Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Who organizes the Rustc Reading Club?
doc-jones and nikomatsakis.
Why not record?
Important that people feel able to ask whatever question they want without that being posted.
This is not the kind of event you want to watch anyway, trust me, it's not going to be a coherent presentation.
What level of experience should I have to attend?
You should be reasonably familiar with Rust syntax. You don't have to be an expert on every corner of the language (although learning about the compiler can definitely help to make you an expert).
Familiarity with compiler concepts is helpful but not required. Experience with rustc is of course also helpful but not required. Feel free to ask questions if people are using compiler or rustc jargon that you don't understand!
That said, we do want to say something up front: if you're not familiar with rustc already, you will definitely have a "jumping into the deep end of the pool" feeling. That's ok -- and guess what, even the people who are familiar with rustc will feel that from time to time. Stick it out, ask questions, and you should learn a lot.
I don't understand how rustc works, should I be scared to attend?
No, you should not. The whole point of this club is for all of us to learn how rustc works together!
I've never written any kind of compiler before. Should I be scared to attend?
No. A compiler is just a program. If you've written programs before, you are definitely welcome to attend. Feel free to ask questions, too.
"Is it ok if I just show up and listen?"
Yes, definitely, you will learn a lot, but be aware it's not going to be a coherent presentation with slides.
Are there ways for me to get good background knowledge about rustc before I attend?
Yes! Check out the Rustc Dev Guide.
I'm learning so much! Are there ways for me to give back and help others?
Yes! File PRs to extend the Rustc Dev Guide.
I have some ideas for code to read!
Great! File an issue on our repository.
I want to help organize! Can I help?
So excited! Ping us on Zulip.