rustup

Manage Rust toolchains and versions

TLDR

Install the nightly toolchain for your system

$ rustup install nightly

Switch the default toolchain to nightly so that the cargo and rustc commands will use it

$ rustup default nightly

Use the nightly toolchain when inside the current project but leave global settings unchanged

$ rustup override set nightly

Update all toolchains

$ rustup update

List installed toolchains

$ rustup show

Run cargo build with a certain toolchain

$ rustup run [toolchain] cargo build

Open the local Rust documentation in the default web browser

$ rustup doc

-V, --version
    Show rustup version.

-h, --help
    Show help message.

--verbose
    Enable verbose output.

--quiet
    Disable progress output.

--no-self-update
    Disable automatic updates.

default
    Set the default toolchain to use.

override
    Override the toolchain for a specific directory.

update
    Update the current toolchain.

show
    Show the currently active toolchain.

target add
    Add a new target platform for cross compilation.

component add
    Add a new component.

DESCRIPTION

Rustup is a command-line tool that simplifies the installation, updating, and management of the Rust programming language and its associated tools. It allows users to easily switch between different Rust toolchains (stable, beta, nightly), add and remove components like rustfmt and clippy, and manage multiple Rust versions without conflicting with each other.

Rustup is essential for developers who want to stay up-to-date with the latest Rust features, test code across multiple Rust versions, or contribute to the Rust ecosystem. It provides a consistent and reliable way to handle the complexities of Rust toolchain management, making it easier for developers to focus on writing code rather than managing their development environment.

CAVEATS

Requires internet access for initial installation and updates. Changes to the PATH environment variable are persistent and may require a shell restart. Can sometimes experience issues with certain firewalls or proxy configurations during download and installation.

TOOLCHAINS

Rustup supports various toolchains, including stable, beta, and nightly versions. Each toolchain represents a different stage of Rust development, allowing users to experiment with new features or maintain compatibility with older versions.
Stable is recommended for production, Beta for early testing and Nightly to test the very latest features.

HISTORY

Rustup was created to address the challenges of managing multiple Rust versions and components. It was initially developed as a standalone tool and has become the standard way to install and manage Rust installations. It provides a robust system and is the core of rust installations on all platforms.