recommended beginner projects in Rust

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Are there any recommended beginner projects in Rust? Something very basic, thank you very much

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I would actually just recommend completing the book thinking of it as your first project. Seriously, it's pretty good. But if you want a more in depth low level intro project you can try this out, by implementing linked lists (I learned by going through this book, I don't remember how I found it :'D )

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Another option

If you already have experience as a programmer (know about CLI, data structures and so on), and prefer to build as you learn, I'd go with

And check out the book when they point you to it.

Note: book has a CLI app, but only on chapter 12 or so.

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If you already wrote some application in other language, for example Python or JavaScript, then you can just rewrite the app in Rust. It's what I did when started learning Rust. Usually, writing CLI app is very boring, so I started using SimpleHTTP to write CGI applications in Rust. It's very easy, especially if you have previous PHP experience. For example, you can write a simple TODO list web application in Rust spending about a week. Certainly Etudes for Programmers is a priceless book, try to find it in the local library and implement some project from it.

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Some idea: you want to surprise your girlfriend or mother with your great success in Rust, but where to start?

extern crate simcolor; // https://github.com/vernisaz/simcolor
use simcolor::{Colorized};
use std::error::Error;
//use std::time::Instant;
//use std::collections::HashMap;

fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
    let height_tree = 12;
    let mut level_width = 1;
    let max_width = 1 + height_tree*2;
    for _ in 1..height_tree {
        let level_fill = "*".repeat(level_width);
        let level_ident = " ".repeat((max_width-level_width)/2);
        level_width +=2;
        println!("{level_ident}{}",level_fill.green().on().color_num(70)) // num color from https://hexdocs.pm/color_palette/color_table.html
    }
    Ok(())
}

Hmm, Christmas tree is great, but where are decorations and gift box under? It will be your first Rust project.

First, you will conclude that printing a Christmas tree with decoration is very complex work, but how can you simplify it?

Avoid direct printing, use a virtual frame buffer, or canvas instead. Let say, it will be an array 100X100.

Implement printing the canvas first, and after you can implement: decorations, as horses, bunnies, candies, and etc. Then you can implement gift boxes, and finally do big banners as Merry Christmas and Happy new 2026 year!

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