Rust is a systems programming language designed for performance and safety, particularly safe concurrency. It was created by Mozilla and first released in 2010. Rust emphasizes memory safety without needing a garbage collector, which helps prevent common programming errors like null pointer dereferences and buffer overflows. The language features a strong type system and ownership model, which ensures that data is managed efficiently and safely. Rust is often used for developing operating systems, game engines, and web applications, making it a popular choice among developers who prioritize both speed and reliability in their software projects.