23.1 What Is Cargo?
23.1.1 Overview
Cargo underpins much of the Rust ecosystem. Its core capabilities include:
- Project Initialization: Quickly set up new library or binary projects.
- Dependency Management: Fetch and integrate crates (Rust packages) from Crates.io or other sources with ease.
- Build & Run: Handle incremental builds, switch between debug and release profiles, and run tests.
- Packaging & Publishing: Automate packaging and versioning for libraries or application crates.
By the end of this chapter, you will be comfortable managing crucial aspects of Rust projects, from everyday operations (building and running) to advanced tasks such as publishing your own crates.
A Note on Build Systems and Package Managers in Other Languages
- C and C++: Typically use a combination of build systems (Make, CMake, Ninja) and separate package managers (Conan, vcpkg, Hunter). These often require extra integration and configuration steps.
- JavaScript/TypeScript: Usually rely on npm or Yarn for dependency management, while build tools like Webpack or esbuild handle bundling and compilation.
- Python: Uses pip and virtual environments for dependencies. Tools like setuptools or Poetry manage packaging and builds.
- Java: Maven and Gradle handle both builds and dependencies in a single system, much like Cargo.
Cargo stands out by unifying build and dependency management in one tool, enabling consistent workflows across all Rust projects.