cargo-check

Check the current package

$ cargo [[c|check]]

$ cargo [[c|check]] --tests

$ cargo [[c|check]] --test [integration_test1]

$ cargo [[c|check]] [[-F|--features]] [feature1,feature2]

$ cargo [[c|check]] --no-default-features

cargo check [OPTIONS] [--] [<PATH> ...]

--all
    Check all packages in workspace (alias for --workspace)

--all-features
    Activate all available features

--all-targets
    Check all targets (lib, bins, tests, etc.; default)

--bins
    Check all binaries

--document, --doc
    Check documentation

--examples
    Check all examples

--features FEATURES
    Space or comma-separated list of features to activate

--jobs N, -j N
    Number of parallel jobs (default: CPU cores)

--lib
    Check only the library target

--manifest-path PATH
    Path to Cargo.toml

--no-default-features
    Do not activate default features

-p SPEC, --package SPEC
    Package to check (e.g., name, path)

--release
    Check in release mode (optimized)

--target TRIPLE
    Target triple (e.g., x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu)

--target-dir DIR
    Target directory path

--tests
    Check all tests

-v, --verbose
    Use verbose output

-q, --quiet
    No output printed

--workspace
    Check all workspace members

--offline
    Operate without network access

--frozen
    Require Cargo.lock and no dependency updates

--color WHEN
    Control colored output (auto, always, never)

cargo check is a core subcommand of Cargo, Rust's build tool and package manager. It compiles Rust source code solely to verify syntax, type safety, borrow rules, and other compile-time checks, halting before code generation, optimization, or linking. This delivers rapid feedback—often 10x faster than cargo build—ideal for iterative development, editor integrations like rust-analyzer, and CI pre-checks.

It processes Cargo.toml configurations, resolves dependencies via Cargo.lock, and supports crates, workspaces, targets (e.g., cross-compilation), features, and profiles (dev/release). Errors display with source spans, similar to full builds, aiding quick fixes. While it misses linker errors (e.g., missing C libraries) or runtime issues, it's indispensable for catching 90%+ of bugs early.

Usage spans single crates to monorepos, enhancing productivity without binary overhead.

Skips linking, so misses linker errors (e.g., undefined symbols, C libs); no runtime or test execution; output dir not configurable like builds.

cargo check
Check current package (default).

cargo check --release --target wasm32-unknown-unknown
Release check for WebAssembly.

cargo check -p mylib --lib --tests
Check library and tests in specific package.

Pairs with rust-analyzer LSP for IDEs (VS Code, etc.); use in Makefile: check: cargo check --workspace.

Introduced in Cargo 0.6.0 (2015) by the Rust team at Mozilla for faster dev cycles; matured with workspaces (Cargo 0.23), edition support, and Rust 2018+ features.

cargo(1), cargo-build(1), cargo-test(1), cargo-clippy(1), rustc(1)