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Setting up a dev container for Rust

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have the following installed:

Tip

No software (e.g., Rust) needs to be installed directly on your host machine. All development will happen inside the container.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a New Directory

Start by opening your terminal and creating a new directory by running the command below in a location of your choice. 

mkdir rust-dev-container
cd rust-dev-container

Next, initialize a new Git repository: 

git init

Now create a README.md file: 

echo "# Rust Dev Container Project" > README.md

2. Set Up the Dev Container

Inside your project directory, create a .devcontainer folder: 

mkdir .devcontainer

Create a devcontainer.json file inside .devcontainer: 

touch .devcontainer/devcontainer.json

Open the project in Visual Studio Code: 

code .

Now that we are inside VS Code, open the devcontainer.json file from the .devcontainer folder and add the following content: 

{
    "name": "Rust Dev Container",
    "image": "mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/rust:bullseye",
    "customizations": {
        "vscode": {
            "extensions": [
                "rust-lang.rust-analyzer"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Tip

  • This configuration uses the Rust base image provided by Microsoft.
  • The rust-analyzer extension adds helpful features like autocompletion and error highlighting.

Save the file and reopen the project in the Dev Container:

  • When prompted, click Reopen in Container in VS Code.

3. Verify Rust Installation

Inside the Dev Container terminal, make sure Rust is installed and up to date by running: 

rustc --version
You should see an output like: 
rustc 1.84.0 (e4e7dcdcd 2025-01-09)

Tip

If the version is outdated, rebuild the container to ensure the latest image is used.

4. Create a Rust Project

Use Cargo to create a new Rust binary project, I'll call mine hello-comp423: 

cargo new hello-comp423 --vcs none

Tip

The --vcs none flag prevents Cargo from initializing another Git repository.

Navigate into the project folder: 

cd hello-comp423

5. Write Your Program

Open src/main.rs in VS Code and replace the default content with the following code: 

fn main() {
    println!("Hello COMP423");
}

Tip

The println! macro is used in Rust to print text to the console.

6. Compile and Run the Program

Compile the program: 

cargo build

Run the program: 

cargo run

You should see the following output:

Hello COMP423

Conclusion

It's that easy. You just successfully set up a Rust development environment in a Dev Container, created a project, and ran your first program.