We'll build a complete doubly-linked list from scratch in Rust, starting with a simple singly-linked stack and progressively evolving it into a full-featured doubly-linked list with raw pointers and unsafe code. Along the way we'll implement three iterator types (shared, mutable, and owning), convert from safe Box-based pointers to raw NonNull pointers, add panic-safe drop logic, and support bidirectional traversal — exploring Rust's ownership model, lifetime system, and unsafe abstractions in depth.
Rust
Data Structures
Raw Linked List in Rust
Create a linked list from scratch with unsafe memory, raw pointers, and custom drop guards.
What You'll Build
Learning Objectives
Understand how linked lists work at the pointer level
Use Rust generics and type aliases to model recursive data structures
Implement push and pop operations for a singly-linked stack
Build shared, mutable, and owning iterators with proper lifetime annotations
Transition from safe Box pointers to raw NonNull pointers
Write a panic-safe Drop implementation using a drop guard
Extend a singly-linked list into a doubly-linked list with tail pointer
Implement DoubleEndedIterator for bidirectional traversal
Prerequisites
Basic Rust syntax (structs, enums, generics)
Understanding of ownership and borrowing
Familiarity with Option and pattern matching
Course curriculum
1 Linked List
- Creating a new crate
- Declaration of data types
- Adding methods
- Implementation of traits
- Creating a minimal test
2 Non-consuming iterator
- Implementation of a non-consuming iterator
- Testing the non-consuming iterator
3 Consuming iterator
- Implementation of a consuming iterator
- Testing the consuming iterator
4 Doubly Linked List
- Refactoring methods
- Manual memory management
Technologies
FAQ
Is this a video course?
No. You implement the project yourself, step by step, right in your browser — with a full reference solution for every step when you get stuck.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The playground runs entirely in your browser — no toolchain or local setup required.
Can I try it before subscribing?
Yes. Preview steps are available without a subscription so you can see the format and quality first.
What do I get with full access?
Every step unlocked, the Workbench app, a snapshot for each step, jump-to-any-step navigation, and all new playground releases.
Does it work with an AI agent like Claude or Codex?
Yes. You can work through a playground solo or alongside an AI agent.
Is there reference code?
Yes. Every step has a complete reference solution you can compare against.
