Question 1

How to install cargo binstall on Windows?

Accepted Answer

Use the PowerShell one-liner from the README that sets execution policy and downloads the script, or manually download the ZIP file from the releases page and place cargo-binstall.exe in your cargo bin directory.

Question 2

Is cargo binstall safe to use?

Accepted Answer

It uses HTTPS with TLS 1.2+ for downloads and has initial signature support, but security relies on trusting pre-built binaries since not all crates are signed. Always verify sources for critical tools.

Question 3

Can I use cargo binstall in GitHub Actions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there's a first-party action that installs it easily, and third-party actions like taiki-e/install-action recommend it for managing Rust tools in CI with minimal setup.

Question 4

Cargo binstall vs cargo install: which is better?

Accepted Answer

Cargo binstall is faster for installing pre-built binaries and ideal for CI, while cargo install is necessary for source compilation, custom features, or when binaries aren't available. Use binstall for speed, cargo install for control.

Question 5

How to disable telemetry in cargo binstall?

Accepted Answer

Set the --disable-telemetry flag, the BINSTALL_DISABLE_TELEMETRY environment variable to true, or avoid the quickinstall strategy in your configuration. The README details multiple opt-out methods.

Question 6

What if cargo binstall fails to find a binary?

Accepted Answer

It will fall back to building from source with cargo install, but for unsupported crates, you may need to manually specify pkg-url, bin-dir, and pkg-fmt as documented in SUPPORT.md, adding complexity.

cargo-binstall

What is cargo-binstall?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions