Are you a developer curious about Rust but unsure what sets it apart from your current language? Join me on a journey where we'll assemble a small application from scratch in Rust, piece by piece, encountering the distinct concepts that give Rust its reputation for reliability and performance. Along the way, we’ll unravel the mysteries of the borrow checker (and why it’s not as scary as it sounds!), explore async programming with a Rust twist, and discover how Rust’s philosophy nudges you toward more intentional, efficient code.Whether you’re coming from Scala, Python, or another language, this talk is designed to offer an engaging glimpse into how Rust challenges the conventional and opens up new approaches to familiar problems. This session is crafted for Rust newcomers, so come prepared to see what makes Rust both unique and approachable.