appendix-04-useful-development-tools.md

## Appendix D - Useful Development Tools

In this appendix, we talk about some useful development tools that the Rust
project provides. We’ll look at automatic formatting, quick ways to apply
warning fixes, a linter, and integrating with IDEs.

### Automatic Formatting with `rustfmt`

The `rustfmt` tool reformats your code according to the community code style.
Many collaborative projects use `rustfmt` to prevent arguments about which
style to use when writing Rust: everyone formats their code using the tool.

To install `rustfmt`, enter the following:

```console
$ rustup component add rustfmt
```

This command gives you `rustfmt` and `cargo-fmt`, similar to how Rust gives you
both `rustc` and `cargo`. To format any Cargo project, enter the following:

```console
$ cargo fmt
```

Running this command reformats all the Rust code in the current crate. This
should only change the code style, not the code semantics. For more information
on `rustfmt`, see [its documentation][rustfmt].

[rustfmt]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rustfmt

### Fix Your Code with `rustfix`

The rustfix tool is included with Rust installations and can automatically fix
compiler warnings that have a clear way to correct the problem that’s likely
what you want. It’s likely you’ve seen compiler warnings before. For example,
consider this code:

<span class="filename">Filename: src/main.rs</span>

```rust
fn do_something() {}

fn main() {
    for i in 0..100 {
        do_something();
    }
}
```

Here, we’re calling the `do_something` function 100 times, but we never use the
variable `i` in the body of the `for` loop. Rust warns us about that:

```console
$ cargo build
   Compiling myprogram v0.1.0 (file:///projects/myprogram)
warning: unused variable: `i`
 --> src/main.rs:4:9
  |
4 |     for i in 0..100 {
  |         ^ help: consider using `_i` instead
  |
  = note: #[warn(unused_variables)] on by default

    Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.50s
```

The warning suggests that we use `_i` as a name instead: the underscore
indicates that we intend for this variable to be unused. We can automatically
apply that suggestion using the `rustfix` tool by running the command `cargo
fix`:

```console
$ cargo fix
    Checking myprogram v0.1.0 (file:///projects/myprogram)
      Fixing src/main.rs (1 fix)
    Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in 0.59s
```

When we look at *src/main.rs* again, we’ll see that `cargo fix` has changed the
code:

<span class="filename">Filename: src/main.rs</span>

```rust
fn do_something() {}

fn main() {
    for _i in 0..100 {
        do_something();
    }
}
```

The `for` loop variable is now named `_i`, and the warning no longer appears.

You can also use the `cargo fix` command to transition your code between
different Rust editions. Editions are covered in [Appendix E][editions].

### More Lints with Clippy

The Clippy tool is a collection of lints to analyze your code so you can catch
common mistakes and improve your Rust code.

To install Clippy, enter the following:

```console
$ rustup component add clippy
```

To run Clippy’s lints on any Cargo project, enter the following:

```console
$ cargo clippy
```

For example, say you write a program that uses an approximation of a
mathematical constant, such as pi, as this program does:

<span class="filename">Filename: src/main.rs</span>

```rust
fn main() {
    let x = 3.1415;
    let r = 8.0;
    println!("the area of the circle is {}", x * r * r);
}
```

Running `cargo clippy` on this project results in this error:

```text
error: approximate value of `f{32, 64}::consts::PI` found
 --> src/main.rs:2:13
  |
2 |     let x = 3.1415;
  |             ^^^^^^
  |
  = note: `#[deny(clippy::approx_constant)]` on by default
  = help: consider using the constant directly
  = help: for further information visit https://rust-lang.github.io/rust-clippy/master/index.html#approx_constant
```

This error lets you know that Rust already has a more precise `PI` constant
defined, and that your program would be more correct if you used the constant
instead. You would then change your code to use the `PI` constant. The
following code doesn’t result in any errors or warnings from Clippy:

<span class="filename">Filename: src/main.rs</span>

```rust
fn main() {
    let x = std::f64::consts::PI;
    let r = 8.0;
    println!("the area of the circle is {}", x * r * r);
}
```

For more information on Clippy, see [its documentation][clippy].

[clippy]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust-clippy

### IDE Integration Using `rust-analyzer`

To help IDE integration, the Rust community recommends using
[`rust-analyzer`][rust-analyzer]<!-- ignore -->. This tool is a set of
compiler-centric utilities that speaks the [Language Server Protocol][lsp]<!--
ignore -->, which is a specification for IDEs and programming languages to
communicate with each other. Different clients can use `rust-analyzer`, such as
[the Rust analyzer plug-in for Visual Studio Code][vscode].

[lsp]: http://langserver.org/
[vscode]: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=rust-lang.rust-analyzer

Visit the `rust-analyzer` project’s [home page][rust-analyzer]<!-- ignore -->
for installation instructions, then install the language server support in your
particular IDE. Your IDE will gain abilities such as autocompletion, jump to
definition, and inline errors.

[rust-analyzer]: https://rust-analyzer.github.io
[editions]: appendix-05-editions.md