Introduction

This guide shows you how to build, test, and publish a Rust package.

GitHub-hosted runners have a tools cache with preinstalled software, which includes the dependencies for Rust. For a full list of up-to-date software and the preinstalled versions of Rust, seeGitHub-hosted runners.

Prerequisites

You should already be familiar with YAML syntax and how it's used with GitHub Actions. For more information, seeWorkflow syntax for GitHub Actions.

We recommend that you have a basic understanding of the Rust language. For more information, seeGetting started with Rust.

Using a Rust workflow template

To get started quickly, add a workflow template to the.github/workflows directory of your repository.

GitHub provides a Rust workflow template that should work for most basic Rust projects. The subsequent sections of this guide give examples of how you can customize this workflow template.

1. On GitHub, navigate to the main page of the repository.

2. Under your repository name, click Actions.

   

3. If you already have a workflow in your repository, clickNew workflow.

4. The "Choose a workflow" page shows a selection of recommended workflow templates. Search for "Rust".

5. Filter the selection of workflows by clickingContinuous integration.

6. On the "Rust - by GitHub Actions" workflow, clickConfigure.

   

7. Edit the workflow as required. For example, change the version of Rust.

8. ClickCommit changes.

   Therust.yml workflow file is added to the.github/workflows directory of your repository.

Specifying a Rust version

GitHub-hosted runners include a recent version of the Rust toolchain. You can use rustup to report on the version installed on a runner, override the version, and to install different toolchains. For more information, seeThe rustup book.

This example shows steps you could use to setup your runner environment to use the nightly build of rust and to report the version.

      - name: Temporarily modify the rust toolchain version        run: rustup override set nightly      - name: Output rust version for educational purposes        run: rustup --version

-name:Temporarilymodifytherusttoolchainversionrun:rustupoverridesetnightly-name:Outputrustversionforeducationalpurposesrun:rustup--version

Caching dependencies

You can cache and restore dependencies using the Cache action. This example assumes that your repository contains aCargo.lock file.

      - name: Cache        uses: actions/cache@v4        with:          path: |            ~/.cargo/registry            ~/.cargo/git            target          key: ${{ runner.os }}-cargo-${{ hashFiles('**/Cargo.lock') }}

-name:Cacheuses:actions/cache@v4with:path:|            ~/.cargo/registry            ~/.cargo/git            targetkey:${{runner.os}}-cargo-${{hashFiles('**/Cargo.lock')}}

If you have custom requirements or need finer controls for caching, you should explore other configuration options for thecache action. For more information, seeDependency caching reference.

Building and testing your code

You can use the same commands that you use locally to build and test your code. This example workflow demonstrates how to usecargo build andcargo test in a job:

jobs:  build:    runs-on: ubuntu-latest    strategy:      matrix:        BUILD_TARGET: [release] # refers to a cargo profile    outputs:      release_built: ${{ steps.set-output.outputs.release_built }}    steps:      - uses: actions/checkout@v5      - name: Build binaries in "${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}" mode        run: cargo build --profile ${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}      - name: Run tests in "${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}" mode        run: cargo test --profile ${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}

jobs:build:runs-on:ubuntu-lateststrategy:matrix:BUILD_TARGET: [release]# refers to a cargo profileoutputs:release_built:${{steps.set-output.outputs.release_built}}steps:-uses:actions/checkout@v5-name:Buildbinariesin"${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}"moderun:cargobuild--profile${{matrix.BUILD_TARGET}}-name:Runtestsin"${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}"moderun:cargotest--profile${{matrix.BUILD_TARGET}}

Therelease keyword used in this example corresponds to a cargo profile. You can use anyprofile you have defined in yourCargo.toml file.

Publishing your package or library to crates.io

Once you have setup your workflow to build and test your code, you can use a secret to login tocrates.io and publish your package.

      - name: Login into crates.io        run: cargo login ${{ secrets.CRATES_IO }}      - name: Build binaries in "release" mode        run: cargo build -r      - name: "Package for crates.io"        run: cargo package # publishes a package as a tarball      - name: "Publish to crates.io"        run: cargo publish # publishes your crate as a library that can be added as a dependency

-name:Loginintocrates.iorun:cargologin${{secrets.CRATES_IO}}-name:Buildbinariesin"release"moderun:cargobuild-r-name:"Package for crates.io"run:cargopackage# publishes a package as a tarball-name:"Publish to crates.io"run:cargopublish# publishes your crate as a library that can be added as a dependency

If there are any errors building and packaging the crate, check the metadata in your manifest,Cargo.toml file, seeThe Manifest Format. You should also check yourCargo.lock file, seeCargo.toml vs Cargo.lock.

Packaging workflow data as artifacts

After a workflow completes, you can upload the resulting artifacts for analysis or to use in another workflow. You could add these example steps to the workflow to upload an application for use by another workflow.

      - name: Upload release artifact        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4        with:          name: <my-app>          path: target/${{ matrix.BUILD_TARGET }}/<my-app>

-name:Uploadreleaseartifactuses:actions/upload-artifact@v4with:name:<my-app>path:target/${{matrix.BUILD_TARGET}}/<my-app>

To use the uploaded artifact in a different job, ensure your workflows have the right permissions for the repository, seeUse GITHUB_TOKEN for authentication in workflows. You could use these example steps to download the app created in the previous workflow and publish it on GitHub.

      - uses: actions/checkout@v5      - name: Download release artifact        uses: actions/download-artifact@v5        with:          name: <my-app>          path: ./<my-app>      - name: Publish built binary to GitHub releases      - run: |          gh release create --generate-notes ./<my-app>/<my-project>#<my-app>

-uses:actions/checkout@v5-name:Downloadreleaseartifactuses:actions/download-artifact@v5with:name:<my-app>path:./<my-app>-name:PublishbuiltbinarytoGitHubreleases-run:|          gh release create --generate-notes ./<my-app>/<my-project>#<my-app>