Alberto Riccio

Alberto Riccio

CTO

Why Oktima uses Rust: reliability and security for your applications

Rust logo

In an industrial world where every minute of downtime translates into enormous costs, software reliability is not a luxury, but an absolute necessity. Yet, creating stable, secure, and high-performance embedded applications is a complex challenge. How can you accelerate development without sacrificing quality?

The answer lies in a winning combination: the power of a cutting-edge programming language like Rust and the simplicity of a no-code development platform like Oktima. Let's discover how this synergy is defining the future of industrial applications.

What is Rust and why is it perfect for the industry

Rust is a modern programming language, originally developed at Mozilla and now maintained by the Rust Foundation, with a clear goal: to create safe and performant software for critical systems. In the industrial world, where every second of downtime can cost thousands of euros, these are not just technical features, but real competitive advantages.

Unlike other languages, Rust was designed to prevent entire classes of bugs at compile time. Let's see how its peculiarities meet the challenges of the sector:

  • Error-proof reliability: Rust's compiler performs a rigorous static analysis that detects and prevents, at compile time, common bugs that have historically caused crashes and unpredictable behavior. This approach results in more stable industrial systems, capable of operating uninterrupted for long periods.

  • Memory Safety and Cyber Security: Rust eliminates memory management risks (such as unauthorized access or memory leaks), which are the root of many security vulnerabilities. This, combined with an ownership system that isolates components, makes applications intrinsically more robust against cyber attacks and data manipulation.

  • C++-level performance, without compromise: Rust applications are extremely fast and efficient. There are no unexpected pauses or slowdowns (thanks to the absence of a garbage collector), and the final code is compact, ideal for embedded devices with limited memory and power.

  • Fearless Concurrency: Modern systems perform many tasks simultaneously. Rust simplifies concurrent programming by preventing data races at the compiler level — data access conflicts that lead to chaotic and hard-to-debug behaviors.

This unique combination of safety, performance, and reliability makes Rust the ideal foundation for the next generation of industrial software.

Oktima + Rust: the best of both worlds

If Rust is so powerful, why isn't it used by everyone? Because its learning curve can be steep and requires specific skills. This is where Oktima comes in.

With Oktima, you can create user interfaces through a drag-and-drop visual editor, define business logic using predefined functional blocks, and configure communications with external devices. Once the design is complete, Oktima automatically transforms the project into native Rust code, which is then compiled and linked with the Oktima runtime to create the application binary.

While the user benefits from the simplicity of no-code, it is the "engine" that runs the application, the Rust-written Runtime, that guarantees enterprise-level reliability, performance, and security. This approach ensures all the benefits of the language without needing to write a single line of code.

Oktima implements a smart separation of responsibilities:

  • User Level (No-Code): Intuitive visual interfaces, declarative business logic, simplified configuration, and rapid prototyping.
  • Runtime Level (Rust): Optimized execution, secure memory management, concurrency control, and system-level security.

Practical benefits for your application

This architecture translates into concrete advantages for embedded and industrial applications.

Reduced development time

Engineers can prototype and iterate quickly, focusing on "what" and not "how". What used to require weeks of complex programming can now be done in a few days.

Guaranteed reliability

The Rust runtime eliminates by design entire classes of bugs that have historically plagued embedded systems. Applications are stable and predictable, drastically reducing operational risks.

Simplified maintainability

Changes to business logic are made through the visual editor, quickly and safely, without touching low-level code. This reduces maintenance costs and accelerates adaptation to new requirements.

Streamlined certification

The intrinsic security of the Rust runtime simplifies compliance with industry standards, reducing certification costs for critical applications and accelerating time-to-market.

The global push for "Memory-Safe" languages

The adoption of Rust is not just a technical choice, but a strategic priority supported by the most important government institutions and international organizations to improve global cybersecurity.

1. The US Government and software security

The White House's Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) strongly recommends the adoption of memory-safe languages like Rust to eliminate entire classes of critical vulnerabilities.

Learn more on Linux Security

ONCD Report

2. The "Five Eyes" intelligence agencies

A joint document from CISA, NSA, FBI, and other agencies invites companies to abandon C/C++ in favor of memory-safe languages like Rust, suggesting the creation of roadmaps to accelerate the transition.

Read the news on TechSpot

Five Eyes Report

3. The NIST and the list of safe languages

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has included Rust in its "Safer Languages" list, emphasizing how its ownership model guarantees memory and threading safety without the costs of a garbage collector.

Learn more on the Rust Foundation

NIST Safer Languages

4. The Rust Foundation's Safety-Critical Consortium

In 2024, the Rust Foundation launched a consortium with members like AdaCore, Arm, Toyota, and Ferrous Systems to promote the adoption of Rust in safety-critical environments (avionics, automotive, etc.), developing guidelines and certification tools.

Visit the consortium's website

Conclusion: the future is no-code, the heart is Rust

The combination of Oktima and Rust is not just a technical innovation, but a paradigm shift for embedded development. It makes the power and reliability of an enterprise-grade runtime accessible to everyone, democratizing the creation of professional applications.

With Oktima, it is finally possible to build complex industrial systems without compromising on performance, security, or stability. The future of embedded development is here, and it's simpler, faster, and more reliable than ever.