When organizing a Rust application, it’s important to follow a folder structure that is both maintainable and scalable. A well-organized folder structure makes it easier for developers to understand the code, contribute to the project, and scale the application as it grows. Below is a recommended structure for a typical Rust application, with explanations for each part.
Recommended Folder Structure
my_rust_app/
├── Cargo.toml                # Project configuration (dependencies, metadata)
├── Cargo.lock                # Lock file (generated after running `cargo build`)
├── src/                      # Source files
│   ├── main.rs               # Main entry point (binary application)
│   ├── lib.rs                # Common library code (if applicable)
│   ├── bin/                  # Additional binaries (optional)
│   ├── models/               # Data models (e.g., structs, enums, etc.)
│   ├── services/             # Business logic / services
│   ├── handlers/             # Request handlers (e.g., for web servers)
│   ├── utils/                # Utility modules (e.g., helpers, utils)
│   ├── db/                   # Database-related code (e.g., migrations, queries)
│   ├── config/               # Configuration and environment setup
│   └── tests/                # Unit and integration tests
├── examples/                 # Example projects or usage demonstrations
├── target/                   # Build output directory (auto-generated by Cargo)
├── tests/                    # Integration tests (optional, alternative to `src/tests`)
├── scripts/                  # Utility scripts (e.g., setup, data generation)
└── README.md                 # Project documentation
Explanation of Folders and Files
1. Cargo.toml & Cargo.lock
- Cargo.toml: This is the main configuration file for the Rust project. It contains metadata, dependencies, and build configuration for the project.
- Cargo.lock: This file is automatically generated when you run- cargo buildor- cargo installto lock the dependencies to specific versions. You should commit this file to ensure consistent builds.
2. src/
This folder contains the core source code of the project.