How to Install Rust on Ubuntu (the Easy Way)

Rust is fast, safe, and backed by a vibrant community. Whether you’re systems-level hacker or simply curious, Ubuntu’s a perfect playground. Follow these steps and you’ll be compiling “Hello, world!” before your coffee’s cold.

What You’ll Need

• Ubuntu 18.04 or later (tested on 20.04/22.04/24.04)
• A user account with sudo rights
• A working internet connection
• Basic familiarity with the terminal

1. Update Your System

Open a terminal and run:

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

This ensures you have the latest package lists and security patches.

2. Install Prerequisites

Rust’s installer uses curl and will compile code, so make sure you’ve got what you need:

sudo apt install curl build-essential -y

• curl: fetches the Rust installer
• build-essential: provides gcc, make, and other compilers

3. Download and Run the Rustup Installer

Rust’s official toolchain manager is rustup. One command does it all:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

• ––proto and ––tlsv1.2 force secure downloads
• -sSf silences progress but fails loudly on errors

When prompted, type 1 (the default) to install the stable toolchain and configure your PATH automatically.

4. Load Rust into Your Shell

Either close and reopen your terminal—or source the environment file:

source $HOME/.cargo/env

This adds Cargo (Rust’s package manager) and rustc (the compiler) to your PATH.

5. Verify the Installation

Quick sanity check:

rustc --version
cargo --version

You should see something like:

rustc 1.78.0 (protected-penguin 2025-05-01)
cargo 1.78.0 (abcdef123 2025-05-01)

If you do, you’re officially Rust-y.

6. Keep Rust Up to Date

Rust evolves fast. Update your toolchain any time with:

rustup update

This fetches and installs the latest stable compiler and Cargo.

7. Uninstalling Rust

Changed your mind? Remove everything cleanly:

rustup self uninstall

Follow the prompts to purge Rust and all related files.

Next Steps

• Create a new project:

cargo new hello-rust
cd hello-rust
cargo run

• Explore crates.io: thousands of community libraries
• Read “The Rust Book”: free, online, and packed with examples

Rust on Ubuntu takes less than five minutes to install—and once you’ve got it, you’re set for years of safe, high-performance coding. Happy hacking!

Feel free to drop this entire post into a Markdown block on your WordPress site. The code samples will render perfectly, and readers can copy-and-paste without missing a beat.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!