Debian's Apt Will Soon Begin Requiring Rust: Ports Need to Adapt or Be Sunset

6 months ago

Debian's APT tool will require a Rust compiler starting no earlier than May 2026.
This change is due to benefits in memory safety and unit testing in parts of the APT codebase.
Debian ports on architectures like m68k, HPPA, SH4, and Alpha must adapt by adding Rust support or face sunsetting.
Port maintainers have a 6-month deadline to ensure Rust toolchain availability or discontinue their ports.
The move aims to modernize Debian's tooling without being constrained by outdated hardware support.

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