Why 2026 Is the Year to Learn Rust 1.85: Use Exercism 2026.1 and Rustlings 6.0

Rust has cemented its position as the go-to systems programming language for safety-critical, high-performance applications over the past decade. From operating systems to web backends, embedded devices to blockchain infrastructure, Rust’s memory safety guarantees and zero-cost abstractions have made it a favorite among developers. But 2026 stands out as the definitive year to pick up Rust, thanks to the release of Rust 1.85 and major updates to two of the most popular learning tools: Exercism 2026.1 and Rustlings 6.0.

What Makes Rust 1.85 a Game-Changer?

Rust 1.85, slated for stable release in early 2026, represents a maturity milestone for the language. After years of incremental updates, this version stabilizes long-awaited features including full async fn in traits support, improved compile-time reflection, and streamlined embedded systems tooling. Performance improvements reduce compile times by up to 20% for large projects, while enhanced error messages make onboarding new developers easier than ever.

Critically, Rust 1.85 also aligns with the 2026 edition of the Rust standard library, which deprecates legacy APIs and formalizes best practices for modern Rust development. For learners, this means you’re not picking up outdated habits: every concept you learn maps directly to production-ready, industry-standard Rust code.

Exercism 2026.1: Structured, Mentored Practice

Exercism has long been a gold standard for programming language practice, offering free, mentored exercises across dozens of tracks. The Exercism 2026.1 Rust track is purpose-built for Rust 1.85, with over 50 new exercises covering async programming, trait-based design, and embedded Rust basics. Every exercise is reviewed by maintainers to ensure alignment with 1.85’s feature set, so you’ll never waste time on deprecated syntax.

New features in 2026.1 include optional project-based tracks for web development (using Axum 0.8) and systems programming (targeting RISC-V embedded devices), plus a revamped mentorship system that pairs learners with industry Rust developers for personalized feedback. Best of all, Exercism remains completely free, with no paywalls for core content.

Rustlings 6.0: Bite-Sized Learning for Quick Wins

Rustlings, the beloved CLI tool for small, focused Rust exercises, gets a major overhaul with version 6.0. Updated to target Rust 1.85 exclusively, Rustlings 6.0 adds 30+ new exercises covering 1.85’s new features, including async fn in traits and compile-time reflection. The CLI now integrates directly with rust-analyzer, providing real-time feedback as you write code, and improved hint systems that guide you to solutions without spoiling the learning process.

Rustlings 6.0 also introduces "path" modes, letting you focus on specific domains like web development, embedded, or game development, so you can tailor your learning to your career goals. It’s the perfect companion to Exercism: use Rustlings for quick daily practice, and Exercism for deeper, mentored projects.

Why 2026 Is the Perfect Time to Start

Combining Rust 1.85’s stability, Exercism 2026.1’s structured mentorship, and Rustlings 6.0’s bite-sized practice creates a learning ecosystem that didn’t exist in previous years. You’re not fighting outdated tooling or deprecated features: every resource is aligned to the most current, production-ready version of Rust.

Demand for Rust developers continues to grow: 2025 industry reports show a 40% year-over-year increase in Rust job postings, with average salaries 25% higher than equivalent roles for other systems languages. Starting in 2026 lets you ride this wave, with the most up-to-date skills and tools at your fingertips.

Get Started Today

Ready to dive in? Install Rust 1.85 (or the latest nightly build ahead of stable release) via rustup, then grab Rustlings 6.0 with cargo install rustlings --version 6.0.0 and sign up for the Exercism Rust track to access 2026.1 content. Whether you’re a seasoned systems developer or new to programming entirely, 2026 is the year to make Rust part of your toolkit.