Rust vs C++ in Native Iceberg Scan Operators

This article examines the practical trade-offs between Rust and C++ when implementing native scan operators for Apache Iceberg tables. It argues that language choice is secondary to correctly handling metadata planning, vectorized file scanning, delete semantics, schema evolution, and memory ownership under concurrent workloads. The author emphasizes production-readiness, interoperability with existing engines, and the importance of grounding architecture in official specs (Iceberg, Arrow, Parquet). The article provides operational guidance for engineers, data owners, and executives, including failure modes, guardrails, and rollout strategies. It is a technical, project-focused analysis relevant to IT/TECHNOLOGY, specifically data engineering and high-performance query execution.