ls, cp, and rm Are Getting a Rust Makeover in Ubuntu 25.10

Every time you open a terminal and run a command like ls, cp, or rm, you're leaning on a decades-old foundation: GNU Coreutils.

These tools, written in C and developed as part of the GNU Project, have quietly powered nearly every Linux system for generations.

They’re small, fast, and reliable — but not without issues. C is a powerful language, but it’s also notoriously prone to memory safety bugs and subtle vulnerabilities.

Now, Ubuntu is preparing to take a bold step.

A Quick Look at Coreutils

GNU Coreutils is a package of around 100 command-line tools that form the backbone of Unix-like systems. These include basic file, shell, and text manipulation commands like:

• ls – list directory contents
• cp – copy files and directories
• rm – remove files
• cat – concatenate and display files
• mv, touch, stat, sort, uniq, and many more.

These commands may feel simple on the surface, but they are the invisible plumbing of Linux systems — relied on by countless shell scripts, automation tools, and system services.