@article{ieee-sw-rust-coreutils,
  author = {Sylvestre Ledru and Samuel Tardieu and Stefano Zacchiroli},
  title = {Rust Coreutils: Rebuilding Unix Foundations in a Modern Language},
  abstract = {GNU core utilities (coreutils) is a crucial package in modern UNIX systems. It comprises around 100 fundamental commands---like ls, cp, and cat---which run every day on millions of computers. However, GNU coreutils is also legacy software, with its C codebase dating back to the early 1990s and arguably feature-complete. If one were to consider reimplementing this essential package, how would they do so effectively, and why? This paper recounts the development of Rust coreutils, a contemporary open source reimplementation of GNU coreutils in the Rust programming language, which has reached the status of a drop-in replacement for GNU coreutils, compatible with most Linux distributions. By comparing Rust coreutils with its ancestor, we offer insights into creating a reliable substitute for critical software and highlight how modern programming features can attract development interest in legacy packages.},
  publisher = {IEEE Computer Society},
  year = {2026},
  issn = {0740-7459},
  doi = {10.1109/MS.2026.3733266},
  journal = {IEEE Software},
}