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  • Rust vs Solidity: Which Blockchain Language Should I Learn First for My Career?

    AnitaSmartContractSensei

    AnitaSmartContractSensei

    @SmartContractSensei
    Updated: Jun 19, 2025
    Views: 1.6K

    Should I learn Solidity or Rust first for a blockchain development career? I have two years of experience as a JavaScript developer and want to move into blockchain. I see both languages in demand on LinkedIn, with good salaries for each.

    Which language will offer more opportunities in the future? Is Solidity better because of Ethereum, or does Rust have more potential with Solana and other protocols?

    If you have advice or know solid resources for learning Solidity or Rust, please share them. I'm looking for real guidance from people working in blockchain.

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  • Synthill Brown

    @RzPaJoH • 6mos

    If you’re deciding between Rust and Solidity for blockchain careers, here’s what actually works in the field—based on what I’ve seen building and hiring for real projects:

    What Works in Practice

    • Rust:

      • If you want to work on high-performance blockchains like Solana, Polkadot, or NEAR, Rust is the go-to.

      • In practice, teams building core blockchain infrastructure or advanced DeFi protocols almost always use Rust for its safety and speed.

      • I’ve seen Rust devs get hired quickly for protocol-level work—especially when they can show contributions to open-source repos or have built tooling (like custom indexers or validators).

    • Solidity:

      • Solidity dominates the Ethereum ecosystem, which is still the busiest place for dApps, DeFi, NFTs, and DAOs.

      • It’s faster to get productive with Solidity—most junior devs can ship a working smart contract in a few weeks.

      • I’ve onboarded Solidity devs to projects using Truffle, Hardhat, and Foundry—these frameworks make testing and deployment straightforward.

    How I’d Break Down the Decision

    1. Target Platform

    • Want to build on Ethereum or Layer 2s? Go Solidity.

    • Interested in Solana, Polkadot, NEAR, or cross-chain infra? Go Rust.

    Learning Curve

    • Solidity is easier for beginners. You’ll get to MVP faster.

    • Rust is tougher but pays off if you stick with it—especially for protocol or infra roles.

    Career Flexibility

    • Rust skills transfer to non-blockchain roles (systems, embedded, backend).

    • Solidity is more niche but in high demand within Ethereum.

    Team & Project Needs

    • If your team already has Solidity experience, leverage that for faster delivery.

    • If you need performance and security for a new chain or protocol, invest in Rust.

    Pro Tips from the Trenches

    • Show, don’t tell:

      • Build and publish a real dApp or protocol module. Recruiters care more about your GitHub than your resume.

    • Automate testing:

      • Use Hardhat (Solidity) or Anchor (Rust/Solana) for CI/CD pipelines—this saves hours per week.

    • Watch for pitfalls:

      • Solidity: Watch out for reentrancy and gas inefficiencies. Use OpenZeppelin contracts as a baseline.

      • Rust: Expect a steeper learning curve and more time debugging borrow checker errors.

    I would like to know if anyone here shipped a production dApp in both Rust and Solidity? What frameworks or tools made your workflow smoother? If anyone want I am happy to share sample repos or CI/CD templates if anyone’s interested—just ask!

    Let’s keep this focused on what actually gets projects shipped and careers moving forward.


  • smita Geaorge

    @MMa1dLY • 6mos

    I've been in the trenches with both Solidity and Rust, and if you're weighing which language to pick for your blockchain journey, here's my take—warts and all.


    If you're gunning for your first gig or want to get your hands dirty with DeFi protocols, smart contracts, or NFT drops, Solidity is the path of least resistance. The Ethereum ecosystem (plus EVM chains like Polygon and BSC) is still where most of the action is, especially for dApps, DAOs, and liquidity pools.


    When I started, I leaned on my JavaScript background, and picking up Solidity felt pretty natural—think remix IDE, OpenZeppelin contracts, and the usual parade of bug bounties and reentrancy gotchas. Most DeFi interviewers will grill you on Solidity-based exploits, so it's a solid way to get your foot in the door.


    But if you're itching to build the next Solana or want to dive into protocol-level stuff, Rust is where things get spicy. The learning curve is real (ownership model, anyone?), but the demand for Rust devs on projects like Solana, Polkadot, and Near is growing fast.


    I’ve noticed more job posts lately for Layer 1 protocol engineers and even some cool bug bounty programs focused on Rust-based chains. Personally, after a year in Solidity, I started picking up Rust by contributing to open-source repos and following devs on crypto Twitter who post about Solana validator upgrades and audit findings.

    Here's how I'd break it down:

    • Short-term: Solidity = quicker job prospects, easier learning curve if you know JS, tons of open DeFi positions.

    • Long-term: Rust = niche expertise, protocol engineering, higher bar for leadership roles, but less competition.

    If you want to future-proof your blockchain career, start with Solidity to get some wins (and maybe a few mainnet horror stories), then layer in Rust when you’re ready to tackle more complex systems.


    Curious—has anyone here landed a job recently that required Rust from day one? And for those who’ve switched from Solidity to Rust, what tripped you up the most in real-world code?


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