6 ms·

Another thing just to mention here is `strip`, which IIRC `cargo build --release` doesn't do by default. I think `stripping` binaries can reduce binary size by

Another thing just to mention here is `strip`, which IIRC `cargo build --release` doesn't do by default. I think `stripping` binaries can reduce binary size by up to 80-85% in some cases (but certainly not all; just tried it locally on a 1M rust binary and got 40% reduction). FWIW, you can configure this in Cargo.toml: [profile.release] strip = true

habibur 3y ago
You can strip C compiled binaries too. And that halves the binary size. The point is for example a hello world Rust binaries is 300kb after striping while C compiled one is 15kb. A difference of 20 times.
- pornel 3y ago
  Such comparison exaggerates the difference, because it’s a one-time constant overhead, not a multiplicative overhead. i.e. all programs are larger by 275KB, not larger by 20x. Rust doesn’t have the privilege of having a system-wide shared stdlib to make hello world executables equally small. The overhead comes from Rust having more complex type-safe printf, and error handling code for when the print fails. C doesn’t handle the print error, and C doesn’t print stack traces on error. Most of that 200KB Rust overhead is a parser for dwarf debug info to print the stack trace.
- Narishma 3y ago
  But C doesn't statically link the standard library by default like Rust does.
  - habibur 3y ago
    Hello world deps for C : linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007fff25cb8000) libc.so.6 => /lib64/libc.so.6 (0x00007fe5f08d9000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007fe5f0ae2000) And for Rust linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffc109f9000) libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib64/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x00007f8eda404000) libc.so.6 => /lib64/libc.so.6 (0x00007f8eda222000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f8eda4a8000) Rather Rust has 1 more dynamically linked library than C.
    - fl0ki 3y ago
      That might be true for Hello World, but libgcc_s is where a lot of builtins for C itself go, so you'll find it ends up linked into a lot of non-trivial C programs as well. See https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Libgcc.html https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Libgcc.html
    - Kamq 3y ago
      You missed the word "statically" in the post you commented on. Dynamically linked libs rarely contribute heavily to binary bloat
      - habibur 3y ago
        The benefit of statically linking becomes moot when it doesn't reduce the number of dynamically linked libraries. That's the point.
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        That's not why rust statically links the runtime. The main benefit is that they don't have to try to design and maintain a stable ABI for it. Which is not moot. More generally, you statically link something to avoid distribution hassles of various kinds, not because you care about the specific number.
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
- estebank 3y ago
  You might be interested in reading https://darkcoding.net/software/a-very-small-rust-binary-indeed/ https://darkcoding.net/software/a-very-small-rust-binary-ind...
nindalf 3y ago
Check out Making Rust binaries smaller by default (https://kobzol.github.io/rust/cargo/2024/01/23/making-rust-binaries-smaller-by-default.html https://kobzol.github.io/rust/cargo/2024/01/23/making-rust-b...). Previously discussed a few weeks ago at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39112486 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39112486. That change will be live on 21st March, so manual strips won't be required after that.

habibur 3y ago

You can strip C compiled binaries too. And that halves the binary size. The point is for example a hello world Rust binaries is 300kb after striping while C compiled one is 15kb. A difference of 20 times.

pornel 3y ago
Such comparison exaggerates the difference, because it’s a one-time constant overhead, not a multiplicative overhead. i.e. all programs are larger by 275KB, not larger by 20x. Rust doesn’t have the privilege of having a system-wide shared stdlib to make hello world executables equally small. The overhead comes from Rust having more complex type-safe printf, and error handling code for when the print fails. C doesn’t handle the print error, and C doesn’t print stack traces on error. Most of that 200KB Rust overhead is a parser for dwarf debug info to print the stack trace.
Narishma 3y ago
But C doesn't statically link the standard library by default like Rust does.
- habibur 3y ago
  Hello world deps for C : linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007fff25cb8000) libc.so.6 => /lib64/libc.so.6 (0x00007fe5f08d9000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007fe5f0ae2000) And for Rust linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffc109f9000) libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib64/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x00007f8eda404000) libc.so.6 => /lib64/libc.so.6 (0x00007f8eda222000) /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f8eda4a8000) Rather Rust has 1 more dynamically linked library than C.
  - fl0ki 3y ago
    That might be true for Hello World, but libgcc_s is where a lot of builtins for C itself go, so you'll find it ends up linked into a lot of non-trivial C programs as well. See https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Libgcc.html https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gccint/Libgcc.html
  - Kamq 3y ago
    You missed the word "statically" in the post you commented on. Dynamically linked libs rarely contribute heavily to binary bloat
    - habibur 3y ago
      The benefit of statically linking becomes moot when it doesn't reduce the number of dynamically linked libraries. That's the point.
      - Dylan16807 3y ago
        That's not why rust statically links the runtime. The main benefit is that they don't have to try to design and maintain a stable ABI for it. Which is not moot. More generally, you statically link something to avoid distribution hassles of various kinds, not because you care about the specific number.
        deleted 3y ago
        [deleted]
estebank 3y ago
You might be interested in reading https://darkcoding.net/software/a-very-small-rust-binary-indeed/ https://darkcoding.net/software/a-very-small-rust-binary-ind...

nindalf 3y ago

Check out Making Rust binaries smaller by default (https://kobzol.github.io/rust/cargo/2024/01/23/making-rust-binaries-smaller-by-default.html https://kobzol.github.io/rust/cargo/2024/01/23/making-rust-b...). Previously discussed a few weeks ago at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39112486 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39112486. That change will be live on 21st March, so manual strips won't be required after that.