Writing Better Rust: Fully Using The Type System

It’s easy to get lost in the depth of Rust’s syntax and semantics. Your code works, sure, but does it follow best practices? And who can you even ask for feedback? How do you write good Rust? Let’s investigate!

In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to turn workable Rust code into better Rust code. The expectation is that you’ll write a lot of code yourself and not just watch me type. But don’t worry, the steps will be small and manageable. We will dig into the core reasoning behind each decision and focus on the “why” and not the “how.”

You’ll refactor a real-world library with typical pain points: string-heavy types, missing error handling, no tests. We’ll put the type system to work to catch bugs early.

If you’re comfortable with Rust syntax but still struggle to “think in Rust”, this workshop is for you.

Prerequisites

• Intermediate Rust experience (you’ve built at least one small project in Rust)
• Laptop with a Rust toolchain installed
• Familiarity with basic Rust concepts (ownership, borrowing, pattern matching)
• Workshop materials and sample code provided

Target Audience:

Developers who can write working Rust but want to learn to improve their code quality.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to structure Rust code
• Using the type system to its full potential
• Good error handling
• Confidence in reviewing Rust code
• Knowing when to stop to avoid over-engineering