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> as long as Rust depends on LLVM, it won't fully make it Why won't it? I haven't really used rust or LLVM before, so I am genuinely curious.

• pjmlp 5y ago
  LLVM is written in C++, so any change of Rust compiler that requires changes in the backend requires C++ knowledge, and naturally dependency on a C++ compiler to get the rust compiler binary.
  • DerArzt 5y ago
    Ah, I see what you mean now. The follow up question I have is: so what? Python is an extremely popular language that is built on C/C++. Unless you are a contributor to the rust spec, why would it matter what language the compiler is written in? The way I take it, the rust compiler team can either spend their time trying to get to being self hosted, or they can spend their time making improvements to the language.
    • pjmlp 5y ago
      Because one of the Rust goals is to improve the security landscape and reduce the use of C and C++. It is a bit hard to achieve such goal if improving Rust requires to some extent, to keep writing C++. Naturally some day the compiler might be fully bootstraped, however that implies throwing away the work being done by legions of C++ devs on LLVM (same applies to be front ends being written to plug Rust into GCC).
      • DerArzt 5y ago
        Yeah, it would be nice if the compiler team was dog-fooding, but we need to be pragmatic don't we?
        • pjmlp 5y ago
          Indeed, hence why many need to understand that Rust vs C++ isn't a zero sum game, and any improvements to C++'s own security story are more than welcomed.
          • gmfawcett 5y ago
            Excellent point!