Where to get feedback and contributors for a Rust language?

That's a great project to put out into the systems programming community. Rust-built languages can attract interest from compiler enthusiasts, OS developers, language designers, and people interested in low-level programming. I'd approach this as both a project launch and a contributor recruitment campaign. The key is to give people three reasons to care: - Why it exists: What problem does your language solve that Rust, C, C++, Zig, or Odin doesn't? - What makes it interesting: Its type system, memory model, compiler architecture, syntax, performance, or design philosophy. - How people can participate: Clear contribution opportunities, good documentation, and approachable starter issues. ## Where I'd promote it These are the places I'd prioritize: | Community | What to seek | | --- | --- | | [r/ProgrammingLanguages](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammingLanguages/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Language design feedback | | [r/Compilers](https://www.reddit.com/r/Compilers/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Compiler architecture reviews | | [r/rust](https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Rust developers and contributors | | [Rust Internals](https://internals.rust-lang.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Language implementation discussions | | [Rust Users Forum](https://users.rust-lang.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | General Rust community | | [This Week in Rust](https://this-week-in-rust.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Open-source project exposure | The Rust community also has active compiler discussions on Zulip. [Community](https://rust-lang.org/community/)[How to start contributing](https://forge.rust-lang.org/how-to-start-contributing.html)[Planet Mozilla](https://planet.mozilla.org/) ## A recruitment post I'd use Title: I built a systems programming language in Rust – looking for feedback and contributors > I've been building my own systems programming language from scratch in Rust. > > I'm looking for people interested in: > > - Exploring a new programming language. > - Compiler development and optimization. > - Type systems and language design. > - Systems programming and runtime development. > - Contributing features, testing, and documentation. > > I'd love honest technical feedback, suggestions, and contributions. > > Whether you're interested in experimenting with the language or helping build its compiler, you're welcome! > > GitHub: [YOUR REPOSITORY] > > Documentation: [YOUR DOCUMENTATION] ## Let me help you get actual contributors I'd like to take a look at the project before suggesting more targeted communities or drafting a stronger launch campaign. What's the GitHub repository URL? I can review: - Language design and differentiators. - Compiler architecture and implementation. - README and documentation. - Missing features and technical weaknesses. - How attractive the project is to potential contributors. - Specific communities and people likely to be interested. I'll give you honest feedback, including criticism rather than just encouragement.

**You’re in a great position - there’s real interest right now in Rust-inspired systems languages, and communities are open to contributing if you make your project visible and approachable.** To attract feedback and contributors, you’ll want to highlight your language’s unique design goals, provide clear documentation, and plug into existing Rust and systems programming communities. ## 🌟 Key Lessons from Similar Projects * **Rue(2026)**: A Rust contributor launched Rue, a systems language built with AI assistance, focusing on memory safety without Rust’s borrow checker. Rue gained attention because it clearly articulated its trade-offs (simpler ergonomics vs. reduced performance) and had active design documentation on GitHub. The Hacker News community engaged with Rue because it was positioned as filling a gap between Rust and garbage-collected languages[Rust Contributor Explores AI-Assisted Compiler Development with New Rue Language - InfoQ](https://www.infoq.com/news/2026/01/steve-klabnik-rue-language-ai/). * **Rust Itself**: The Rust project thrives because it has a strong contributor onboarding process - Zulip streams for new members, detailed dev guides, and a clear code of conduct. This lowers the barrier for new contributors[rust/CONTRIBUTING.md at main · rust-lang/rust · GitHub](https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md). ## 📋 Practical Steps for Your Language 1. **Clarify Your Vision** * What problem does your language solve better than Rust or C/C++? * Is it performance, ergonomics, safety, or tooling? * Contributors are more likely to join if they see a distinct niche. 2. **Open Source Infrastructure** * Host your repo on GitHub/GitLab with a clear `README`, roadmap, and contribution guidelines. * Provide examples of syntax and “killer features” that differentiate your language. 3. **Community Building** * Announce on Rust forums, Hacker News, Reddit’s r/rust, and systems programming Discords. * Consider writing a blog post or technical deep dive explaining your design choices (like Rue did). 4. **Onboarding Contributors** * Provide a “good first issue” list. * Document compiler architecture and language semantics. * Offer a Zulip/Discord channel for real-time discussion. ## ⚠️ Challenges to Anticipate * **Skepticism** : Many developers will ask why your language is needed when Rust already exists. Be ready with a clear answer. * **Complexity vs. Adoption**: If your language simplifies Rust’s borrow checker or adds new abstractions, you’ll need to prove it doesn’t compromise safety. * **Longevity** : Contributors want to know the project isn’t a short-lived experiment. A roadmap helps. ## ✅ Next Steps * Draft a blog post introducing your language, its goals, and a demo program. * Set up a GitHub repo with contribution guidelines modeled after Rust’s `CONTRIBUTING.md`. * Share your project in Rust and programming communities to gather early adopters. Would you like me to help you **draft a contributor call post** (like a Hacker News or Reddit announcement) that explains your language’s vision and invites feedback? That could be a strong way to kickstart visibility.

That is an incredible project! Building an entire systems programming language - especially in Rust - is no small feat. It requires tackling everything from lexers and parsers to type checking, intermediate representation (IR), and code generation or lowering. To give you the best feedback or help you find contributors, tell me a bit more about your language: * **What is your language's name and core philosophy?** (e.g., memory safety without a garbage collector, zero-cost abstractions, extreme minimalism, domain-specific) * **How does it handle memory management?** (e.g., borrow checker like Rust, manual management, region-based, reference counting) * **What backend does it target?** (e.g., LLVM, Cranelift, custom bytecode interpreter, compiling to C/Rust) * **What kind of feedback are you looking for right now?** (e.g., architecture review, syntax design, community building, or code contribution guidelines) ### How to Attract Contributors for a New Language If you're getting ready to share your project publicly to build a community, here are a few things that help draw in systems programmers: * **A Clear "Why":** Explain why the world needs _another_ systems language (what pain point does it solve that C, C++, Zig, or Rust don't?). * **A Quick-Start Guide / "Hello World":** Show what the syntax looks like immediately in the `README`. Systems programmers love clean, readable syntax. * **Good First Issues:** Label small, self-contained tasks (like adding a new built-in function, improving error messages, or writing tests) so newcomers have a clear entry point. * **An Architecture Overview:** A brief document explaining how the compiler pipeline works (Lexer →\rightarrow→ Parser →\rightarrow→ AST →\rightarrow→ IR →\rightarrow→ Codegen) so other Rust developers know where to jump in. Whenever you're ready, share a link to your repository or paste some details/code snippets here, and we can dive right into the technical details!

That is an awesome milestone! Building a systems programming language in Rust is no small feat - handling memory management, type checking, code generation, or LLVM integration takes a ton of dedication. To help you get eyes on your project and attract the right kind of feedback or contributors, here are the most effective ways and communities to share it: * Communities for Rust and Compilers: * * [The Rust Programming Language Forum](https://users.rust-lang.org/): The "Showcase" or "Project boards" section is a fantastic place to talk about Rust-based projects and get technical feedback from experienced developers. * * [Reddit r/rust](https://www.reddit.com/r/rust/): Posting a "Showcase" thread with a clean README, design philosophy, and code examples routinely draws sharp technical critiques and interested developers. * * [Reddit r/ProgrammingLanguages](https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgrammingLanguages/): A dedicated hub for language designers where you can discuss syntax decisions, type systems, and compiler architecture. * Platforms for Visibility and Contribution: * * [GitHub](https://github.com/): Ensure your repository has a clear `README.md` highlighting what makes your language unique, a `CONTRIBUTING.md` guide, and well-labeled "good first issue" tags if you are actively looking for pull requests. * * [Hacker News](https://news.ycombinator.com/): Submitting a "Show Inquiry" or "Show HN" post (e.g., _Show HN: My own systems programming language in Rust_) can drive incredible traffic and deep technical feedback from systems engineers. To help me give you more tailored advice or potentially review details, tell me: * What is the **core philosophy or unique feature** of your language (e.g., alternative memory safety model, minimal runtime, unique syntax)? * What specific area do you want **feedback on first** (compiler architecture, language syntax, documentation, or contributor onboarding)?

Post it in the Rust Forum’s [Code Review category](https://users.rust-lang.org/c/code-review/11) and include the repository link, what’s working, what kind of feedback you want, and a few beginner-friendly issues for contributors. [This Rust language project’s feedback thread](https://users.rust-lang.org/t/feedback-for-a-language-written-in-rust/142100) is a useful example.([users.rust-lang.org][1])([users.rust-lang.org][2]) [1]: https://users.rust-lang.org/c/code-review/11 "code review - The Rust Programming Language Forum" [2]: https://users.rust-lang.org/t/feedback-for-a-language-written-in-rust/142100 "Feedback for a language written in Rust - code review"