Why Linus Torvalds Calls C++ a ‘Crap Language’ and Backs Rust for the Linux Kernel

Linus Torvalds has returned with his characteristic bluntness, this time targeting C++ while expressing support for Rust’s inclusion in the Linux kernel.

After a recent RFC to add Rust support was submitted, Linus initially responded cautiously, noting that Rust support would likely not be merged until version 5.14. However, when he saw developers suggesting C++ as an alternative, his temper flared.

He laughed and mocked C++, calling it "a very bad language" and "a piece of trash". Over the past decade, Linus has consistently criticized C++, describing it as useless and harmful compared to C.

He recalled a 2007 incident where a developer complained about the kernel’s pure C code, which Linus dismissed as nonsense. More recently, a comment on Linux Weekly News suggested using C++ instead of Rust, prompting Linus to retort that C++ cannot solve the problems C faces and only makes things worse.

Linus emphasized that while garbage‑collected languages can simplify programming, they are unsuitable for low‑level system work, reinforcing his preference for C and his belief that Rust offers memory safety without the drawbacks of C++.

Community reactions varied: some defended C++ as a powerful language, while others agreed with Linus’s view that each language has its own strengths and limitations.

References:

https://developers.slashdot.org/story/21/04/17/009241/linus-torvalds-says-rust-closer-for-linux-kernel-development-calls-c-a-crap-language#comments

https://lwn.net/Articles/852758/

Compiled by Zheng Liyuan, originally published on CSDN.