From: Patrick Steinhardt <ps@pks•im>
To: "brian m. carlson" <sandals@crustytoothpaste•net>,
Taylor Blau <me@ttaylorr•com>,
Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget <gitgitgadget@gmail•com>,
git@vger•kernel.org, Elijah Newren <newren@gmail•com>,
Ezekiel Newren <ezekielnewren@gmail•com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/7] RFC: Accelerate xdiff and begin its rustification
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:21:11 +0200 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <aH-CN0RYFmpm7fMt@pks.im> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <aHmVXDOiKzfKU8nb@fruit.crustytoothpaste.net>
On Fri, Jul 18, 2025 at 12:29:16AM +0000, brian m. carlson wrote:
> On 2025-07-17 at 22:25:23, Taylor Blau wrote:
> > I agree. I don't think that there is ever going to be a "perfect" time
> > to introduce a hard dependency on Rust, and I don't think that should
> > hold the project back from adopting it.
> >
> > I am far from a Rust expert, but I think that a more modern, memory-safe
> > language will attract newer contributors who may have a fresher
> > perspective on the project, and I think that's a good thing.
>
> Yes, I think that's true. Rust is by far the most admired programming
> language to work with, according to the 2024 Stack Overflow Developer
> Survey. We will likely attract new contributors who find C intimidating
> or a bit of a hassle[0] but are excited about working on Rust,
> especially in a project as compelling as Git[1].
I am also aligned with allowing Rust into Git. I think the ecosystem has
kind of settled on Rust as the next system-level programming language,
and it does have good interop with C.
I think with the ongoing efforts to reduce our reliance on global state
we should eventually be able to encapsulate more and more of our
subsystems. And once they are neatly encapsulated we would be able to
swap out their respective implementation and plug in a Rust replacement.
Good candidates are for example the reftable library, as I've already
proposed in the past.
> > The alternative, of course, is to continue to use C and not take any
> > dependency on Rust. I think there is a middle-ground in there somewhere
> > to be able to build with (e.g.) "make" or "make RUST=1", but I would
> > really like to see the project take a firmer stance here.
> >
> > I worry that having build support for both "with Rust" and "C only" will
> > create a headache not just at the build system level, but also in the
> > code itself. Having a patchwork of features, optimizations, or bug fixes
> > that either are or aren't supported depending on whether Rust support
> > was specified at build-time seems like a worst-of-all-worlds outcome.
>
> I definitely agree. I already find it terribly inconvenient when I end
> up when `git grep` doesn't support `-P` and I imagine that having lots
> of features that weren't available would be bothersome.
>
> I also think that using a combination of C and Rust will end up with us
> still writing a lot of unsafe Rust code to interoperate with C. If we
> want to reap the benefits in terms of memory and thread safety[2], we'll
> be better off sticking with just Rust.
>
> I will also say that while it may be more challenging to compile Git at
> first on Windows, as we move more towards an all-Rust codebase, Git may
> end up being easier to maintain there as we depend more on the standard
> library.
Fully agreed. I've said so at the last contributors summit, but I think
it would become awfully unmaintainable if we retain two implementations
of every subsystem that we convert to Rust. If we decide to use Rust I
would strongly advocate for going all-in.
Patrick
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2025-07-22 12:21 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 206+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2025-07-17 20:32 [PATCH 0/7] RFC: Accelerate xdiff and begin its rustification Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 1/7] xdiff: introduce rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 21:30 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-17 21:54 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-17 22:39 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 23:15 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-23 21:57 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-23 22:26 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-28 19:11 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-31 22:37 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-22 22:02 ` Mike Hommey
2025-07-22 23:52 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-17 22:38 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 2/7] xdiff/xprepare: remove superfluous forward declarations Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 22:41 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 3/7] xdiff: delete unnecessary fields from xrecord_t and xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 4/7] xdiff: make fields of xrecord_t Rust friendly Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 22:46 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-17 23:13 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-17 23:37 ` Elijah Newren
2025-07-18 0:23 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 0:21 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 13:35 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-28 19:34 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-28 19:52 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-28 20:14 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-31 14:20 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-31 20:58 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-01 9:14 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-28 20:53 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-28 20:00 ` Collin Funk
2025-07-20 1:39 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 5/7] xdiff: separate parsing lines from hashing them Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 22:59 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 13:34 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 6/7] xdiff: conditionally use Rust's implementation of xxhash Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 23:29 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 19:00 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-31 21:13 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-02 7:53 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-07-19 21:53 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-07-20 10:14 ` Phillip Wood
2025-09-23 9:57 ` gitoxide-compatible licensing of Git's Rust code, was " Johannes Schindelin
2025-09-23 17:48 ` Jeff King
2025-09-24 13:48 ` Phillip Wood
2025-09-25 2:25 ` Jeff King
2025-09-25 5:42 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-26 10:06 ` Phillip Wood
2025-10-03 3:18 ` Jeff King
2025-10-03 9:51 ` Phillip Wood
2025-10-07 9:11 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-11-17 13:37 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-10-05 5:32 ` Yee Cheng Chin
2025-07-17 20:32 ` [PATCH 7/7] github_workflows: install rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-07-17 21:23 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-18 23:01 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-25 23:56 ` Ben Knoble
2025-07-19 21:54 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-07-17 21:51 ` [PATCH 0/7] RFC: Accelerate xdiff and begin its rustification brian m. carlson
2025-07-17 22:25 ` Taylor Blau
2025-07-18 0:29 ` brian m. carlson
2025-07-22 12:21 ` Patrick Steinhardt [this message]
2025-07-22 15:56 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-22 16:03 ` Sam James
2025-07-22 21:37 ` Elijah Newren
2025-07-22 21:55 ` Sam James
2025-07-22 22:08 ` Collin Funk
2025-07-18 9:23 ` Christian Brabandt
2025-07-18 16:26 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-19 0:32 ` Elijah Newren
2025-07-18 13:34 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-18 21:25 ` Eli Schwartz
2025-07-19 0:48 ` Haelwenn (lanodan) Monnier
2025-07-22 12:21 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-22 14:24 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-22 15:14 ` Eli Schwartz
2025-07-22 15:56 ` Sam James
2025-07-23 4:32 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-24 9:01 ` Pierre-Emmanuel Patry
2025-07-24 10:00 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-07-28 9:06 ` Pierre-Emmanuel Patry
2025-07-18 14:38 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-18 21:56 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-07-21 10:14 ` Phillip Wood
2025-07-21 18:33 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-07-19 21:53 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-07-20 8:45 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 00/17] " Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 01/17] doc: add a policy for using Rust brian m. carlson via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 17:03 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-08-15 21:31 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-16 8:06 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-08-19 2:06 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 02/17] xdiff: introduce rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 03/17] xdiff/xprepare: remove superfluous forward declarations Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 04/17] xdiff: delete unnecessary fields from xrecord_t and xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 05/17] xdiff: make fields of xrecord_t Rust friendly Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 06/17] xdiff: separate parsing lines from hashing them Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 07/17] xdiff: conditionally use Rust's implementation of xxhash Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 08/17] github workflows: install rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 09/17] Do support Windows again after requiring Rust Johannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 17:12 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-08-15 21:48 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 22:11 ` Johannes Schindelin
2025-08-15 23:37 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-15 23:37 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-16 8:53 ` Matthias Aßhauer
2025-08-17 15:57 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-19 2:22 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 10/17] win+Meson: allow for xdiff to be compiled with MSVC Johannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 11/17] win+Meson: do allow linking with the Rust-built xdiff Johannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 12/17] github workflows: define rust versions and targets in the same place Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 13/17] github workflows: upload Cargo.lock Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 14/17] xdiff: implement a white space iterator in Rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 15/17] xdiff: create line_hash() and line_equal() Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 16/17] xdiff: optimize case where --ignore-cr-at-eol is the only whitespace flag Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 1:22 ` [PATCH v2 17/17] xdiff: use rust's version of whitespace processing Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-15 15:07 ` [-SPAM-] [PATCH v2 00/17] RFC: Accelerate xdiff and begin its rustification Ramsay Jones
2025-08-19 2:00 ` Elijah Newren
2025-08-24 16:52 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-18 22:31 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-18 23:52 ` Ben Knoble
2025-08-19 1:52 ` Elijah Newren
2025-08-19 9:47 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 00/15] RFC: Cleanup " Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 01/15] doc: add a policy for using Rust brian m. carlson via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 02/15] xdiff: introduce rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 13:43 ` rsbecker
2025-08-23 14:26 ` Kristoffer Haugsbakk
2025-08-23 15:06 ` rsbecker
2025-08-23 18:30 ` Elijah Newren
2025-08-23 19:24 ` brian m. carlson
2025-08-23 20:04 ` rsbecker
2025-08-23 20:36 ` Sam James
2025-08-23 21:17 ` Haelwenn (lanodan) Monnier
2025-08-27 1:57 ` Taylor Blau
2025-08-27 14:39 ` rsbecker
2025-08-27 17:06 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-27 17:15 ` rsbecker
2025-08-27 20:12 ` Taylor Blau
2025-08-27 20:22 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-09-02 11:16 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-02 11:30 ` Sam James
2025-09-02 17:27 ` brian m. carlson
2025-09-02 18:47 ` Sam James
2025-09-03 18:22 ` Collin Funk
2025-09-03 5:40 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-03 16:22 ` Ramsay Jones
2025-09-03 22:10 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-09-03 22:48 ` Josh Steadmon
2025-09-04 11:10 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-04 15:45 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-09-05 8:23 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-04 0:57 ` brian m. carlson
2025-09-04 11:39 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-04 13:53 ` Sam James
2025-09-05 3:55 ` Elijah Newren
2025-09-04 23:17 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-09-05 3:54 ` Elijah Newren
2025-09-05 6:50 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-07 4:10 ` Elijah Newren
2025-09-07 16:09 ` rsbecker
2025-09-08 10:12 ` Phillip Wood
2025-09-08 15:32 ` rsbecker
2025-09-08 15:10 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-09-08 15:41 ` rsbecker
2025-09-08 15:31 ` Elijah Newren
2025-09-08 15:36 ` rsbecker
2025-09-08 16:13 ` Elijah Newren
2025-09-08 17:01 ` rsbecker
2025-09-08 6:40 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-05 10:31 ` Phillip Wood
2025-09-05 11:32 ` Sam James
2025-09-05 13:14 ` Phillip Wood
2025-09-05 13:23 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-09-05 15:37 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-09-08 6:40 ` Patrick Steinhardt
2025-08-23 14:29 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 03/15] github workflows: install rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 04/15] win+Meson: do allow linking with the Rust-built xdiff Johannes Schindelin via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 05/15] github workflows: upload Cargo.lock Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 06/15] ivec: create a vector type that is interoperable between C and Rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 8:12 ` Kristoffer Haugsbakk
2025-08-23 9:29 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-23 16:14 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-23 16:37 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-23 18:05 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-23 20:29 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-25 19:16 ` Elijah Newren
2025-08-26 5:40 ` Junio C Hamano
2025-08-24 13:31 ` Ben Knoble
2025-08-25 20:40 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-26 13:30 ` D. Ben Knoble
2025-08-26 18:47 ` Ezekiel Newren
2025-08-26 22:01 ` brian m. carlson
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 07/15] xdiff/xprepare: remove superfluous forward declarations Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 08/15] xdiff: delete unnecessary fields from xrecord_t and xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 09/15] xdiff: make fields of xrecord_t Rust friendly Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 10/15] xdiff: use one definition for freeing xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 11/15] xdiff: replace chastore with an ivec in xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 12/15] xdiff: delete nrec field from xdfile_t Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 13/15] xdiff: delete recs " Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 14/15] xdiff: make xdfile_t more rust friendly Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
2025-08-23 3:55 ` [PATCH v3 15/15] xdiff: implement xdl_trim_ends() in Rust Ezekiel Newren via GitGitGadget
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2025-07-25 23:53 [PATCH 0/7] RFC: Accelerate xdiff and begin its rustification Ben Knoble
2025-07-25 23:53 Ben Knoble
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