Exploring the Rustler Library for Elixir and Rust Integration

Sonny Scroggin, a member of the Rustler core team, joins hosts Sundi Myint and Charles Suggs to discuss the Rustler library, which enables Elixir developers to integrate Rust code and utilize its performance benefits within their applications. The episode covers the advantages of using Native Implemented Functions (NIFs) in Rust, particularly for CPU-intensive tasks, while also addressing important considerations like memory safety, scheduling interactions, and error handling when interfacing with native code. Sonny highlights the unique capabilities of Elixir and the BEAM virtual machine, emphasizing that while Rust can enhance performance, it does not replace Elixir's flexibility in distributed systems. The conversation also delves into future Rustler improvements, asynchronous programming, and best practices for leveraging Rust within the Elixir ecosystem.