Setting up your development environment

Originally published on php2rust.dev — part of the PHP to Rust course. View this lesson on the original site.

In addition to the Rust compiler, you'll need a text editor or integrated development environment (IDE) to write and edit Rust code. A good IDE enhances productivity with features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging support.

The most popular options for Rust development include the following:

• Visual Studio Code (VS Code): A lightweight and highly customizable code editor with excellent Rust support via extensions
• RustRover: A powerful, full-featured IDE specifically designed for Rust development, offering deep code analysis, refactoring tools, and seamless Cargo integration
• Neovim: A customizable, terminal-based editor with Rust support via plugins

What's next

We recommend Setting up VS Code for Rust (recommended) next, then writing your first Rust program in Hello Rust.

From PHP to Rust — Getting Started with Rust