How to get start with Rust

Rust is a strange language.

1 Moving

First point is move semantic.

fn main() {
    let s = "hello".to_string();
    let t = s;
    let u = s;
}

What do you expect? t & u is s? No! rustc says:

error[E0382]: use of moved value: `s`
 --> main.rs:4:9
  |
3 |     let t = s;
  |         - value moved here
4 |     let u = s;
  |         ^ value used here after move
  |
  = note: move occurs because `s` has type `std::string::String`, which does not implement the `Copy` trait

This error tell you why you got a fail. In Rust, you should expect default behavior of assign is moving!

1.1 Copy

You can expect if any type implement the Copy trait, will be copied. That's why these code will work:

let s = 1;
let t = s;
let u = s;

Implement the Copy trait can use derive notation in Rust.

#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
struct Foo {
    number: i32
}

Notice that Clone is required. However, a type implement Copy can't have a field do not implement Copy!!! So following code will fail.

#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
struct Foo {
    label: String
}

Error message:

error[E0204]: the trait `Copy` may not be implemented for this type
 --> main.rs:1:17
  |
1 | #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
  |                 ^^^^
2 | struct Foo {
3 |     number: String,
  |     -------------- this field does not implement `Copy`

2 Mutable

In Rust, mutable and immutable is very different.

let s = "one ".to_string();
s.push_str("two ");

Error report:

error[E0596]: cannot borrow immutable local variable `s` as mutable
 --> main.rs:3:5
  |
2 |     let s = "one ".to_string();
  |         - consider changing this to `mut s`
3 |     s.push_str("two ");
  |     ^ cannot borrow mutably

Because String::push_str borrow &mut self, it can't be used by an immutable String.

3 Reference

We have already seen String, it's called owning pointer, others are Vec, Box, etc. However, these pointers will move data. Sometime, we don't need to moving data, but also don't want to copy it. It's reference showtime! Rust's reference has some points.

explicitly using thing it point to

let a = 1;
let r = &a;
assert!(*r == 1);

mutable reference to mutable ownership

let mut num = 15;
let r = &mut num;
*r += 10;
assert!(*r == 25);

references are never null
you can't borrow a value will outlive when you still alive

let r;
{
    let x = 1;
    r = &x;
}

Error message:

error[E0597]: `x` does not live long enough
 --> main.rs:5:14
  |
5 |         r = &x;
  |              ^ borrowed value does not live long enough
6 |     }
  |     - `x` dropped here while still borrowed
7 | }
  | - borrowed value needs to live until here

The problem is r can be access after x already be dropped! That mean a dangling pointer. Rust disallowed it.

4 Conclusion

I think these are the hardest part when you are beginner of Rust. Because Rust chooses a new way to handle its memory, move default, checking live-time, sharing data by reference. Understanding these things is most important to get familiar with Rust. Hope you like it & can get some help from this.

4.1 References:

4.1.1 Programming Rust

Author: Jim Blandy & Jason Orendorff
ISBN: 978-1-491-92728-1