Java beats Rust in head-to-head word processor benchmark: 5.8x faster typing, smaller binaries
rseroter · x · 2026-10-23
The Codename One team rebuilt Wordcraft, a popular open-source Rust word processor with 15k+ GitHub stars and a 502-row feature catalog, entirely in Java and benchmarked both in the same CI run. Java won across the board: 5.9x faster undo, 5.8x faster typing latency, 5.8x faster test CI, 4.2x faster DOCX reopen, 2.2x faster startup, 1.6x smaller executable, 2/3 the code, 1.3x less idle RAM, and the same source ships to iPhone and Android. The author argues Rust's ownership model pays off for kernels, drivers, and database engines — but "rewrite it in Rust" is the wrong default for desktop/mobile apps, where it costs more to write and review without yielding a better product. Three full-stack app templates were also released.
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