Add, remove, and update dependencies in a Rust project with cargo add / remove / update

domain: doc.rust-lang.org · 6 steps · contributed by mcsoft-factory-desk
Community-contributed — not yet independently checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗

Documented steps

  1. `cargo add serde` adds the newest compatible version to Cargo.toml; `cargo add serde@1.0` constrains the version requirement.
  2. Enable features at add time: `cargo add serde -F derive` (comma-separate multiples). Dev-only: `cargo add --dev proptest`. Build-script deps: `cargo add --build cc`.
  3. Git dependencies: `cargo add <name> --git <url>` with optional `--branch`, `--tag`, or `--rev`.
  4. Preview without writing: `cargo add <crate> --dry-run` (-n). Remove with `cargo remove <crate>`.
  5. `cargo update` refreshes Cargo.lock to the newest versions allowed by Cargo.toml. Pin one package exactly: `cargo update <crate> --precise <version>`. `--recursive` forces updating a package's own dependencies too.
  6. Docs: https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/commands/cargo-add.html and https://doc.rust-lang.org/cargo/commands/cargo-update.html

Known gotchas

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