cargo-help

Display general help

$ cargo help

$ cargo help [subcommand]

cargo help [SUBCOMMAND]

SUBCOMMAND
    The name of a `cargo` subcommand (e.g., `build`, `run`, `test`) for which to display detailed help. If this argument is omitted, `cargo help` displays general help for `cargo` itself.

The `cargo help` command is a fundamental subcommand of `cargo`, the Rust package manager. Its primary function is to display comprehensive help information related to `cargo` itself or any of its numerous subcommands. When invoked simply as `cargo help`, it provides an overview of available `cargo` commands, common options, and basic usage instructions. This serves as an excellent starting point for new users or a quick reference for experienced developers.

The power of `cargo help` extends to individual subcommands by appending the subcommand's name, for example, `cargo help build` or `cargo help run`. This action provides detailed insights into a specific subcommand's purpose, syntax, available options, and argument expectations. It's an indispensable tool for understanding command-line interfaces without needing to consult external documentation or online resources.

By centralizing help documentation directly within the tool, `cargo help` significantly improves developer productivity and the discoverability of features within the Rust ecosystem, ensuring users can quickly find the information they need to effectively use `cargo` for building, running, testing, and publishing Rust projects.

`cargo help` is not a standalone executable; it must always be invoked through the `cargo` binary (e.g., `cargo help`, not just `help`).
Its functionality relies on a correctly installed Rust toolchain.
The output and specific help messages provided by `cargo help` may vary slightly between different versions of `cargo` as features are added or modified.

While `cargo help` itself takes minimal specific parameters, it respects the global `cargo` options that can be applied to any subcommand. These options typically precede the subcommand itself. Examples include, but are not limited to, `--verbose` (to show more detailed output), `--quiet` (to suppress non-error messages), `--color WHEN` (to control color output), and `--locked`. For instance, to get verbose help for the `build` subcommand, one would use: `cargo --verbose help build`.

The `cargo help` subcommand has been an integral part of the `cargo` command-line interface since its early development phases, predating Rust's 1.0 stable release. Its design aligns with the common Unix philosophy of providing self-documenting tools with built-in help. As `cargo` and the Rust ecosystem have evolved, with new subcommands and options being introduced regularly, `cargo help` has consistently adapted, serving as a dynamic and up-to-date source of command usage information for developers. Its consistent presence reinforces `cargo`'s commitment to user-friendliness and feature discoverability within the Rust ecosystem.

cargo(1), man(1), --help