I'm originally a front-end developer, mainly working with React and TypeScript.
Over time, I've also explored Node.js, Next.js, and Bun for building admin dashboards.
Recently, I started building a Rust-based full-stack project called rustzen-admin.
This post shares my personal journey as a front-end dev trying Rust for the first time — from using Tauri to building a backend API with Axum, and eventually a complete admin system.
🧠 How It Started: From Vite to Tauri
My Rust journey started passively.
- I noticed Rust was used in performance-critical tools like Vite plugins.
- Later I discovered Tauri, a lightweight Rust-based framework for desktop apps — a modern alternative to Electron.
When I had to build a small PC tool, Electron felt too heavy. So I gave Tauri a try.
The frontend setup was familiar, but once I saw the backend Rust code — I was completely lost.
🤖 Learning by Doing (with AI)
I didn't sit down and study Rust from scratch.
✅ I initialized a Tauri project → got stuck → asked ChatGPT → tweaked code → got stuck again → repeated until it worked.
Initially I just handled some local file storage.
Then I decided to persist data with SQLite, introduced sqlx, explored async functions, error handling, and eventually modularized the project.
Rust's ownership, type system, and syntax were tough at first.
But with real use cases and help from AI, I started to understand the logic and write more idiomatic code.
🛠️ Why Not Java / Node / Bun?
Before diving into Rust, I took time to evaluate some common backend choices:
| Tech Stack | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Java | Stable, mature, widely used in companies | Verbose, slower startup, heavyweight setup |
| Node.js | Huge ecosystem, easy to learn, fast to build | Weak typing, limited performance, heavy runtime |
| Bun | Fast startup, lightweight toolchain | Small community, early-stage ecosystem |
| Rust | 💪 Native performance, safe, easy to deploy | Steeper learning curve |
I don't work on massive enterprise systems. I just wanted a backend that is reliable, lightweight, and easy to maintain.
That's why I chose Rust: build once, ship a binary, no runtime, no Docker, no surprises.
🏗️ rustzen-admin: A Full-Stack Template in Rust + React
To organize my learnings, I started building rustzen-admin,
a clean full-stack admin system powered by Rust and React — ideal for private deployment, lightweight dashboards, or internal tools.
Tech Stack Overview:
- Backend: Rust + Axum + sqlx + RBAC permissions + JWT auth
- Frontend: Vite + React + TailwindCSS + Zustand
- Tooling: dotenv for config, tracing for logs, argon2 for password hashing
- Deployment: Compiles into a single binary — no Docker, no Node runtime needed
✅ What's Done So Far
Here's what I've implemented so far:
- User registration, login, and JWT-based authentication
- Role-based permission system with RBAC
- Clean RESTful API structure and consistent error handling
- Modular backend architecture with service separation
- Frontend integration with TailwindUI and Zustand
The project was built completely by myself, learning as I go — using AI and community docs whenever I got stuck.
✨ Why I'll Continue Using Rust
Rust isn't the easiest language to learn, but the trade-offs are worth it.
What I love most about Rust:
- Confidence in code: The type system prevents so many bugs at compile time
- Deploy simplicity: One file, drop it on the server, and you're good to go
- Memory safety: No GC, no leaks, great performance
- Cross-platform options: With Tauri, I can even ship desktop versions of the same backend
As a solo developer, these qualities let me build faster, deploy with ease, and focus more on product logic — not devops or runtime debugging.
📚 Resources
- The Rust Book
- Rust by Example
- Project Repo:
rustzen-admin - More posts on my blog: idaibin.dev
🧭 Final Thoughts
I'm not a backend engineer. I'm not a systems programmer.
I'm just a front-end developer trying to build a clean, reliable admin system.
Rust didn't make things faster at first — it made me think. But in return, it gave me confidence, clarity, and performance.
This post isn't about being an expert — it's about what it's like to start Rust as a real beginner.
If you're a front-end dev curious about Rust, start small.
Try Tauri. Build a CLI. Wrap a simple API. And maybe, like me, you'll stay.
📫 Follow along — I'll be sharing more about Rust + React full-stack development in future posts.
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