Rust has been voted the most beloved programming language by StackOverflow users eight years in a row. It is already widely used in mission critical software, including the Linux Kernel. In February 2024, the U.S. government released an official report to urge developer adoption of Rust over C/C++ in all government software due to its memory-safety and performance.
Rust is also the hottest language among innovative startups of all sizes. For example, Elon Musk’s xAI is using Rust for all its AI infrastructure — a clear signal of where the industry is headed.
However, Rust also has a reputation for being “hard”. It has a steep learning curve especially for beginners. To make Rust more approachable, we’ve introduced RustCoder—an AI-powered Rust programming assistant built on the Qwen-2.5 Coder model. Whether you’re just getting started or tackling complex problems, RustCoder is here to help you learn faster and code smarter.
In this case study, we will discuss how the RustCoder tool facilitates Rust language learning for over 1,000 students and young professionals in a coding camp organized by the OpenAtom Foundation and Tsinghua University.
What Is RustCoder?
RustCoder is an AI coding assistant built on the Gaia platform, integrating extensive learning resources such as Rust by Example, The Rust Programming Language, and advanced Rust Algorithms and Data Structures. It is designed to work right inside your IDE or CI tools as a “pair programmer” or “code reviewer”.
RustCoder in Action
During the first round of the Challenge, RustCoder proved its capabilities by helping participants tackle competition questions. Even on tricky problems where top coders spent hours, RustCoder served as an invaluable assistant, offering insights, suggestions, and helping to test and validate solutions. RustCoder combines AI reasoning with developer tools to streamline problem-solving. For example, you can pair it with Cursor (a popular AI-powered code editor) as your IDE frontend. Here are 5 demos of RustCoder used as an AI inference engine and Cursor used as the frontend IDE to tackle 5 problems raised in the challenge:
- Using Cursor + RustCoder to Implement a Unique Element Counting Algorithm (Passed on First Attempt) https://youtu.be/xh8u0wXOh-Q
- Using Cursor + RustCoder to Implement a Conversion Algorithm Between Any Bases (Passed on First Attempt) https://youtu.be/ScSLbV5MrjU
- Using Cursor + RustCoder to Calculate the Probability of Two or More People Sharing a Birthday on Any Given Day https://youtu.be/uEPoes6caV8
- Using Cursor + RustCoder to Calculate the Minimum Number of Coins for Change https://youtu.be/sNCJy12qdac
- Using Cursor + RustCoder to Calculate the Sum of All Odd Fibonacci Numbers in a Given Range https://youtu.be/seSNOdfGdWc
How RustCoder Helps
RustCoder simplifies the Rust learning process:
- For Beginners: Quickly grasp Rust’s syntax and key concepts.
- For Experienced Developers: Generate new ideas, validate approaches, and speed up development cycles.
While RustCoder won’t solve every problem in seconds—particularly in high-complexity challenges—it accelerates learning and coding by offering solution ideas and rapidly validating or debugging human developers’ approaches.
As the competition progresses to the semi-finals, the difficulty of the questions increases. These challenges are quite hard. To be honest, the RustCoder can’t solve these problems well. However, it can help expand the insights of human developers. If you're intersted in the semi-finals, the challenges can be accessed here: https://docs.qq.com/doc/DT05IZk1kcm9icFp3.
AI tools like RustCoder complement human programmers insread of replacing them.
To further promote Rust and cultivate more outstanding Rust developers, the Open-Source Operating System Camp will launch the first AI-assisted Rust Data Structures and Algorithms Training Camp along with RustCoder in January 2025. The camp will consist of four stages, guiding participants from basic to advanced Rust development skills. During this period, whether you are struggling with Rust syntax or stuck on solving algorithms and data structures, you can use the RustCoder assistant embedded in the website to ask questions and receive instant answers.
Get Started with RustCoder
RustCoder is open to everyone. If you want to use RustCoder in your own IDE or code editors:
- Direct Chat: https://rustcoder.gaia.domains
- IDE Integration:
- API Integration: https://rustcoder.gaia.domains/v1 This API is fully compatible with OpenAI’s API format—just replace the base URL. See here for details: https://docs.gaianet.ai/user-guide/apps/intro
RustCoder makes learning Rust easy and pleasant. Seize the opportunity and embark on your Rust journey today!
Listen to a podcast about RustCoder!