How to launch a Rust application from Visual Studio Code?

Question

I have installed the Visual Studio Code extensions for Rust:

I want to run my project and I don't understand where to click.

I tried clicking Run Task, Run build task, Configure Default build task, but nothing reasonable happens.

Answer 1

Using the integrated terminal

Shortcut to run the integrated terminal: Ctrl + `
(Ctrl + backtick)
Then run the following command in the integrated terminal:

cargo run

Notes: Open the Code editor from your project folder ( code . command inside project folder terminal, or in GUI mode: right-click inside project folder and select Open With Code) then press Ctrl + ` ( Ctrl + backtick ) to open integrated terminal, then enter: cargo run

---

TLDR: install rust-analyzer and Native debugger based on LLDB

Or install using terminal commands:

code --install-extension matklad.rust-analyzer
code --install-extension vadimcn.vscode-lldb

---

Using Tasks

Shortcut to run the Task: Ctrl + Shift + B
Add cargo run as a default Task: add .vscode/tasks.json file to your project as follows, to use cargo run to run the project, change the contents of .vscode/tasks.json as follows:

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "cargo run",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "~/.cargo/bin/cargo", // note: full path to the cargo
            "args": [
                "run",
                // "--release",
                // "--",
                // "arg1"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            }
        }
    ]
}

Now press Ctrl + Shift + B to run the Task, or Press Ctrl + Shift + P and select Tasks: Run Build Task from the Command Palette.

You may add arguments like the comment above e.g.: "args": ["run", "--release", "--", "arg1"], (if your app requires it).

(You may open the Command Palette with Ctrl + Shift + P and type in Configure Default Build Task and press Enter to select it. Then select Rust: cargo build or Others. This generates a tasks.json file in your workspace .vscode folder).

---

Using the Native debugger based on LLDB

To Run the project:
Press Ctrl+F5 or select Run Without Debugging from the Run menu, and see the terminal window, for the result:

For the first time (only once), install the Native debugger based on LLDB, or install using the command line:

code --install-extension vadimcn.vscode-lldb

Then inside your Visual Studio Code project: Press shortcut Ctrl+F5 then for the first time select LLDB then OK and Yes, or create .vscode/launch.json file like the following sample, inside your project folder (Also you may select create a launch.json file from Debug/Run panel too):

{
    // Use IntelliSense to learn about possible attributes.
    // Hover to view descriptions of existing attributes.
    // For more information, visit: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=830387
    "version": "0.2.0",
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "lldb",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Debug executable 'example'",
            "cargo": {
                "args": [
                    "build",
                    "--bin=example",
                    "--package=example"
                ],
                "filter": {
                    "name": "example",
                    "kind": "bin"
                }
            },
            "args": [
                // "user_arg1",
                // "user_arg2"
            ],
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
        },
        {
            "type": "lldb",
            "request": "launch",
            "name": "Debug unit tests in executable 'example'",
            "cargo": {
                "args": [
                    "test",
                    "--no-run",
                    "--bin=example",
                    "--package=example"
                ],
                "filter": {
                    "name": "example",
                    "kind": "bin"
                }
            },
            "args": [],
            "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
        }
    ]
}

Notes:
I named the project example above.
You may uncomment above // "user_arg1", if you need args.

---

Using the rust-analyzer extension

Installation:

rustup component add rust-src
code --install-extension matklad.rust-analyzer

To run the code click on the gray Run text above fn main():

---

Using the code-runner extension

Install the extension, then open the source file then you will have a play button in the top right corner to click, or use default shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+N (You may change the shortcut from: File>Preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts and enter code-runner.run in the search box).
Note: To run the command inside terminal You may set code-runner.runInTerminal to true from File>Preferences>Settings (or press Ctrl+,), then enter code-runner.runInTerminal in the search box.
Edit: This runs only open file e.g.: rustc main.rs. You may edit the code-runner.executorMap to change the command from:

"rust": "cd $dir && rustc $fileName && $dir$fileNameWithoutExt",

to:

"rust": "cargo run",

So the Code Runner runs the cargo run command each time you click the Play button (or pressing keyboard shortcut):
From menu: File>Preferences>Settings (or press Ctrl+,) then inside search box, enter:
code-runner.executorMap then click Edit in Settings.json then edit "code-runner.executorMap": and change "rust":"cd $dir && rustc $fileName && $dir$fileNameWithoutExt" to "rust": "cargo run".

Or simply add 3 following lines to VSCode settings JSON (settings.json file):

"code-runner.executorMap": {
  "rust": "cargo run # $fileName"
}

---

Using the Code Runner custom command

You may set the custom command to run: "code-runner.customCommand": "cargo run"
Menu: File>Preferences>Settings (or press Ctrl+,) then inside search box, enter customCommand and set the custom command to run: cargo run. You may change Shortcut to this command for ease of use: From Menu select: File>Preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts, then inside search box enter: customCommand, then add/change keybinding e.g. press: Ctrl+L Ctrl+R

---

Using the rust-lang.rust extension

You may install this extension from the command line using:

code --install-extension rust-lang.rust

The plugin uses tasks: You may press Ctrl + Shift + B then select options presented, for now, there are only two options:

cargo check
cargo build

So you need to use the cargo run Task presented above (tasks.json file).

---

Using the vscode-rust extension

Install with Ctrl+P and type "ext install vscode-rust". Run with Ctrl+Shift+P, type "cargo" then select "Cargo:Run".

Edit: You may add Shortcut to this command for ease of use:
From Menu select: File>Preferences>Keyboard Shortcuts, then inside search box enter: Cargo:Run, then add keybinding e.g. press: Ctrl+L Ctrl+R, and if you are using this extension in non RLS mode to run Cargo command in terminal: you may set "rust.executeCargoCommandInTerminal": true in File>Preferences>Settings menu (or press Ctrl+,) then enter executeCargoCommandInTerminal inside search box.