Coming to Rust from Java

Rust replaces Java's garbage collection with ownership rules that prevent memory errors at compile time, and uses cargo instead of Maven or Gradle for building. Unlike Java's class-based structure, Rust relies on functions, structs, and traits, often requiring explicit error handling via Result types. Here is a minimal web server example showing Rust's standard library usage:

use std::net::TcpListener;

fn main() {
    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:7878").unwrap();
    for stream in listener.incoming() {
        let stream = stream.unwrap();
        println!("Connection established!");
    }
}

Run this code with cargo run after initializing a project with cargo new my_project.

Rust manages memory automatically without a garbage collector, ensuring your code is safe and fast by catching errors before you run it. Think of it like a strict editor that forces you to fix potential crashes while you write, rather than letting the computer clean up messes later. You build and run projects using a single tool called cargo, which handles everything from compiling to installing dependencies.