Rust - Cargo Cult? Learning and Rewriting from C++ and C# Perspectives

Explore the journey from C++ and C# to Rust programming in this 21-minute conference talk from ACCU 2025. Learn about real-world experiences of adopting Rust at Microsoft through practical stories of rewriting existing codebases. Discover the motivations behind choosing Rust, whether driven by genuine technical needs or following popular trends. Examine the transition challenges and opportunities when coming to Rust from different programming backgrounds, including C++ and C#. Understand the tools, gaps, and valuable features that emerge during the learning process. Gain insights into successful Rust adoption stories at Microsoft and explore what lessons can be applied back to everyday C++ development. Compare experiences with a Principal Engineer from the Visual C++ team who shares practical experiments and real-world implementation strategies for modern systems programming.