How to use the command 'rustup target' (with examples)

This command allows you to modify a toolchain’s supported targets in Rust. You can add or remove targets, as well as list available and installed targets for a toolchain.

Use case 1: Add a target to a toolchain

Code:

rustup target add --toolchain toolchain target

Motivation: The rustup target add command is used to add a new target to a specific toolchain. This is useful when you need to build your Rust code for a specific platform or architecture. By adding a new target, you can cross-compile your code to run on different devices or platforms.

Explanation:

• --toolchain toolchain: This option allows you to specify the toolchain to which you want to add the target. You can provide the name of the toolchain (e.g., stable, nightly) or an explicit version (e.g., 1.50.0).
• target: This argument represents the target to be added. It can be a target triple, such as x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu or armv7-unknown-linux-gnueabihf.

Example output:

info: downloading component 'rust-std' for 'x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'
info: installing component 'rust-std' for 'x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'

Use case 2: Remove a target from a toolchain

Code:

rustup target remove --toolchain toolchain target

Motivation: The rustup target remove command is used to remove a target from a specific toolchain. If you no longer need to build your Rust code for a specific platform or architecture, you can remove the target to free up disk space and simplify your toolchain configurations.

Explanation:

• --toolchain toolchain: This option allows you to specify the toolchain from which you want to remove the target. It can be the name of the toolchain (e.g., stable, nightly) or an explicit version (e.g., 1.50.0).
• target: This argument represents the target to be removed. It should be a target triple that was previously installed.

Example output:

info: removing component 'rust-std' for 'x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'
info: rolling back changes done to 'x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu'

Use case 3: List available and installed targets for a toolchain

Code:

rustup target list --toolchain toolchain

Motivation: The rustup target list command allows you to see a list of all available and installed targets for a specific toolchain. This is useful when you need to know which platforms are supported by your toolchain or want to check if a particular target is already installed.

Explanation:

• --toolchain toolchain: This option specifies the toolchain for which you want to list the targets. It can be the name of the toolchain (e.g., stable, nightly) or an explicit version (e.g., 1.50.0).

Example output:

x86_64-apple-darwin
x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

Use case 4: List installed targets for a toolchain

Code:

rustup target list --toolchain toolchain --installed

Motivation: The rustup target list command with the --installed option allows you to see only the targets that are currently installed for a specific toolchain. This is useful when you want to check the installed targets without seeing the full list of available targets.

Explanation:

• --toolchain toolchain: This option specifies the toolchain for which you want to list the installed targets. It can be the name of the toolchain (e.g., stable, nightly) or an explicit version (e.g., 1.50.0).
• --installed: This option filters the list to show only the installed targets.

Example output:

x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

Conclusion:

The rustup target command is a powerful tool for managing the supported targets in your Rust toolchain. With it, you can add or remove targets, as well as list the available and installed targets for a specific toolchain. Using these commands, you can easily customize your toolchain to suit your development needs and build your Rust code for different platforms or architectures.