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What are the differences between mutable and immutable borrowing in Rust?

Steilla Mitchel 588 10-Jul-2023

What are the differences between mutable and immutable borrowing in Rust?

rust string  rust 
Updated on 11-Jul-2023
Steilla Mitchel

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Aryan Kumar

Aryan Kumar

11-Jul-2023

Sure. In Rust, there are two types of borrowing: mutable and immutable. Mutable borrowing allows you to modify the value that is being borrowed, while immutable borrowing only allows you to read the value.

Here is an example of mutable borrowing in Rust:

Rust

let mut string = String::from("Hello, world!");

let mutable_borrow = &mut string;

mutable_borrow.push_str(", Rust!");

In this example, the variable string is mutable. This means that we can borrow the variable mutablely, using the &mut keyword. The mutable borrow allows us to modify the value of the variable, as shown by the push_str() method.

Here is an example of immutable borrowing in Rust:

Rust

let string = String::from("Hello, world!");

let immutable_borrow = &string;

println!("{}", immutable_borrow);

In this example, the variable string is immutable. This means that we can only borrow the variable immutably, using the & keyword. The immutable borrow only allows us to read the value of the variable, as shown by the println!() macro.

The main difference between mutable and immutable borrowing is that mutable borrowing allows you to modify the value that is being borrowed, while immutable borrowing only allows you to read the value.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between mutable and immutable borrowing in Rust:

Feature Mutable borrowing Immutable borrowing
Can modify the value? Yes No
Can be used with &mut Yes No
Can be used with & No Yes

Here are some of the benefits of using mutable and immutable borrowing in Rust:

  • Safety: Rust's borrowing system prevents data races by ensuring that only one mutable borrow to a value can exist at a time.
  • Expressiveness: Rust's borrowing system allows you to express complex ownership relationships in a concise way.
  • Performance: Rust's borrowing system can improve the performance of code by avoiding unnecessary copies.

Overall, Rust's borrowing system is a powerful tool that can help you to write reliable, safe, and performant code.

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