## Installation

The first step is to install Rust. We’ll download Rust through `rustup`, a
command line tool for managing Rust versions and associated tools. You’ll need
an internet connection for the download.

> Note: If you prefer not to use `rustup` for some reason, please see the
> [Other Rust Installation Methods page][otherinstall] for more options.

The following steps install the latest stable version of the Rust compiler.
Rust’s stability guarantees ensure that all the examples in the book that
compile will continue to compile with newer Rust versions. The output might
differ slightly between versions because Rust often improves error messages and
warnings. In other words, any newer, stable version of Rust you install using
these steps should work as expected with the content of this book.

> ### Command Line Notation
>
> In this chapter and throughout the book, we’ll show some commands used in the
> terminal. Lines that you should enter in a terminal all start with `$`. You
> don’t need to type the `$` character; it’s the command line prompt shown to
> indicate the start of each command. Lines that don’t start with `$` typically
> show the output of the previous command. Additionally, PowerShell-specific
> examples will use `>` rather than `$`.

### Installing `rustup` on Linux or macOS

If you’re using Linux or macOS, open a terminal and enter the following command:

```console
$ curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 https://sh.rustup.rs -sSf | sh
```

The command downloads a script and starts the installation of the `rustup`
tool, which installs the latest stable version of Rust. You might be prompted
for your password. If the install is successful, the following line will appear:

```text
Rust is installed now. Great!
```

You will also need a *linker*, which is a program that Rust uses to join its
compiled outputs into one file. It is likely you already have one. If you get
linker errors, you should install a C compiler, which will typically include a
linker. A C compiler is also useful because some common Rust packages depend on
C code and will need a C compiler.

On macOS, you can get a C compiler by running:

```console
$ xcode-select --install
```

Linux users should generally install GCC or Clang, according to their
distribution’s documentation. For example, if you use Ubuntu, you can install
the `build-essential` package.

### Installing `rustup` on Windows

On Windows, go to [https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install][install] and follow
the instructions for installing Rust. At some point in the installation, you’ll
be prompted to install Visual Studio. This provides a linker and the native
libraries needed to compile programs. If you need more help with this step, see
[https://rust-lang.github.io/rustup/installation/windows-msvc.html][msvc]

The rest of this book uses commands that work in both *cmd.exe* and PowerShell.
If there are specific differences, we’ll explain which to use.

### Troubleshooting

To check whether you have Rust installed correctly, open a shell and enter this
line:

```console
$ rustc --version
```

You should see the version number, commit hash, and commit date for the latest
stable version that has been released, in the following format:

```text
rustc x.y.z (abcabcabc yyyy-mm-dd)
```

If you see this information, you have installed Rust successfully! If you don’t
see this information, check that Rust is in your `%PATH%` system variable as
follows.

In Windows CMD, use:

```console
> echo %PATH%
```

In PowerShell, use:

```powershell
> echo $env:Path
```

In Linux and macOS, use:

```console
$ echo $PATH
```

If that’s all correct and Rust still isn’t working, there are a number of
places you can get help. Find out how to get in touch with other Rustaceans (a
silly nickname we call ourselves) on [the community page][community].

### Updating and Uninstalling

Once Rust is installed via `rustup`, updating to a newly released version is
easy. From your shell, run the following update script:

```console
$ rustup update
```

To uninstall Rust and `rustup`, run the following uninstall script from your
shell:

```console
$ rustup self uninstall
```

### Local Documentation

The installation of Rust also includes a local copy of the documentation so
that you can read it offline. Run `rustup doc` to open the local documentation
in your browser.

Any time a type or function is provided by the standard library and you’re not
sure what it does or how to use it, use the application programming interface
(API) documentation to find out!

[otherinstall]: https://forge.rust-lang.org/infra/other-installation-methods.html
[install]: https://www.rust-lang.org/tools/install
[msvc]: https://rust-lang.github.io/rustup/installation/windows-msvc.html
[community]: https://www.rust-lang.org/community
