6 IDEs Built for Rust

For eight years in a row now, Rust has been voted the most-admired programming language. The language, which has a moderate learning curve, lives in between high-level and low-level languages. Yet, Rust is relevant as it writes systems software, compiles embedded devices to x86 ARM, and is also used for front-end technologies, thanks to WebAssembly.

The language has excellent tools to improve efficiency. Recently, JetBrains, a Czech software company that offers integrated development environments (IDEs), released a new IDE (Integrated Development Environment) -- RustRover -- for the programming language Rust. It improves the efficiency of coding with Rust with its range of features like debugging, syntax highlighting, and error checking. 

Here is a list of six IDEs that work on Rust. 

RustRover 

RustRover, developed by JetBrains, is an emerging IDE tailored for Rust development currently in its early access stage. Despite its early status, it has garnered positive feedback from users. RustRover is a standalone IDE dedicated to Rust, offering features such as comprehensive syntax highlighting, autocompletion, code navigation, and safe refactoring. Its static analysis capabilities facilitate error checking and linting, promoting code quality. 

The IDE is equipped with a powerful debugger, seamless integration with various tools, and specific Rust-focused features like macro support and integration with the Rust compiler and Cargo build tool. Overall, RustRover holds promise in enhancing productivity, code quality, and the developer experience for Rust developers, making it a valuable tool worth exploring.

IntelliJ IDEA 

The IntelliJ Rust IDE, is another JetBrains plugin for Rust, which provides a solid support for Rust development. Equipped with crucial features like syntax highlighting, autocompletion, code navigation, and debugging, this IDE is highly favoured by Rust developers for its tailored functionalities. 

Integrated seamlessly with IntelliJ IDEA, it allows leveraging the comprehensive feature set of IntelliJ IDEA for Rust. With complete Rust language support, seamless Cargo integration, efficient debugging, and streamlined code navigation and refactoring, the IntelliJ Rust IDE proves to be a powerhouse empowering efficient and effective Rust development.

Visual Studio Code 

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a widely used, lightweight code editor that's easy to use and customize. It's like a toolbox that can turn into a complete coding powerhouse for Rust with the right add-ons. VS Code has a special Rust extension built in, bringing a bunch of helpful tools for Rust developers. 

These tools include things like making your code look colorful (syntax highlighting), helping you type faster (autocompletion), letting you move around and change your code safely (code navigation and refactoring), and finding mistakes before you run your code (error checking and linting). It's like having a smart assistant that knows Rust really well. 

Overall, using VS Code for Rust makes coding quicker, helps users write better code, and just makes the whole coding experience more fun and efficient. It's all about making Rust coding easier and more enjoyable.

Eclipse 

Eclipse is a popular code editor mainly used for Java, but it also supports Rust development via the Eclipse Rust plugin. This plugin adds essential Rust development features like syntax highlighting, code navigation, error checking, and debugging. It's a handy tool for Rust developers, making the coding experience smoother and more enjoyable. However, keep in mind that the Rust plugin for Eclipse is still in development and may not have all the features of other Rust IDEs.

CLion 

CLion is a versatile IDE made by JetBrains for coding in C and C++. It's also useful for Rust programming when paired with the IntelliJ Rust plugin. This combination gives user features like highlighting code, helping them find their way around the code, spotting errors, debugging, and working well with other tools. 

On top of that, CLion offers special Rust-focused features like handling Rust macros and connecting with the Rust compiler and Cargo. Overall, if the user is keen on coding in Rust and needs a powerful coding tool, CLion is a solid choice. It can boost the user's productivity, improve code quality by catching errors early, and make the coding experience smoother. However, do keep in mind that CLion is a paid IDE, so it might not be the right fit for everyone.

Fleet 

Fleet, an online IDE by JetBrains, supports Rust development with key features like syntax highlighting, code navigation, debugging, and integration with other tools. It's cloud-based, enabling work from any device with a browser, and ideal for on-the-go developers. Specifically tailored for Rust, it offers support for macros, Rust compiler integration, and Cargo support. Fleet improves productivity, code quality, and enhances the developer experience. However, being in early access, it might lack some features compared to other established Rust IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA or Visual Studio Code.