Overview of Rustler Precompiled for Efficient NIF Usage

Philip Sampaio details the Rustler Precompiled project, which enables the use of precompiled native implemented functions (NIFs) in Elixir projects. The article explains the significance of Rust for systems programming within the BEAM ecosystem and introduces Rustler as an easy-to-use bridge between Rust and Elixir/Erlang. Rustler Precompiled addresses the challenges of requiring a Rust toolchain to compile native code by providing precompiled NIFs that can be downloaded and validated using checksums. Sampaio discusses the setup and workflow involved in using Rustler Precompiled, including the use of the 'cross' tool for cross-compilation and the CI server's role in precompiling NIFs for multiple targets. The article emphasizes the time-saving benefits, such as significantly reduced compilation times for projects like html5ever and Explorer. It also touches upon versioning, integrity checks, and special configurations for Nerves projects, offering detailed guidance for package developers on publishing and using Rustler Precompiled.