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Attaching Cargo projects

Last modified: 20 January 2025

When you open a local Rust project or fetch one from VCS, RustRover analyzes its structure and displays it in the Cargo tool window.

Cargo workspace displayed in the Cargo tool window

The workspace (if any), the packages, and the targets, are organized into Cargo projects. A Cargo project is defined by a Cargo.toml file and the sources contained in the corresponding folder. Identifying Cargo projects is crucial for code insight and navigation.

More often than not, the first time you open a project, RustRover will identify all Cargo projects automatically. However, in some cases (for example, if there is a Cargo.toml file outside the Cargo workspace), it may be unable to detect all of them. If you cannot find some of your Cargo projects in the Cargo tool window, consider attaching them manually.

If the project has an uncommon structure, the first time you open it, RustRover will display a dialog asking you to choose the Cargo projects to attach.

Attaching Cargo projects using the Attach Cargo Projects dialog

As you work in the editor, RustRover checks whether the files you open belong to some Cargo project. If not, you will see a banner suggesting to associate the file with a Cargo project.

Attaching a Cargo project via editor notification

When you click Attach Cargo.toml, RustRover will try to identify the corresponding Cargo project. If successful, it will automatically attach the project and reflect it in the Cargo tool window. Otherwise, you'll be prompted to manually select the necessary Cargo.toml file from the file chooser.