How Questing Quokka (25.10) Ushers a New Era of Rust-Based Tools

Introduction: A New Chapter for Ubuntu

Ubuntu 25.10, affectionately codenamedQuesting Quokka, represents more than just the latest iteration of Canonical’s flagship Linux distribution. It marks a decisive step towards modernizing the foundation of Ubuntu by integratingRust, a systems programming language renowned for its safety, performance, and modern design. This bold move signals Canonical’s commitment to security, reliability, and future-proofing its desktop and server operating systems.

The release of Questing Quokka aligns with a growing trend across the Linux ecosystem: embracing Rust as a key technology for building low-level components. But what does this mean for Ubuntu users and developers? Let’s explore the significance of this change, what tools are being rewritten or introduced in Rust, and how this positions Ubuntu for the future.

Why Rust? The Language of Safety and Speed

For decades, core components of Linux distributions—including Ubuntu—have been written predominantly inC. While C offers unmatched control and performance, it also exposes developers to a range of memory-related errors: buffer overflows, use-after-free bugs, and data races, to name a few. These flaws are among the leading causes of vulnerabilities that compromise system security.

Rust was designed specifically to address these issues. It offers:

• Memory safety without garbage collection: Rust’s ownership model and borrow checker ensure that memory errors are caught at compile time.

• Fearless concurrency: Developers can write multithreaded code that’s safe by default.

• Modern tooling and ecosystem: A robust package manager (Cargo), modern build tooling, and vibrant community support.

Ubuntu is not alone in recognizing Rust’s advantages. TheLinux kernel itself has started to accept Rust code, with drivers and modules being prototyped in Rust to enhance safety. Projects likeGNOME,System76’s COSMIC desktop, and various networking utilities have already begun leveraging Rust.

By adopting Rust-based tools, Canonical is aligning Ubuntu with this broader movement—ushering in a future where critical system software is both fast and secure.

Rust-Based Tools in Ubuntu 25.10: What’s New?

Questing Quokka introduces several low-level utilities rewritten or newly developed in Rust. These tools aim to replace legacy C-based components where memory safety is crucial. Although Canonical has not (at the time of writing) published an exhaustive list, early reports and developer discussions suggest:

• Device management helpers inspired byudev, reimagined in Rust for cleaner, safer hardware event handling.

• Startup and system initialization helpers where small Rust daemons or tools assist or augmentsystemd components.

These utilities are designed to be drop-in replacements—meaning end users shouldn’t notice functional differences, but will benefit from improved stability and security.

Canonical has long prioritized Ubuntu’s reputation as a secure platform. Rust is a natural fit for security-sensitive tools. In Ubuntu 25.10:

• Sandboxing helpers written in Rust provide stronger isolation with lower risk of memory vulnerabilities.

• Privilege separation utilities leverage Rust’s guarantees to minimize attack surfaces.

Whileapt itself remains in C/C++, experimental Rust-based modules have appeared to assist:

• Dependency resolution helpers

• Repository metadata verifiers

These components operate behind the scenes, but their adoption represents a cautious, modular integration of Rust into essential package management processes.

What This Means for Users

For Ubuntu’s millions of desktop, server, and cloud users, Rust’s adoption brings peace of mind. Memory-safe Rust code eliminates entire classes of vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of crashes, privilege escalations, and remote code execution exploits.

Rust’s zero-cost abstractions mean these new tools are as fast—or faster—than their C predecessors. Users may notice:

• Quicker device initialization on boot

• Faster package metadata verification

• Lower resource consumption by background daemons

By embracing Rust now, Canonical ensures that Ubuntu remains a leading-edge Linux distribution. Rust’s expanding role across open source projects means Ubuntu will enjoy better integration, faster adoption of new technologies, and sustained developer interest.

Challenges Ahead

No transition is without hurdles. Canonical and the wider Ubuntu community face several challenges in making Rust a core part of Ubuntu:

Not all Ubuntu contributors are familiar with Rust. Training, documentation, and mentorship will be key to expanding the pool of developers who can work on these new components.

Introducing Rust toolchains into Ubuntu’s build infrastructure means managing dependencies carefully. Canonical must ensure Rust tools integrate smoothly with existing C/C++ components without bloating installation images or introducing conflicts.

Canonical is taking a measured approach, ensuring that Rust-based toolscoexist with existing utilities or replace them in a way that maintains backward compatibility. This cautious rollout minimizes the risk of breaking scripts, workflows, or user expectations.

Community Collaboration: Building Together

Ubuntu’s Rust journey isn’t happening in isolation. Canonical is collaborating with:

• Upstream Rust projects, contributing patches and feedback.

• The Linux kernel community, aligning tool interfaces and standards.

• Other distributions like Fedora and openSUSE, sharing lessons learned from early Rust tool deployments.

Canonical is also inviting theUbuntu community to participate: test Rust tools, report bugs, and contribute code.

Looking Beyond Questing Quokka

Ubuntu 25.10 is a starting point, not the destination. Rust’s role in Ubuntu will likely expand in future releases:

• Broader adoption innetworking utilities,firewall components, andsystem monitoring tools.

• Potential Rust rewrites of legacy daemons where memory safety and concurrency are critical.

• Closer integration withRust-based drivers in the Linux kernel.

Questing Quokka’s Rust tools serve as a foundation upon which Ubuntu can build a more secure, resilient operating system for years to come.

Conclusion: A Bold Step into the Future

The inclusion of Rust-based tools in Ubuntu 25.10Questing Quokka represents a significant milestone—not just for Canonical, but for the Linux ecosystem at large. By weaving Rust into the fabric of Ubuntu, Canonical is embracing a language designed for the challenges of modern computing: security, performance, and reliability.

For users, this means a safer, faster Ubuntu. For developers, it signals exciting opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge tools. And for the Linux world, it shows that Ubuntu continues to evolve, innovate, and lead.

George Whittaker is the editor of Linux Journal, and also a regular contributor. George has been writing about technology for two decades, and has been a Linux user for over 15 years. In his free time he enjoys programming, reading, and gaming.