14. Crate Architecture and API Design 🟡
What you'll learn:
- Module layout conventions and re-export strategies
- The public API design checklist for polished crates
- Ergonomic parameter patterns:
impl Into,AsRef,Cow- "Parse, don't validate" with
TryFromand validated types- Feature flags, conditional compilation, and workspace organization
Module Layout Conventions
my_crate/
├── Cargo.toml
├── src/
│ ├── lib.rs # Crate root — re-exports and public API
│ ├── config.rs # Feature module
│ ├── parser/ # Complex module with sub-modules
│ │ ├── mod.rs # or parser.rs at parent level (Rust 2018+)
│ │ ├── lexer.rs
│ │ └── ast.rs
│ ├── error.rs # Error types
│ └── utils.rs # Internal helpers (pub(crate))
├── tests/
│ └── integration.rs # Integration tests
├── benches/
│ └── perf.rs # Benchmarks
└── examples/
└── basic.rs # cargo run --example basic
// lib.rs — curate your public API with re-exports:
mod config;
mod error;
mod parser;
mod utils;
// Re-export what users need:
pub use config::Config;
pub use error::Error;
pub use parser::Parser;
// Public types are at the crate root — users write:
// use my_crate::Config;
// NOT: use my_crate::config::Config;
Visibility modifiers:
| Modifier | Visible To |
|---|---|
pub | Everyone |
pub(crate) | This crate only |
pub(super) | Parent module |
pub(in path) | Specific ancestor module |
| (none) | Current module and its children |
Public API Design Checklist
- Accept references, return owned —
fn process(input: &str) -> String - Use
impl Traitfor parameters —fn read(r: impl Read)instead offn read<R: Read>(r: R)for cleaner signatures - Return
Result, notpanic!— let callers decide how to handle errors - Implement standard traits —
Debug,Display,Clone,Default,From/Into - Make invalid states unrepresentable — use type states and newtypes
- Follow the builder pattern for complex configuration — with type-state if fields are required
- Seal traits you don't want users to implement —
pub trait Sealed: private::Sealed {} - Mark types and functions
#[must_use]— prevents silent discard of importantResults, guards, or values. Apply to any type where ignoring the return value is almost certainly a bug:#[must_use = "dropping the guard immediately releases the lock"] pub struct LockGuard<'a, T> { /* ... */ } #[must_use] pub fn validate(input: &str) -> Result<ValidInput, ValidationError> { /* ... */ }
// Sealed trait pattern — users can use but not implement:
mod private {
pub trait Sealed {}
}
pub trait DatabaseDriver: private::Sealed {
fn connect(&self, url: &str) -> Connection;
}
// Only types in THIS crate can implement Sealed → only we can implement DatabaseDriver
pub struct PostgresDriver;
impl private::Sealed for PostgresDriver {}
impl DatabaseDriver for PostgresDriver {
fn connect(&self, url: &str) -> Connection { /* ... */ }
}
#[non_exhaustive]— mark public enums and structs so that adding variants or fields is not a breaking change. Downstream crates must use a wildcard arm (_ =>) in match statements, and cannot construct the type with struct literal syntax:#[non_exhaustive] pub enum DiagError { Timeout, HardwareFault, // Adding a new variant in a future release is NOT a semver break. }
Ergonomic Parameter Patterns — impl Into, AsRef, Cow
One of Rust's most impactful API patterns is accepting the most general type in
function parameters, so callers don't need repetitive .to_string(), &*s, or .as_ref()
at every call site. This is the Rust-specific version of "be liberal in what you accept."
impl Into<T> — Accept Anything Convertible
// ❌ Friction: callers must convert manually
fn connect(host: String, port: u16) -> Connection {
// ...
}
connect("localhost".to_string(), 5432); // Annoying .to_string()
connect(hostname.clone(), 5432); // Unnecessary clone if we already have String
// ✅ Ergonomic: accept anything that converts to String
fn connect(host: impl Into<String>, port: u16) -> Connection {
let host = host.into(); // Convert once, inside the function
// ...
}
connect("localhost", 5432); // &str — zero friction
connect(hostname, 5432); // String — moved, no clone
connect(arc_str, 5432); // Arc<str> if From is implemented
This works because Rust's From/Into trait pair provides blanket conversions.
When you accept impl Into<T>, you're saying: "give me anything that knows how to
become a T."
AsRef<T> — Borrow as a Reference
AsRef<T> is the borrowing counterpart to Into<T>. Use it when you only need
to read the data, not take ownership:
use std::path::Path;
// ❌ Forces callers to convert to &Path
fn file_exists(path: &Path) -> bool {
path.exists()
}
file_exists(Path::new("/tmp/test.txt")); // Awkward
// ✅ Accept anything that can behave as a &Path
fn file_exists(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> bool {
path.as_ref().exists()
}
file_exists("/tmp/test.txt"); // &str ✅
file_exists(String::from("/tmp/test.txt")); // String ✅
file_exists(Path::new("/tmp/test.txt")); // &Path ✅
file_exists(PathBuf::from("/tmp/test.txt")); // PathBuf ✅
// Same pattern for string-like parameters:
fn log_message(msg: impl AsRef<str>) {
println!("[LOG] {}", msg.as_ref());
}
log_message("hello"); // &str ✅
log_message(String::from("hello")); // String ✅
Cow<T> — Clone on Write
Cow<'a, T> (Clone on Write) delays allocation until mutation is needed.
It holds either a borrowed &T or an owned T::Owned. This is perfect when
most calls don't need to modify the data:
use std::borrow::Cow;
/// Normalizes a diagnostic message — only allocates if changes are needed.
fn normalize_message(msg: &str) -> Cow<'_, str> {
if msg.contains('\t') || msg.contains('\r') {
// Must allocate — we need to modify the content
Cow::Owned(msg.replace('\t', " ").replace('\r', ""))
} else {
// No allocation — just borrow the original
Cow::Borrowed(msg)
}
}
// Most messages pass through without allocation:
let clean = normalize_message("All tests passed"); // Borrowed — free
let fixed = normalize_message("Error:\tfailed\r\n"); // Owned — allocated
// Cow<str> implements Deref<Target=str>, so it works like &str:
println!("{}", clean);
println!("{}", fixed.to_uppercase());
Quick Reference: Which to Use
Do you need ownership of the data inside the function?
├── YES → impl Into<T>
│ "Give me anything that can become a T"
└── NO → Do you only need to read it?
├── YES → impl AsRef<T> or &T
│ "Give me anything I can borrow as a &T"
└── MAYBE (might need to modify sometimes?)
└── Cow<'_, T>
"Borrow if possible, clone only when you must"
| Pattern | Ownership | Allocation | When to use |
|---|---|---|---|
&str | Borrowed | Never | Simple string params |
impl AsRef<str> | Borrowed | Never | Accept String, &str, etc. — read only |
impl Into<String> | Owned | On conversion | Accept &str, String — will store/own |
Cow<'_, str> | Either | Only if modified | Processing that usually doesn't modify |
&[u8] / impl AsRef<[u8]> | Borrowed | Never | Byte-oriented APIs |
Borrow<T>vsAsRef<T>: Both provide&T, butBorrow<T>additionally guarantees thatEq,Ord, andHashare consistent between the original and borrowed form. This is whyHashMap<String, V>::get()accepts&Q where String: Borrow<Q>— notAsRef. UseBorrowwhen the borrowed form is used as a lookup key; useAsReffor general "give me a reference" parameters.
Composing Conversions in APIs
/// A well-designed diagnostic API using ergonomic parameters:
pub struct DiagRunner {
name: String,
config_path: PathBuf,
results: HashMap<String, TestResult>,
}
impl DiagRunner {
/// Accept any string-like type for name, any path-like type for config.
pub fn new(
name: impl Into<String>,
config_path: impl Into<PathBuf>,
) -> Self {
DiagRunner {
name: name.into(),
config_path: config_path.into(),
}
}
/// Accept any AsRef<str> for read-only lookup.
pub fn get_result(&self, test_name: impl AsRef<str>) -> Option<&TestResult> {
self.results.get(test_name.as_ref())
}
}
// All of these work with zero caller friction:
let runner = DiagRunner::new("GPU Diag", "/etc/diag_tool/config.json");
let runner = DiagRunner::new(format!("Diag-{}", node_id), config_path);
let runner = DiagRunner::new(name_string, path_buf);
Case Study: Designing a Public Crate API — Before & After
A real-world example of evolving a stringly-typed internal API into an ergonomic, type-safe public API. Consider a configuration parser crate:
Before (stringly-typed, easy to misuse):
// ❌ All parameters are strings — no compile-time validation
pub fn parse_config(path: &str, format: &str, strict: bool) -> Result<Config, String> {
// What formats are valid? "json"? "JSON"? "Json"?
// Is path a file path or URL?
// What does "strict" even mean?
todo!()
}
After (type-safe, self-documenting):
use std::path::Path;
/// Supported configuration formats.
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
#[non_exhaustive] // Adding formats won't break downstream
pub enum Format {
Json,
Toml,
Yaml,
}
/// Controls parsing strictness.
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Default)]
pub enum Strictness {
/// Reject unknown fields (default for libraries)
#[default]
Strict,
/// Ignore unknown fields (useful for forward-compatible configs)
Lenient,
}
pub fn parse_config(
path: &Path, // Type-enforced: must be a filesystem path
format: Format, // Enum: impossible to pass invalid format
strictness: Strictness, // Named alternatives, not a bare bool
) -> Result<Config, ConfigError> {
todo!()
}
What improved:
| Aspect | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Format validation | Runtime string comparison | Compile-time enum |
| Path type | Raw &str (could be anything) | &Path (filesystem-specific) |
| Strictness | Mystery bool | Self-documenting enum |
| Error type | String (opaque) | ConfigError (structured) |
| Extensibility | Breaking changes | #[non_exhaustive] |
Rule of thumb: If you find yourself writing a
matchon string values, consider replacing the parameter with an enum. If a parameter is a boolean that isn't obvious from context, use a two-variant enum instead.
Parse Don't Validate — TryFrom and Validated Types
"Parse, don't validate" is a principle that says: don't check data and then pass
around the raw unchecked form — instead, parse it into a type that can only exist
if the data is valid. Rust's TryFrom trait is the standard tool for this.
The Problem: Validation Without Enforcement
// ❌ Validate-then-use: nothing prevents using an invalid value after the check
fn process_port(port: u16) {
if port == 0 || port > 65535 {
panic!("Invalid port"); // We checked, but...
}
start_server(port); // What if someone calls start_server(0) directly?
}
// ❌ Stringly-typed: an email is just a String — any garbage gets through
fn send_email(to: String, body: String) {
// Is `to` actually a valid email? We don't know.
// Someone could pass "not-an-email" and we only find out at the SMTP server.
}
The Solution: Parse Into Validated Newtypes with TryFrom
use std::convert::TryFrom;
use std::fmt;
/// A validated TCP port number (1–65535).
/// If you have a `Port`, it is guaranteed valid.
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub struct Port(u16);
impl TryFrom<u16> for Port {
type Error = PortError;
fn try_from(value: u16) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
if value == 0 {
Err(PortError::Zero)
} else {
Ok(Port(value))
}
}
}
impl Port {
pub fn get(&self) -> u16 { self.0 }
}
#[derive(Debug)]
pub enum PortError {
Zero,
InvalidFormat,
}
impl fmt::Display for PortError {
fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
match self {
PortError::Zero => write!(f, "port must be non-zero"),
PortError::InvalidFormat => write!(f, "invalid port format"),
}
}
}
impl std::error::Error for PortError {}
// Now the type system enforces validity:
fn start_server(port: Port) {
// No validation needed — Port can only be constructed via TryFrom,
// which already verified it's valid.
println!("Listening on port {}", port.get());
}
// Usage:
fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
let port = Port::try_from(8080)?; // ✅ Validated once at the boundary
start_server(port); // No re-validation anywhere downstream
let bad = Port::try_from(0); // ❌ Err(PortError::Zero)
Ok(())
}
Real-World Example: Validated IPMI Address
/// A validated IPMI slave address (0x20–0xFE, even only).
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
pub struct IpmiAddr(u8);
#[derive(Debug)]
pub enum IpmiAddrError {
Odd(u8),
OutOfRange(u8),
}
impl fmt::Display for IpmiAddrError {
fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
match self {
IpmiAddrError::Odd(v) => write!(f, "IPMI address 0x{v:02X} must be even"),
IpmiAddrError::OutOfRange(v) => {
write!(f, "IPMI address 0x{v:02X} out of range (0x20..=0xFE)")
}
}
}
}
impl TryFrom<u8> for IpmiAddr {
type Error = IpmiAddrError;
fn try_from(value: u8) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
if value % 2 != 0 {
Err(IpmiAddrError::Odd(value))
} else if value < 0x20 || value > 0xFE {
Err(IpmiAddrError::OutOfRange(value))
} else {
Ok(IpmiAddr(value))
}
}
}
impl IpmiAddr {
pub fn get(&self) -> u8 { self.0 }
}
// Downstream code never needs to re-check:
fn send_ipmi_command(addr: IpmiAddr, cmd: u8, data: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>, IpmiError> {
// addr.get() is guaranteed to be a valid, even IPMI address
raw_ipmi_send(addr.get(), cmd, data)
}
Parsing Strings with FromStr
For types that are commonly parsed from text (CLI args, config files), implement FromStr:
use std::str::FromStr;
impl FromStr for Port {
type Err = PortError;
fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
let n: u16 = s.parse().map_err(|_| PortError::InvalidFormat)?;
Port::try_from(n)
}
}
// Now works with .parse():
let port: Port = "8080".parse()?; // Validates in one step
// And with clap CLI parsing:
// #[derive(Parser)]
// struct Args {
// #[arg(short, long)]
// port: Port, // clap calls FromStr automatically
// }
TryFrom Chain for Complex Validation
// Stub types for this example — in production these would be in
// separate modules with their own TryFrom implementations.
# struct Hostname(String);
# impl TryFrom<String> for Hostname {
# type Error = String;
# fn try_from(s: String) -> Result<Self, String> { Ok(Hostname(s)) }
# }
# struct Timeout(u64);
# impl TryFrom<u64> for Timeout {
# type Error = String;
# fn try_from(ms: u64) -> Result<Self, String> {
# if ms == 0 { Err("timeout must be > 0".into()) } else { Ok(Timeout(ms)) }
# }
# }
# struct RawConfig { host: String, port: u16, timeout_ms: u64 }
# #[derive(Debug)]
# enum ConfigError {
# InvalidHost(String),
# InvalidPort(PortError),
# InvalidTimeout(String),
# }
# impl From<std::io::Error> for ConfigError {
# fn from(e: std::io::Error) -> Self { ConfigError::InvalidHost(e.to_string()) }
# }
# impl From<serde_json::Error> for ConfigError {
# fn from(e: serde_json::Error) -> Self { ConfigError::InvalidHost(e.to_string()) }
# }
/// A validated configuration that can only exist if all fields are valid.
pub struct ValidConfig {
pub host: Hostname,
pub port: Port,
pub timeout_ms: Timeout,
}
impl TryFrom<RawConfig> for ValidConfig {
type Error = ConfigError;
fn try_from(raw: RawConfig) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
Ok(ValidConfig {
host: Hostname::try_from(raw.host)
.map_err(ConfigError::InvalidHost)?,
port: Port::try_from(raw.port)
.map_err(ConfigError::InvalidPort)?,
timeout_ms: Timeout::try_from(raw.timeout_ms)
.map_err(ConfigError::InvalidTimeout)?,
})
}
}
// Parse once at the boundary, use the validated type everywhere:
fn load_config(path: &str) -> Result<ValidConfig, ConfigError> {
let raw: RawConfig = serde_json::from_str(&std::fs::read_to_string(path)?)?;
ValidConfig::try_from(raw) // All validation happens here
}
Summary: Validate vs Parse
| Approach | Data checked? | Compiler enforces validity? | Re-validation needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runtime checks (if/assert) | ✅ | ❌ | Every function boundary |
Validated newtype + TryFrom | ✅ | ✅ | Never — type is proof |
The rule: parse at the boundary, use validated types everywhere inside.
Raw strings, integers, and byte slices enter your system, get parsed into
validated types via TryFrom/FromStr, and from that point forward the type
system guarantees they're valid.
Feature Flags and Conditional Compilation
Cargo.toml
[features] default = ["json"] # Enabled by default json = ["dep:serde_json"] # Enables JSON support xml = ["dep:quick-xml"] # Enables XML support full = ["json", "xml"] # Meta-feature: enables all
[dependencies] serde = "1" serde_json = { version = "1", optional = true } quick-xml = { version = "0.31", optional = true }
// Conditional compilation based on features:
#[cfg(feature = "json")]
pub fn to_json<T: serde::Serialize>(value: &T) -> String {
serde_json::to_string(value).unwrap()
}
#[cfg(feature = "xml")]
pub fn to_xml<T: serde::Serialize>(value: &T) -> String {
quick_xml::se::to_string(value).unwrap()
}
// Compile error if a required feature isn't enabled:
#[cfg(not(any(feature = "json", feature = "xml")))]
compile_error!("At least one format feature (json, xml) must be enabled");
Best practices:
- Keep
defaultfeatures minimal — users can opt in - Use
dep:syntax (Rust 1.60+) for optional dependencies to avoid creating implicit features - Document features in your README and crate-level docs
Workspace Organization
For large projects, use a Cargo workspace to share dependencies and build artifacts:
Root Cargo.toml
[workspace] members = [ "core", # Shared types and traits "parser", # Parsing library "server", # Binary — the main application "client", # Client library "cli", # CLI binary ]
Shared dependency versions:
[workspace.dependencies] serde = { version = "1", features = ["derive"] } tokio = { version = "1", features = ["full"] } tracing = "0.1"
In each member's Cargo.toml:
[dependencies]
serde = { workspace = true }
**Benefits**:
- Single
Cargo.lock— all crates use the same dependency versions cargo test --workspaceruns all tests- Shared build cache — compiling one crate benefits all
- Clean dependency boundaries between components
.cargo/config.toml: Project-Level Configuration
The .cargo/config.toml file (at the workspace root or in $HOME/.cargo/)
customizes Cargo behavior without modifying Cargo.toml:
.cargo/config.toml
Default target for this workspace
[build] target = "x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu"
Custom runner — e.g., run via QEMU for cross-compiled binaries
[target.aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu] runner = "qemu-aarch64-static" linker = "aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc"
Cargo aliases — custom shortcut commands
[alias] xt = "test --workspace --release" # cargo xt = run all tests in release ci = "clippy --workspace -- -D warnings" # cargo ci = lint with errors on warnings cov = "llvm-cov --workspace" # cargo cov = coverage (requires cargo-llvm-cov)
Environment variables for build scripts
[env] IPMI_LIB_PATH = "/usr/lib/bmc"
Use a custom registry (for internal packages)
[registries.internal]
index = "https://gitlab.internal/crates/index"
Common configuration patterns:
| Setting | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
[build] target | Default compilation target | x86_64-unknown-linux-musl for static builds |
[target.X] runner | How to run the binary | "qemu-aarch64-static" for cross-compiled |
[target.X] linker | Which linker to use | "aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc" |
[alias] | Custom cargo subcommands | xt = "test --workspace" |
[env] | Build-time environment variables | Library paths, feature toggles |
[net] offline | Prevent network access | true for air-gapped builds |
Compile-Time Environment Variables: env!() and option_env!()
Rust can embed environment variables into the binary at compile time — useful for version strings, build metadata, and configuration:
// env!() — panics at compile time if the variable is missing
const VERSION: &str = env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"); // "0.1.0" from Cargo.toml
const PKG_NAME: &str = env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME"); // Crate name from Cargo.toml
// option_env!() — returns Option<&str>, doesn't panic if missing
const BUILD_SHA: Option<&str> = option_env!("GIT_SHA");
const BUILD_TIME: Option<&str> = option_env!("BUILD_TIMESTAMP");
fn print_version() {
println!("{PKG_NAME} v{VERSION}");
if let Some(sha) = BUILD_SHA {
println!(" commit: {sha}");
}
if let Some(time) = BUILD_TIME {
println!(" built: {time}");
}
}
Cargo automatically sets many useful environment variables:
| Variable | Value | Use case |
|---|---|---|
CARGO_PKG_VERSION | "1.2.3" | Version reporting |
CARGO_PKG_NAME | "diag_tool" | Binary identification |
CARGO_PKG_AUTHORS | From Cargo.toml | About/help text |
CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR | Absolute path to Cargo.toml | Locating test data files |
OUT_DIR | Build output directory | build.rs code generation target |
TARGET | Target triple | Platform-specific logic in build.rs |
You can set custom env vars from build.rs:
// build.rs
fn main() {
println!("cargo::rustc-env=GIT_SHA={}", git_sha());
println!("cargo::rustc-env=BUILD_TIMESTAMP={}", timestamp());
}
cfg_attr: Conditional Attributes
cfg_attr applies an attribute only when a condition is true. This is more
targeted than #[cfg()], which includes/excludes entire items:
// Derive Serialize only when the "serde" feature is enabled:
#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
pub struct DiagResult {
pub fc: u32,
pub passed: bool,
pub message: String,
}
// Without "serde" feature: no serde dependency needed at all
// With "serde" feature: DiagResult is serializable
// Conditional attribute for testing:
#[cfg_attr(test, derive(PartialEq))] // Only derive PartialEq in test builds
pub struct LargeStruct { /* ... */ }
// Platform-specific function attributes:
#[cfg_attr(target_os = "linux", link_name = "ioctl")]
#[cfg_attr(target_os = "freebsd", link_name = "__ioctl")]
extern "C" fn platform_ioctl(fd: i32, request: u64) -> i32;
| Pattern | What it does |
|---|---|
#[cfg(feature = "x")] | Include/exclude the entire item |
#[cfg_attr(feature = "x", derive(Foo))] | Add derive(Foo) only when feature "x" is on |
#[cfg_attr(test, allow(unused))] | Suppress warnings only in test builds |
#[cfg_attr(doc, doc = "...")] | Documentation visible only in cargo doc |
cargo deny and cargo audit: Supply-Chain Security
Install security audit tools
cargo install cargo-deny cargo install cargo-audit
Check for known vulnerabilities in dependencies
cargo audit
Comprehensive checks: licenses, bans, advisories, sources
cargo deny check
Configure `cargo deny` with a `deny.toml` at the workspace root:
deny.toml
[advisories] vulnerability = "deny" # Fail on known vulnerabilities unmaintained = "warn" # Warn on unmaintained crates
[licenses] allow = ["MIT", "Apache-2.0", "BSD-2-Clause", "BSD-3-Clause"] deny = ["GPL-3.0"] # Reject copyleft licenses
[bans] multiple-versions = "warn" # Warn if multiple versions of same crate deny = [
{ name = "openssl" }, # Force use of rustls instead
]
[sources]
allow-git = [] # No git dependencies in production
| Tool | Purpose | When to run |
|---|---|---|
cargo audit | Check for known CVEs in dependencies | CI pipeline, pre-release |
cargo deny check | Licenses, bans, advisories, sources | CI pipeline |
cargo deny check licenses | License compliance only | Before open-sourcing |
cargo deny check bans | Prevent specific crates | Enforce architecture decisions |
Doc Tests: Tests Inside Documentation
Rust doc comments (///) can contain code blocks that are compiled and run as tests:
/// Parses a diagnostic fault code from a string.
///
/// # Examples
///
/// ```
/// use my_crate::parse_fc;
///
/// let fc = parse_fc("FC:12345").unwrap();
/// assert_eq!(fc, 12345);
/// ```
///
/// Invalid input returns an error:
///
/// ```
/// use my_crate::parse_fc;
///
/// assert!(parse_fc("not-a-fc").is_err());
/// ```
pub fn parse_fc(input: &str) -> Result<u32, ParseError> {
input.strip_prefix("FC:")
.ok_or(ParseError::MissingPrefix)?
.parse()
.map_err(ParseError::InvalidNumber)
}
cargo test --doc # Run only doc tests
cargo test # Runs unit + integration + doc tests
Module-level documentation uses //! at the top of a file:
//! # Diagnostic Framework
//!
//! This crate provides the core diagnostic execution engine.
//! It supports running diagnostic tests, collecting results,
//! and reporting to the BMC via IPMI.
//!
//! ## Quick Start
//!
//! ```no_run
//! use diag_framework::Framework;
//!
//! let mut fw = Framework::new("config.json")?;
//! fw.run_all_tests()?;
//! ```
Benchmarking with Criterion
Full coverage: See the Benchmarking with criterion section in Chapter 13 (Testing and Benchmarking Patterns) for complete
criterionsetup, API examples, and a comparison table vscargo bench. Below is a quick-reference for architecture-specific usage.
When benchmarking your crate's public API, place benchmarks in benches/ and
keep them focused on the hot path — typically parsers, serializers, or
validation boundaries:
cargo bench # Run all benchmarks
cargo bench -- parse_config # Run specific benchmark
# Results in target/criterion/ with HTML reports
Key Takeaways — Architecture & API Design
- Accept the most general type (
impl Into,impl AsRef,Cow); return the most specific- Parse Don't Validate: use
TryFromto create types that are valid by construction#[non_exhaustive]on public enums prevents breaking changes when adding variants#[must_use]catches silent discards of important values
See also: Ch 9 — Error Handling for error type design in public APIs. Ch 13 — Testing for testing your crate's public API.
Exercise: Crate API Refactoring ★★ (~30 min)
Refactor the following "stringly-typed" API into one that uses TryFrom, newtypes, and builder pattern:
// BEFORE: Easy to misuse
fn create_server(host: &str, port: &str, max_conn: &str) -> Server { ... }
Design a ServerConfig with validated types Host, Port (1–65535), and MaxConnections (1–10000) that reject invalid values at parse time.
#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
struct Host(String);
impl TryFrom<&str> for Host {
type Error = String;
fn try_from(s: &str) -> Result<Self, String> {
if s.is_empty() { return Err("host cannot be empty".into()); }
if s.contains(' ') { return Err("host cannot contain spaces".into()); }
Ok(Host(s.to_string()))
}
}
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
struct Port(u16);
impl TryFrom<u16> for Port {
type Error = String;
fn try_from(p: u16) -> Result<Self, String> {
if p == 0 { return Err("port must be >= 1".into()); }
Ok(Port(p))
}
}
#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
struct MaxConnections(u32);
impl TryFrom<u32> for MaxConnections {
type Error = String;
fn try_from(n: u32) -> Result<Self, String> {
if n == 0 || n > 10_000 {
return Err(format!("max_connections must be 1–10000, got {n}"));
}
Ok(MaxConnections(n))
}
}
#[derive(Debug)]
struct ServerConfig {
host: Host,
port: Port,
max_connections: MaxConnections,
}
impl ServerConfig {
fn new(host: Host, port: Port, max_connections: MaxConnections) -> Self {
ServerConfig { host, port, max_connections }
}
}
fn main() {
let config = ServerConfig::new(
Host::try_from("localhost").unwrap(),
Port::try_from(8080).unwrap(),
MaxConnections::try_from(100).unwrap(),
);
println!("{config:?}");
// Invalid values caught at parse time:
assert!(Host::try_from("").is_err());
assert!(Port::try_from(0).is_err());
assert!(MaxConnections::try_from(99999).is_err());
}