cargo-verify-project

Check the correctness of the current project's manifest

$ cargo verify-project

$ cargo verify-project --manifest-path [path/to/Cargo.toml]

cargo verify-project [OPTIONS] [PATH]

PATH defaults to the current working directory.

-h, --help
    Displays help information for the command.

-q, --quiet
    Suppresses cargo log messages and other output.

-v, --verbose
    Enables verbose output, showing more details.

--workspace
    Considers the entire workspace as the project root, even if run from a subdirectory.

-Z ...
    Enables unstable (nightly-only) flags for experimental features.

[PATH]
    Specifies the path to the project directory to verify. Defaults to the current directory.

The cargo-verify-project command is a crucial utility within the Rust programming ecosystem, primarily designed to quickly validate the structural integrity and manifest (Cargo.toml) of a Rust project or workspace.

Unlike cargo check or cargo build, which perform full compilation or type-checking, verify-project focuses solely on whether the project's layout, manifest syntax, and configuration are valid and well-formed. It checks for common issues such as missing required fields in Cargo.toml, incorrect path specifications, or invalid manifest structure.

This command is particularly useful for integrated development environments (IDEs) and other tooling that need to understand the project's structure without incurring the overhead of a full build. It helps ensure that a project is set up correctly before attempting more complex operations, providing a rapid feedback loop for developers.

It can be run against a specific path or the current directory, and it can also consider the entire workspace.

cargo-verify-project performs only structural and manifest validation; it does not compile code, check for compilation errors, or verify type correctness. For deeper code analysis, commands like cargo check or cargo build are required. Its output is typically concise, focusing on structural validity.

The cargo-verify-project command was introduced to address the growing need for tooling and IDEs to understand Rust project structures quickly and efficiently. It provides a lightweight mechanism to validate project manifests without the overhead of a full compilation, which is crucial for responsive development environments. Its development reflects Cargo's evolution towards becoming a more robust and tool-friendly package manager.

cargo check(1), cargo build(1), cargo metadata(1)