How to use the Rust compiler as your integration testing framework

The author reflects on their experience with Rust, a programming language known for its strong type system and features that enhance code reliability and minimize bugs. Initially frustrated by the Rust compiler's strictness, the author grew to appreciate its ability to catch errors early in the development process. The guide delves into specific Rust features such as strong typing, monads, tagged unions, and exhaustiveness checks, illustrating how these can reduce the need for integration tests by ensuring code correctness at compile time. By leveraging newtypes and early data validation, developers can avoid dealing with invalid data, while separating decision-making from execution helps streamline unit testing. The author argues that the combination of these strategies significantly lowers the risk of errors in integration code, suggesting a focus on end-to-end tests and unit tests as a more efficient approach. Overall, these practices contribute to a maintainable and robust codebase, capturing the essence of the Rust programming philosophy, which emphasizes writing reliable and safe software.