How to use the command 'cargo search' (with examples)
This command allows users to search for packages on the crates.io registry. It returns a list of packages along with their descriptions in TOML format, which can be copied into Cargo.toml.
Use case 1: Search for packages
Code:
cargo search query
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you are looking for specific packages or libraries within the crates.io registry. It allows you to easily find and integrate existing packages into your Rust projects.
Explanation:
cargo search: The command to search for packages on the crates.io registry.query: The term you want to search for within the registry.
Example output:
$ cargo search regex
regex = "1.4.5" # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex = "1.4.2" # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex = { version = "1.3.6", features = ["simd-accel"] } # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex_syntax = "1.5.5" # Syntax definition for the Rust regex engines
...
In this example, we searched for the term “regex” and received a list of packages related to regular expressions on crates.io.
Use case 2: Show n results
Code:
cargo search --limit n query
Motivation: By default, the cargo search command returns 10 results. However, in some cases, you may want to see more or fewer results. This use case allows you to specify the number of results (n) to display.
Explanation:
--limit n: This argument limits the number of results shown. It takes an integer (n) as input.
Example output:
$ cargo search --limit 5 regex
regex = "1.4.5" # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex = "1.4.2" # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex = { version = "1.3.6", features = ["simd-accel"] } # regular expressions (RE2, PCRE2) for Rust
regex_syntax = "1.5.5" # Syntax definition for the Rust regex engines
game_box_searchpath = "0.2.1" # a convenient way to search through data dense structures
In this example, we limited the results to 5 by using the --limit argument. This is useful when you only want to see a specific number of matching packages.
Conclusion:
The cargo search command is a powerful tool for searching and exploring the crates.io registry. Whether you need to find specific packages or limit the number of results, this command provides an easy way to interact with the registry and find the packages you need for your Rust projects.
