I have been using Bash Shell scripts for many years, but wanted something to learn that would give me more power. I have looked at Golang, Typescript and Python but decided to give Rust a whirl.

The first reason was to be able to make powerful asynchronous commands to download and check websites, but I also wanted a language that offered more than php and bash shell scripting do.

As a PHP developer venturing into the world of Rust, understanding how familiar PHP types translate to Rust types is crucial. This guide will help you bridge the gap between these two languages, focusing on type conversions and key differences.

Basic Types

Integers

PHP's integer type can be represented by several Rust integer types, depending on the size and signedness:

PHP	Rust
int	i32, i64, u32, u64

In Rust, you need to be more specific about the integer size and whether it's signed or unsigned. For most cases, i32 (32-bit signed integer) is a good default choice.

Floating-Point Numbers

PHP's float type corresponds to Rust's f32 and f64:

PHP	Rust
float	f32, f64

f64 is typically used as the default float type in Rust, offering higher precision.

Booleans

Booleans are straightforward:

PHP	Rust
bool	bool

Strings

PHP strings are more complex to translate due to Rust's distinction between string slices and owned strings:

PHP	Rust
string	String, &str

In Rust, String is the owned, growable string type, while &str is a string slice (a reference to a string).

Compound Types

Arrays

PHP's arrays are versatile and can be translated to different Rust types depending on usage:

PHP	Rust
array (indexed)	Vec
array (associative)	HashMap<K, V>

Rust's Vec<T> is similar to PHP's indexed arrays, while HashMap<K, V> is more akin to associative arrays.

Objects

PHP's objects don't have a direct equivalent in Rust. Instead, you'll typically use structs and enums:

PHP	Rust
object	struct, enum

Rust's structs and enums provide more control over data representation and behavior.

Special Types

Null

PHP's null doesn't exist in Rust. Instead, Rust uses the Option<T> enum:

PHP	Rust
null	Option

Option<T> can be either Some(value) or None, providing a safer way to handle the absence of a value.

Resource

PHP's resource type doesn't have a direct equivalent in Rust. Instead, Rust uses specific types for handling resources, often wrapped in smart pointers or custom types.

Type Conversion

In Rust, type conversion is more explicit than in PHP. You can use the as keyword for simple conversions, or implement the From and Into traits for more complex conversions[5].

let num: u8 = 10;
let float_num: f32 = num as f32;

---

If you would like to contact me with this form on londinium.com, ilminster.net or via Twitter @andylondon