Debian Linux is Adopting Rust to Replace C/C++ in APT

[Datapioneer]

Is everyone aware that the tried and true stable Debian Linux distro has officially adopted Rust into its APT (Advanced Package Tool) package management platform which will be implemented in May, 2026.

Since Debian is a root distro for many other Linux distros in the Wild, including Ubuntu, AntiX, and MX Linux to name only a few, this is a rather alarming shakeup in the Linux World. Architectural structures other than X86_64 and ARM that will be able to accommodate Rust into the kernel and APT must implement Rust within 6 months of the May, 2026 date or be forced to terminate its use of Debian altogether.

Personally, I use MX Linux 23.2 as my daily driver and so implementing Rust into that distro won't be a big deal and, in fact, will likely go unnoticed. 

What do others think of this announcement by the main developer of APT in Debian? I have added a link to a video that discusses this implementation in greater detail. Let us know what you think.

Dan C.

[Cristopher De La Cruz]

I don't understand the rush to force Rust onto everything so quickly?

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[Bill Jacqmein]

It is being pushed as the most secure thing ever -
https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/urgent-need-memory-safety-software-products

PaulSecurityWeekly
(https://www.scworld.com/podcast-episode/3709-cybersecurity-is-dead-psw-898#full-show-notes)
had a story about UEFI going over to Rust
(https://opendevicepartnership.github.io/patina/) and all of the
current deployments that will never upgrade that deeply.

For Rust opinion - The memory attacks become unavailable but the logic
flaws will still be there for exploitation.

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[Dan Stoner]

Rust became an officially supported Linux kernel language in 2022 with
kernel 6.1. I think that is the event that really started giving Rust
credibility and momentum.

Rust has been around for more than a decade though.

- Dan Stoner

On Wed, Nov 5, 2025 at 6:47 PM Cristopher De La Cruz
<cristop...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

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[Bill Jacqmein]

I remember a time when everything was going to be written in Erlang.

I think Rust has more staying power but there is always the next new
thing and C as the choices.

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[Olivia Sculley]

>I remember a time when everything was going to be written in Erlang.

Oh don't worry, that time's coming, except it'll be elixir >:D

[Bill Jacqmein]

That is fair, it takes about 10 years for a programming language to get going.
Functional languages also dont get as much interest as they should.

[Crow]

My biggest issue is this trend to rewrite battle tested code in Rust, it's already caused a compatibility issue with the `du` and `sort` commands on the latest rust rewrite of coreutils.

I'd much rather see Rust being used to create new things instead of going back and redoing already fine code.

[Brian Masinick]

RE: "My biggest issue is this trend to rewrite battle tested code in Rust, it's already caused a compatibility issue with the `du` and `sort` commands on the latest rust rewrite of coreutils.

I'd much rather see Rust being used to create new things instead of going back and redoing already fine code."

I really question, as you do, writing a lot of stuff in Rust.  On a few of my systems, particularly Lenovo models, which have a tendency to "heat up", programs written in Rust really do a number on them.  My most current system, a Thinkpad T14 Gen 3 (AMD based) is somewhat more recent and it does okay, but I can still notice this.  I have a really nice, but OLD Thinkpad X201 - that beast doesn't need to run ANY Rust programs; as long as it uses C, Bash, C++, Java, etc. it does just fine.  Use Go or Rust and the heat can quickly approach max limits so to allow systems to have a really good, long life Go and Rust are NO-GO items for me!

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Brian Masinick

[Vaughan Schmidt]

Speaking of rewriting things in Rust:

https://www.phoronix.com/news/sudo-rs-security-ubuntu-25.10

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