Mar 4
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Join me as I discusses Ubuntu's journey to gradually replace GNU Coreutils with Rust implementations - addressing the controversies, criticisms, and technical decisions behind this significant transition. Project: https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/ Slides: https://sylvestre.ledru.info/presentations/coreutils-fosdem-2026/ What's Covered: • What are Coreutils and why rewrite them in Rust? • Ubuntu's "carefully but purposefully oxidising" approach • Addressing common criticisms and internet trolls head-on • Real bugs encountered (like the 17x slower issue) and how they were fixed • Testing strategy: 95% GNU test pass rate, 87% code coverage, differential fuzzing • Community contributions: 2054 PRs, 4004 commits by 206 contributors in 2025 • Rollback mechanisms and practical stability measures • Future plans: sed, diffutils, procps, and beyond Key Takeaway: Rewriting /bin/true is easy. Rewriting 30 years of expectations is not. This presentation tackles the heated debates around Rust adoption in critical Linux infrastructure with concrete data, real-world experience, and a pragmatic approach to managing risk. Speaker: Sylvestre Ledru Event: FOSDEM 2026 Previous talks: FOSDEM 2023 & 2025 on Rust Coreutils Perfect for developers interested in Rust, Linux distributions, systems programming, and the real-world challenges of modernizing critical infrastructure.