Solidity Vs. Rust: Which Programming Language Should You Choose For Web3 Apps?
In today’s tech landscape, one cannot overlook the importance of blockchain technology. Because of its growing popularity and practicality, one may wonder which tech skills and programming languages will be valuable in blockchain development.
Fortunately, blockchain development leverages many familiar coding languages, such as C++, JavaScript, Solidity, Rust, Assembly Script and more. Newer languages tailored for smart contracts, the essential building blocks of programmable blockchains, can be relatively easy to grasp if you have basic coding knowledge.
However, before diving into a specific language, it’s wise to research and figure out which language is suitable for your planned application. In crafting smart contracts, the foundational elements of programmable blockchains, two popular options stand out: Solidity and Rust. Both languages have unique applications, with the choice of either dependent on a platform’s planned services.
We’ll explore the differences between Solidity and Rust and understand why Vara Network, a stand-alone layer-1 decentralized network, has made a pragmatic choice by adopting Rust.
Solidity: Understanding its Origins
Solidity is an object-oriented, high-level language focusing on data and objects rather than complex functions. Being statically typed, it can catch errors during compilation, making it more reliable. It was created as the programming language for smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain.
Solidity isn’t limited to Ethereum alone; networks such as Polygon, Avalanche, Polkadot, Optimism and Arbitrum equally embrace its capabilities. While various Polkadot parachains have integrated the EVM, not all have adopted this feature. Solidity design allows it to be portable across devices with an EVM executor, enabling smooth execution.
Let’s consider the factors making Solidity a popular choice for smart contract development with Ethereum compatibility in mind:
- Built-in Conditionals
Solidity makes it easy to perform actions based on specific conditions. Developers don’t need to write complex conditional statements separately. Instead, they can specify those conditions right in the source code. The code will automatically execute the actions once all requirements checkout. - Data Types Made Easy
Solidity features built-in support for common data types like integers, strings, floating point numbers, and arrays. Plus, developers can even create custom data types for their smart contracts. - Safety During Development
The compiler checks developer code for errors as they write it and lets them know about potential problems. The feature is helpful, especially when dealing with large and complex dApps.
However, Solidity has its downsides. It’s a high-level language, so it’s not as quick as other languages. Its limited speed can cause trouble when dealing with tricky smart contracts or numerous transactions. Remember the DAO hack? It’s a perfect example of how Solidity’s design flaws can create security problems and even money losses.
Rust, Just Built Different
Since its release in 2015, Rust has gained significant traction among developers. It consistently (8 years now) features in the most loved or admired languages on Stack Overflow.
So, why do developers (in general) love the programming language? Well, Rust successfully addresses the challenge of providing a high-performance tool for designing apps without compromising security, effectively safeguarding against potential vulnerabilities. Rust boasts a powerful type system and strict memory safety. The language ensures:
Performance — Rust is renowned for its fast and memory-efficient capabilities. With no garbage collector, Rust is suitable for powering performance-critical services, running on embedded devices and seamless integration with other languages.
Reliability — The richness of Rust’s type system and ownership model ensures memory safety and thread-safety, empowering developers to eliminate many bugs at compile-time, thus enhancing the overall reliability of the code.
Productivity — Rust offers excellent documentation, a friendly compiler with helpful error messages, and top-notch tooling. Its integrated package manager and build tool, smart multi-editor support with auto-completion and type inspections, and an auto-formatter contribute to a smooth and efficient development experience.
Let’s shift to Rust for blockchain development.
What do developers desire for their blockchain applications? Safety, speed, and simple multi-platform development. Rust ensures these attributes in building blockchain applications through its robust qualities:
As described in the table above (and like every language), Rust features several drawbacks; however, its strengths far outweigh the weakness in blockchain development. Additionally, the community support and how Rust handles its flaws and challenges make the programming language attractive due to active participation and engagement. The asynchronous programming request and implementation highlight Rust’s participatory community.
Thus, Rust is an excellent choice for building secure and robust blockchain applications. Its high performance and low-level control let developers optimize their code.
So, Is Rust better than Solidity? Let’s find out.
Rust and Solidity’s Shared Strengths and Differentiating Factors
Understanding the similarities between Solidity and Rust is vital, and it’s fascinating to see how these two programming languages share certain characteristics. Let’s take a closer look at what brings them together.
Both languages are Turing complete, enabling them to handle complex computational problems effectively, despite their intricacies.
Their multichain compatibility lets these languages facilitate interoperability across various blockchain networks. Solidity has expanded its support to include layer 2 and modular blockchains, sidechains and EVM-compatible layer 1 blockchains. Similarly, Rust extends its support to different blockchain networks like Solana and Near and offers an implementation based on the Substrate framework.
Despite their shared similarities, Rust and Solidity differ in various applications as highlighted in the table below.
One of the remarkable things about Rust is how it effortlessly compiles to Wasm (WebAssembly) — an incredibly efficient, platform-independent assembly. Vara Network presently places its emphasis on supporting Rust libraries. However, Wasm’s outstanding efficiency and platform independence have earned it a prominent position for runtime and smart contract applications on various blockchain platforms. While Wasm proves to be a strong choice for such purposes, it’s not the only option available.
Specific applications may find other languages and platforms better suited, sparking an intriguing comparison between Wasm and Solidity, a contrast for another day. Both Wasm and Solidity stand as powerful tools in blockchain development.
Vara Network’s Logical Choice: Why We Chose Rust
So, why did Vara Network choose Rust over Solidity for its blockchain endeavors? The answer lies in Rust’s strengths and the specific requirements of Vara’s projects.
At Vara Network, we’re crafting the ultimate playground for high-performance gaming, leading financial applications and exciting experimental features. Our passion lies in crafting a platform facilitating intricate smart contracts managing substantial assets and transactions and ensuring a seamless development experience for all Vara Network users.
We chose Rust as our primary language due to its exceptional performance, which truly shines and empowers DeFi applications to handle heavy workloads efficiently. As much as we focus on innovation and performance, security remains at the heart of everything we do. Rust’s memory safety features significantly reduce the risk of potential vulnerabilities, instilling confidence in Vara’s users regarding our security and dependability.
Further, when you write Rust programs, they’re compiled into Wasm bytecode. And guess what? Vara network uses Wasm standard, not executor. Vara uses different executors for different purposes, so it needs to be refactored due to that fat. Here’s how Wasm compares to EVM.
While Solidity undeniably boasts its own merits, such as its established community and existing codebase, Vara Network’s pragmatic approach favored embracing Rust. Vara can deliver potent and safe DeFi solutions by prioritizing performance and security.
Join Vara Network
Vara Network is a stand-alone layer-1 decentralized network built and running on top of Gear Protocol. Vara is one of several environments facilitated by Gear Foundation for developers to build decentralized applications.
Whether you’re looking to launch a new project or bring existing applications to the blockchain, the benefits of its optimizations and unique technology make Vara Network the ideal platform for developers looking to build the next generation of dApps.
