based approach, building a practical CLI distance calculator, which helps in grasping Rust's core syntax and unique features like ownership. While many found the instructor's explanations clear and the course delivered what it promised for its short duration, some caution that the pace can be very fast. It is not recommended for absolute programming beginners, as it assumes significant prior knowledge, especially in concepts like memory management.
The course offers a quick overview rather than in-depth instruction.
"The pace is really fast, and if you're not already comfortable with programming, especially memory concepts, you might struggle."
"I found it too fast; Rust's concepts like ownership were introduced too quickly without enough detailed explanation, leaving me lost in some parts."
"It feels more like a demo than a comprehensive course; it's okay for an hour, but not a true beginner's guide to Rust."
Effectively introduces core Rust concepts like ownership.
"It really highlights Rust's unique features, especially ownership and borrowing, in a practical context. I wish it was longer."
"As a JavaScript developer, I found the examples clear and easy to follow, bridging my existing knowledge to Rust's syntax."
"Being a C++ developer, I found the parallels and differences were well-explained, which helped me pick up Rust basics quickly."
A hands-on project reinforces fundamental Rust concepts.
"The project-based approach works well for a short course; I found the CLI distance calculator engaging and it helped me grasp the basic structure of a Rust application."
"I appreciated the hands-on project which solidified my understanding of Rust fundamentals and delivered exactly what was promised."
"This was a fantastic project to get my feet wet with Rust; it's small but well-scoped for the time."
This course is best suited for experienced developers.
"It definitely needs you to know another language."
"I found this course highly recommended if you have prior coding experience, as it builds on what you already know."
"This course is not for absolute beginners; it assumes a lot of prior knowledge and isn't suitable if you're new to systems programming."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundamentals with Rust: Build a CLI Distance Calculator with these activities:
Review Object-Oriented Programming Concepts
Strengthen your understanding of OOP concepts, which will be useful for grasping Rust's type system and memory safety.
Browse courses on Object-Oriented Programming
Show steps
  • Review classes, objects, inheritance, and polymorphism
  • Practice writing simple OOP programs
  • Explore OOP design patterns and principles
Review Programming Fundamentals
Develop a strong foundation in programming fundamentals to better understand Rust's syntax and concepts.
Browse courses on Programming Fundamentals
Show steps
  • Review variables, data types, and operators
  • Practice writing simple functions and control flow statements
  • Explore basic data structures like arrays and linked lists
Read 'The Rust Programming Language'
Gain a comprehensive understanding of Rust's core concepts, syntax, and idioms from the definitive book on the language.
View The Rust Programming Language, 2nd Edition on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read through the chapters on Rust's basic syntax and features
  • Study the sections on memory management and concurrency
  • Work through the exercises and examples provided in the book
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Join a Rust Study Group or Online Community
Connect with other Rust learners to discuss concepts, share knowledge, and get support.
Show steps
  • Find Rust-related groups on platforms like Discord, Slack, or Meetup
  • Attend virtual or in-person meetups to engage with the community
  • Participate in discussions and ask questions
Build a Simple CLI App with Rust
Apply your Rust skills to build a practical CLI app, solidifying your understanding of the language.
Browse courses on Command Line Interface
Show steps
  • Design the app's functionality and interface
  • Implement core logic and handle user input
  • Test and refine the app's functionality
  • Share your app with others or contribute it to open source
Contribute to Open Source Rust Projects
Deepen your understanding of Rust by contributing to open source projects and interacting with the community.
Browse courses on Community Involvement
Show steps
  • Explore open source Rust repositories on platforms like GitHub
  • Find issues or feature requests to work on
  • Submit pull requests with your contributions

Career center

Learners who complete Fundamentals with Rust: Build a CLI Distance Calculator will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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Course image
Effort
1.5 hours
Level
Intermediate
Via
Coursera
Institution
Coursera Project Network
Instructor
Harrison Kong
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Develops industry-standard tools and skills for cloud computing
Employed by industry leaders such as Microsoft and GitHub
Increases learner proficiency in programming languages
Projects include building a tool that calculates distances between cities
Suitable for learners with intermediate programming skills
Course is taught by Harrison Kong, an expert in Rust programming
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