How to Install Rust Programming Language on Linux Mint 22, 21 or 20

Rust is a modern programming language known for its performance, reliability, and memory safety. It is designed to ensure safe concurrency and prevent segmentation faults, making it ideal for system programming, web assembly, and other performance-critical applications. Rust’s unique ownership system guarantees memory safety without needing a garbage collector, and its powerful type system and comprehensive standard library make it suitable for a wide range of programming tasks.

To install Rust on Linux Mint 22, 21, or 20, the recommended method is to use rustup, the official installer and version manager for Rust. This method ensures you always have the latest version of Rust. This guide will also demonstrate how to quickly test your installation by creating a simple Rust application and provide maintenance tips such as updating and removing Rust.

Update Linux Mint Before Rust Installation

To ensure a smooth installation of Rust, start by updating your Linux Mint system. This process refreshes your system’s package list and upgrades existing packages to their latest versions.

Open your command terminal and execute the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

These commands first update the package list and then upgrade the packages, ensuring your system is current and secure.

Install Initial Packages for Rust Installation

Specific prerequisite packages are required before installing Rust. These packages include curl for downloading the installation script, build-essential for compiling software, and gcc and make for managing dependencies and builds.

Install these packages with the following command:

sudo apt install curl build-essential gcc make -y

This command installs all necessary packages, preparing your system for the Rust installation.

Proceed with Terminal Command to Install Rust via RustUp

With the prerequisites, the next step is downloading and running the Rust installation script.

Use curl to fetch the script securely via HTTPS:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

After running this command, you’ll see an output prompting you to choose the installation type. For most users, the default installation suffices. To proceed, type “1” and press Enter.

The installation process varies in duration, typically 1 to 5 minutes, depending on your internet speed and hardware capabilities.

Once installed, activate the Rust environment for your current shell. This step is crucial as it enables Rust commands in your terminal.

Run the following command:

source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

This command activates the Rust environment, allowing you to use Rust immediately.

Verifying Rust Installation

To confirm that Rust is installed correctly, check the installed version with:

rustc -V

If this command displays the Rust version, it confirms a successful installation. If you encounter any issues or the version doesn’t display, recheck the previous steps, especially the environment activation step, to ensure everything is set up correctly.

Create Rust Sample Project Application

Setting Up a Workspace for Rust Projects

After installing Rust on Linux Mint, it’s vital to validate its functionality. A practical approach is to create a test application. Start by establishing a dedicated workspace for your Rust projects. This workspace organizes your development projects and ensures all files are stored systematically.

Create the workspace directory with the following command:

mkdir ~/rust-projects

This command creates a new directory named rust-projects in your home directory, dedicated to housing your Rust projects.

Creating a “Hello World” Application in Rust

Navigate to your new workspace and begin crafting your first Rust application:

cd rust-projects && nano helloworld.rs

This command changes your current directory to rust-projects and opens a new file, helloworld.rs, in the nano text editor. Here, you will write your test application.

In the nano editor, enter the following Rust code for a simple “Hello World” program:

fn main() {
    println!("Hello World, this is a test provided by LinuxCapable.com");
}

This Rust program, when executed, will print the specified message to the console.

Save and exit the nano editor using “CTRL+O” to write the changes and “CTRL+X” to exit.

Compiling the Rust Application

Compile the “Hello World” application with:

rustc helloworld.rs

This command compiles the Rust source file helloworld.rs into an executable. After successful compilation, you should see a new executable file in your directory.

To confirm the creation of the executable, list the contents of the current directory with:

ls

Executing the Compiled Rust Application

Finally, execute your newly created “Hello World” application with the following command:

./helloworld

Running this command should display the message from your Rust application, confirming that Rust is installed correctly and is ready for further development projects.

Additional Commands For Rust

Update Rust via RUSTUP Command

Rust’s built-in updater, rustup, simplifies keeping your installation current. To update Rust on Linux Mint, open your terminal and run the following command:

rustup update

This command checks for any available updates for Rust and applies them, ensuring your Rust environment is up-to-date with the latest features and security patches.

Remove Rust via RUSTUP Command

If Rust is no longer required on your system, it can be uninstalled cleanly using the rustup tool. To remove Rust from your Linux Mint system, execute this command in your terminal:

rustup self uninstall

This command initiates the Rust uninstallation process, effectively removing it from your system. Upon successful completion, a confirmation message indicates that Rust has been completely uninstalled from your Linux Mint system.

Conclusion

With Rust successfully installed on your Linux Mint system using rustup, you can take full advantage of its powerful features and safety guarantees. Regularly updating Rust ensures you have the latest features and security updates, while proper maintenance helps keep your development environment clean. By creating and running a test application, you can verify your installation and start exploring Rust’s capabilities. Enjoy the reliability and performance that Rust brings to your development projects.