The Rust Foundation, which supports the development of the popular open-source Rust programming language, today shared that Google LLC had made a $1 million contribution specifically earmarked for a C++/Rust interoperability effort known as the “Interop Initiative.”

The initiative aims to foster seamless integration between Rust and the widely used C++ programming language, addressing one of the significant barriers to Rust’s adoption in legacy systems entrenched in C++ code. Rust has the ability to prevent common memory errors that plague C++ programs and offers a path toward more secure and reliable software systems. However, transitioning from C++ to Rust presents notable challenges, particularly for organizations with extensive C++ codebases.

The Interop Initiative seeks to mitigate these challenges by facilitating smoother transitions and enabling organizations to leverage Rust’s advantages without completely overhauling their existing systems.

As part of the initiative, the Rust Foundation will collaborate closely with the Rust Project Leadership Council, stakeholders and member organizations to develop a comprehensive scope of work. The collaborative effort will focus on enhancing build system integration, exploring artificial intelligence-assisted code conversion techniques and expanding upon existing interoperability frameworks. By addressing these strategic areas, the initiative aims to accelerate the adoption of Rust across the software industry and hence contribute to advancing memory safety and reducing the prevalence of software vulnerabilities.

Google said its investment in the Rust Foundation’s Interop Initiative is part of its commitment to software security and open-source innovation. Google joined the Rust Foundation in 2021 and has since demonstrated its support for Rust through various contributions and by integrating the language into its Android platform and other projects.

The latest contribution reinforces Google’s dedication to enhancing the software ecosystem and signals a significant vote of confidence in Rust’s role in shaping the future of secure software development.

“Google believes in the critical role that memory-safe languages like Rust play and the urgent need to address memory safety in a variety of domains,” Lars Bergstrom, Rust Foundation board chair and member director for Google, commented ahead of the announcement. “We are supporting the Rust Foundation’s Interop Initiative because greater interoperability with C++ will be key to Rust’s adoption and allow for more organizations and communities to benefit from memory-safe systems.”

Previous Rust Foundation programs include its Security Initiative, an effort to advance security within the Rust ecosystem. The foundation released a report on the initiative’s progress in July, noting that it had achieved significant milestones, including substantial progress toward a comprehensive security audit of the Rust ecosystem.

Image: Rust Foundation