[hu3]

For core system functionality maybe. But for most applications Rust slow compiler iteration speed becomes a bottleneck when the likes of TypeScript (with Bun) and Go have sub second iteration times.

Plus AI is also good at catching, in other languages, errors that Rust tooling enforces. Like race conditions, use after free, buffer overflows, lifetimes, etc.

So maybe AI will become to ultimate "rust checker" for any language.

[tnova]

In my experience developing different types of applications in Rust, the claims of a "slow compiler" are overstated. Sub second iteration times are definitely a thing in Rust as well, unless you're adding a new dependency for the first time or building fresh.

[hu3]

Our experiences clearly differ then. And for others as well since it's a common complain.

Countless time I have seen other people complain as well. There are articles about it even. Can't find the YouTube link now but recently a gamedev abandoned Rust due to compilation speed alone because iteration speed was paramount to their creative process.

Handwaving isn't going to make it any better. And thinking Go/TS compilation speed are comparable to Rust is, a handwave and a half to say the least.

Cargo check and friends are subpar for AI because they actually need to run the thing and unit tests for efficient agentic loops.

A single loop might recompile and rerun the application/unit tests enough times that slow compilers like Rust and Scala become detrimental.

[tnova]

I think you could have left it at differing experiences and not gone further saying I'm handwaving anything. That doesn't seem productive.

I'm not saying that Rust compilation time is comparable to Go/TS, I'm saying the blanket claim that Rust iteration speed will be a bottleneck requires context.

I definitely agree with you that it is a complaint that is often repeated online, but that doesn't make it universally true. In my experience it's a claim that is often echoed without proper context.

Particularly in the case of AI Rust recompliation times in my experience have not been the dominant cost, but are instead overshadowed by inference time, the agent working through different approaches, etc.

[junon]

The productivity increase I get overall by not having to worry so much about if my rust code will work if it compiles tends to net faster iteration speeds for me. Compile times have never bothered me.