Introduction

The Rust programming language is known for its performance, reliability, and productivity. To fully harness these advantages, it's crucial to master the command line tools that accompany Rust. This book provides a comprehensive guide to the most essential Rust command line tools: rustup, cargo, and rustdoc. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced developer, this book will help you efficiently manage your Rust projects, handle dependencies, build and document your code, and ensure smooth workflows.

How to Use This Book

This book is structured to provide both theoretical knowledge and practical application. Each section includes detailed explanations, examples, and exercises to help reinforce your understanding of the material.

Structure of the Book

  1. Rust Toolchain: Rustup:

    • Overview of Rustup
    • Installing Rust with Rustup
    • Managing Rust Toolchains
    • Updating Rust
    • Using Custom Toolchains
    • Configuring Rustup
    • Common Rustup Commands

  2. Rust Package Manager: Cargo:

    • Overview of Cargo
    • Creating a New Project
    • Building Projects
    • Running Projects
    • Managing Dependencies
    • Testing
    • Generating Documentation
    • Publishing Crates
    • Cargo Workspaces
    • Advanced Cargo Features
    • Common Cargo Commands

  3. Rust Documentation Tool: Rustdoc:

    • Overview of Rustdoc
    • Writing Documentation Comments
    • Generating Documentation with Rustdoc
    • Documenting Code Examples
    • Using Rustdoc Attributes
    • Hosting Documentation
    • Common Rustdoc Commands

  4. Appendices:

    • Useful Rust Resources
    • Common Issues and Troubleshooting
    • Glossary

Conventions Used in This Book

  • Code Blocks: Code snippets and examples are presented in monospace font. 
    fn main() {
    println!("Hello, world!");
}
  • Commands: Command line commands are prefixed with $ to indicate the shell prompt. 
    $ cargo build
  • Tips and Notes: Additional information and tips are provided in block quotes.

    Tip: Use cargo check to quickly check your code for errors without producing an executable.

About the Author

This book is authored by Dr. Saad Laouadi, a data scientist, programmer and a researcher with extensive experience in the programming, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Dr. Saad aims to provide readers with valuable insights and practical guidance on mastering Rust command line tools.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the Rust community for their continuous support and contributions to the development of Rust and its ecosystem. This book would not have been possible without the collaborative efforts of developers, educators, and enthusiasts who have shared their knowledge and expertise.

Getting Started

To get started with the Rust command line tools, proceed to the first chapter on Rustup, where you will learn how to install and manage Rust toolchains effectively.