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# cargo-add(1)

## NAME

cargo-add — Add dependencies to a Cargo.toml manifest file

## SYNOPSIS

`cargo add` [options] crate…
`cargo add` [options] `--path` path
`cargo add` [options] `--git` url [crate…]

## DESCRIPTION

This command can add or modify dependencies.

The source for the dependency can be specified with:

- crate`@`version: Fetch from a registry with a version constraint of “version”
- `--path` path: Fetch from the specified path
- `--git` url: Pull from a git repo at url

If no source is specified, then a best effort will be made to select one, including:

- Existing dependencies in other tables (like `dev-dependencies`)
- Workspace members
- Latest release in the registry

When you add a package that is already present, the existing entry will be updated with the flags specified.

Upon successful invocation, the enabled (`+`) and disabled (`-`) features of the specified dependency will be listed in the command’s output.

## OPTIONS

### Source options

`--git` url
  Git URL to add the specified crate from.
`--branch` branch
  Branch to use when adding from git.
`--tag` tag
  Tag to use when adding from git.
`--rev` sha
  Specific commit to use when adding from git.
`--path` path
  Filesystem path to local crate to add.
`--base` base
  The path base to use when adding a local crate.

  Unstable (nightly-only)

`--registry` registry
  Name of the registry to use. Registry names are defined in Cargo config files. If not specified, the default registry is used, which is defined by the `registry.default` config key which defaults to `crates-io`.

### Section options

`--dev`
  Add as a development dependency.
`--build`
  Add as a build dependency.
`--target` target
  Add as a dependency to the given target platform.

  To avoid unexpected shell expansions, you may use quotes around each target, e.g., `--target 'cfg(unix)'`.

### Dependency options

`--dry-run`
  Don’t actually write the manifest
`--rename` name
  Rename the dependency.
`--optional`
  Mark the dependency as optional.
`--no-optional`
  Mark the dependency as required.
`--public`
  Mark the dependency as public.

  The dependency can be referenced in your library’s public API.

  Unstable (nightly-only)

`--no-public`
  Mark the dependency as private.

  While you can use the crate in your implementation, it cannot be referenced in your public API.

  Unstable (nightly-only)

`--no-default-features`
  Disable the default features.
`--default-features`
  Re-enable the default features.
`-F` features
`--features` features
  Space or comma separated list of features to activate. When adding multiple crates, the features for a specific crate may be enabled with `package-name/feature-name` syntax. This flag may be specified multiple times, which enables all specified features.

### Display Options

`-v`
`--verbose`
  Use verbose output. May be specified twice for “very verbose” output which includes extra output such as dependency warnings and build script output. May also be specified with the `term.verbose` config value.
`-q`
`--quiet`
  Do not print cargo log messages. May also be specified with the `term.quiet` config value.
`--color` when
  Control when colored output is used. Valid values:
  - `auto` (default): Automatically detect if color support is available on the terminal.
  - `always`: Always display colors.
  - `never`: Never display colors.

  May also be specified with the `term.color` config value.

### Manifest Options

`--manifest-path` path
  Path to the `Cargo.toml` file. By default, Cargo searches for the `Cargo.toml` file in the current directory or any parent directory.
`-p` spec
`--package` spec
  Add dependencies to only the specified package.
`--ignore-rust-version`
  Ignore `rust-version` specification in packages.
`--locked`
  Asserts that the exact same dependencies and versions are used as when the existing `Cargo.lock` file was originally generated. Cargo will exit with an error when either of the following scenarios arises:
  - The lock file is missing.
  - Cargo attempted to change the lock file due to a different dependency resolution.

  It may be used in environments where deterministic builds are desired, such as in CI pipelines.

`--offline`
  Prevents Cargo from accessing the network for any reason. Without this flag, Cargo will stop with an error if it needs to access the network and the network is not available. With this flag, Cargo will attempt to proceed without the network if possible.

  Beware that this may result in different dependency resolution than online mode. Cargo will restrict itself to crates that are downloaded locally, even if there might be a newer version as indicated in the local copy of the index. See the cargo-fetch(1) command to download dependencies before going offline.

  May also be specified with the `net.offline` config value.

`--frozen`
  Equivalent to specifying both `--locked` and `--offline`.
`--lockfile-path` PATH
  Changes the path of the lockfile from the default (`<workspace_root>/Cargo.lock`) to PATH. PATH must end with `Cargo.lock` (e.g. `--lockfile-path /tmp/temporary-lockfile/Cargo.lock`). Note that providing `--lockfile-path` will ignore existing lockfile at the default path, and instead will either use the lockfile from PATH, or write a new lockfile into the provided PATH if it doesn’t exist. This flag can be used to run most commands in read-only directories, writing lockfile into the provided PATH.

  This option is only available on the nightly channel and requires the `-Z unstable-options` flag to enable (see #14421).

### Common Options

`+`toolchain
  If Cargo has been installed with rustup, and the first argument to `cargo` begins with `+`, it will be interpreted as a rustup toolchain name (such as `+stable` or `+nightly`). See the rustup documentation for more information about how toolchain overrides work.
`--config` KEY=VALUE or PATH
  Overrides a Cargo configuration value. The argument should be in TOML syntax of `KEY=VALUE`, or provided as a path to an extra configuration file. This flag may be specified multiple times. See the command-line overrides section for more information.
`-C` PATH
  Changes the current working directory before executing any specified operations. This affects things like where cargo looks by default for the project manifest (`Cargo.toml`), as well as the directories searched for discovering `.cargo/config.toml`, for example. This option must appear before the command name, for example `cargo -C path/to/my-project build`.

  This option is only available on the nightly channel and requires the `-Z unstable-options` flag to enable (see #10098).

`-h`
`--help`
  Prints help information.
`-Z` flag
  Unstable (nightly-only) flags to Cargo. Run `cargo -Z help` for details.

## ENVIRONMENT

See the reference for details on environment variables that Cargo reads.

## EXIT STATUS

- `0`: Cargo succeeded.
- `101`: Cargo failed to complete.

## EXAMPLES

1. Add `regex` as a dependency

       cargo add regex

2. Add `trybuild` as a dev-dependency

       cargo add --dev trybuild

3. Add an older version of `nom` as a dependency

       cargo add nom@5

4. Add support for serializing data structures to json with `derive`s

       cargo add serde serde_json -F serde/derive

5. Add `windows` as a platform specific dependency on `cfg(windows)`

       cargo add windows --target 'cfg(windows)'

## SEE ALSO

cargo(1), cargo-remove(1)