2. Getting Started - Rust for Java Programmers

Getting Started

What you’ll learn: How to install Rust, create the first project, and map the Cargo workflow to what Java developers know from Maven or Gradle.

Difficulty: 🟢 Beginner

Install the Toolchain

Use rustup to install Rust and manage toolchains:

winget install Rustlang.Rustup
rustup default stable
rustc --version
cargo --version

The Java analogy is a mix of JDK installer plus SDK manager, except Rust keeps the toolchain story much tighter.

Create the First Project

cargo new hello-rust
cd hello-rust
cargo run

That single command sequence creates the project, compiles it, and runs it.

Cargo vs Maven / Gradle

Task	Java habit	Rust habit
initialize project	`gradle init` or archetype	`cargo new`
compile	`mvn package` or `gradle build`	`cargo build`
run tests	`mvn test` or `gradle test`	`cargo test`
run app	plugin task	`cargo run`
add dependency	edit build file	`cargo add crate_name`

First Program

fn main() {
    println!("Hello, Rust!");
}

There is no class wrapper, no public static void main, and no object ceremony around the entry point.

Reading Arguments

fn main() {
    let args: Vec<String> = std::env::args().collect();
    println!("{args:?}");
}

For anything beyond trivial parsing, use clap.

The Three Commands to Memorize

cargo check
cargo test
cargo run

cargo check is especially valuable for new Rust developers because it gives fast feedback without producing a final binary.

Advice

Install rust-analyzer in the editor immediately.
Prefer cargo check during rapid iteration.
Keep the first project small; ownership is easier to learn on tiny programs.

Once Cargo and the compiler stop feeling foreign, the rest of Rust becomes much easier to approach.

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Rust for Java Programmers