Linux stable kernel maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman said the Linux kernel is moving toward the Rust programming language to ensure future success.
This shift is significant because the kernel is the core of the Linux operating system. Integrating a modern language like Rust aims to reduce critical memory safety bugs and attract a new generation of developers to the project.
Kroah-Hartman said these remarks during a keynote titled "Rust and Linux: How the Rust Language is Going to Help Linux Succeed" [2]. The presentation took place in June 2026 [1] at the Open Source Summit India in Mumbai [1].
During the event, Kroah-Hartman said that the safety features and modern capabilities of Rust will improve the overall reliability of the kernel. He said that these changes not only benefit the technical stability of the system but also improve the developer experience by making the process of coding more fun.
The transition is not limited to the kernel alone. Kroah-Hartman said, "the [Linux] kernel is moving toward Rust. Git is moving toward Rust. Lots of projects are starting to move toward Rust."
By adopting Rust, the project seeks to modernize its codebase. The language provides safety guarantees that prevent common programming errors, a critical requirement for software that manages a computer's hardware and resources. This evolution reflects a broader trend in systems programming to move away from languages that lack built-in memory safety.
“the [Linux] kernel is moving toward Rust.”
The transition toward Rust represents a fundamental shift in how the world's most important open-source project manages security and stability. By moving away from a total reliance on C, the Linux community is attempting to eliminate entire classes of memory-related vulnerabilities that have plagued operating systems for decades.
