Rust is eating the frontend
From build tools to WebAssembly runtimes, Rust is becoming the backbone of modern frontend infrastructure.
Three years ago, the idea of Rust in frontend development would have been laughable. Today, the most important frontend tools are written in Rust: SWC, Turbopack, Biome, Rspack, and Lightning CSS.
Why Rust for frontend
The answer is simple: speed. Frontend tooling has been the bottleneck in developer experience for years. JavaScript tools are slow because JavaScript is slow for CPU-intensive tasks like parsing, transforming, and bundling code.
The WebAssembly connection
Rust's excellent WebAssembly support means that Rust code can run in the browser at near-native speed. This is enabling a new generation of browser-based development tools, collaborative editors, and rich applications that were previously impossible.
Dev Tools Editor
Developer tools editor and open source advocate. Writes about frameworks, languages, and the culture of building software. Contributor to several popular OSS projects.
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