Microsoft has elevated Rust to Tier-1 language status for internal development, putting it alongside C++, C#, and TypeScript as one of the company’s best-supported programming languages.
For reference, Tier-1 here is Microsoft’s internal label, not a Rust Project support tier. For Microsoft teams, this means they no longer have to set up their own development and production tools for Rust. Now, Microsoft offers a clear process that covers everything from writing code to shipping and maintaining it.
This support includes secure builds of the Rust compiler and toolchain, standard development tools, CI and quality workflows, integration with Microsoft platforms, and the security and compliance steps needed for internal software.
So, while Microsoft engineers have already been using Rust for some time, Tier-1 status is important because it turns Rust into a fully supported option rather than something individual teams need to accommodate largely on their own.
Microsoft reports that Rust is now used in many types of software, such as firmware, drivers, kernels, hypervisors, microservices, and applications. Still, C++ is deeply rooted in the company after many years, so both languages will continue to be used together in many projects.
A key part of making Rust and C++ work together is a Microsoft project called rustc_codegen_utc, which offers another way by linking the Rust compiler directly to the code-generation backend used by Microsoft’s MSVC toolchain on Windows.
This means Rust can work with Windows tools and its ABI, security features, debugging, crash-dump analysis, profiling, diagnostics, code coverage, hotpatching, and optimization. It also lets Microsoft use a shared foundation for projects with both Rust and C++, instead of keeping separate versions of these features.
This is especially important for large Windows projects, where replacing C++ completely is not practical or always wanted. Microsoft expects many systems to use both Rust and C++ for years, so making them work well together is a key part of its Rust plans.
Importantly, this is not just an experiment. Microsoft says rustc_codegen_utc has been ready for production since early 2026 and has been able to compile itself since Rust 1.90. Currently, over 100 Microsoft project repositories use this backend, and more are starting to adopt it.
On top of that, the company has also set up secure supply-chain processes for the Rust compiler, standard library, and related tools, plus integration with local development, production pipelines, and common security, quality, and compliance workflows.
Finally, Microsoft plans to support Rust throughout the full software lifecycle, from getting and building the toolchain to deploying, servicing, and maintaining Rust software over time.
For more details, see the post on the Rust Foundation blog.
Who cares?
With rust:
> I cant compile large source code in just few second.
> I cant use only “make” to compile.
> I cant avoid typing “fn” or “let”, which for me it is really annoying.
> Etc.
Linux made rust a official part of kernel.
Linux Kernel 7.0 officially makes Rust support a permanent part of the kernel infrastructure, moving from experimental to stable, which enhances memory safety and reduces bugs in kernel modules. This change allows developers to write drivers in Rust, improving overall system security.