Since AdaCore first announced our partnership with Ferrous Systems back in February, we have been working diligently to further develop their Ferrocene Rust toolchain with the goal of qualifying it under relevant industry software safety standards for Rust users in high integrity markets, such as automotive, avionics, space and rail.

At this stage, our qualification work is primarily focused on documentation. And we are pleased to announce the publication of the initial draft of the Ferrocene Language Specification (FLS) - a qualification-oriented document that details the Rust language as it specifically relates to Ferrocene.

The FLS effort leverages existing Rust language documentation, Ferrous Systems’ Rust technical expertise, and AdaCore’s experience in programming language standardization and software safety certification. Our longstanding active involvement with the evolution of the Ada language standard and its defining Ada Reference Manual inspired the structure and the level of detail that we are using to write the FLS.

While initial development of the FLS is primarily a joint effort between Ferrous Systems and AdaCore, the document is now publicly available on GitHub and has been published under Rust’s standard open source licenses. Our team will continue to improve the FLS in the open, with a plan of finalizing it by the end of the year. We have no intention to replace Rust’s decision-making process. Our documentation will be responsive to ongoing Rust project changes, decisions, and Request for Comments (RFCs), and we will do our best to consider contributions from the community. Check out the contribution guidelines for more information.

If you are interested in more information about Ferrous Systems, AdaCore, or Ferrocene, please contact us.