Quickstart

This walkthrough validates ordinary Rust development first. It does not require Android Studio, Xcode, an emulator, a simulator, or a phone.

1. Install the current source

From the cargo-ferry checkout:

cargo install --path crates/cargo-ferry

The package requires Rust 1.92 or newer. Because rustferry 0.1.0 is not published yet, the contributor command below selects the checkout explicitly. A published release defaults to the registry and needs no path override. See Installation for PowerShell syntax and mobile toolchains.

2. Generate the starter

cargo ferry new weather \
  --id com.example.weather \
  --runtime-source path \
  --runtime-path "$PWD/crates/rustferry"
cd weather

Generation is staged in a temporary sibling directory and refuses to overwrite an existing destination. By default it initializes Git and runs cargo check; use --no-git or --no-check to opt out.

Open src/app.rs first. The starter keeps its Slint UI, click handlers, lifecycle binding, async notification request, and error presentation together. State and the network service are in small neighboring modules.

3. Check normal Rust code

cargo ferry check
cargo test

cargo ferry check validates strict ferry.toml configuration before invoking cargo check.

4. Inspect prerequisites

cargo ferry doctor --all

Doctor is read-only. cargo ferry doctor --fix --dry-run prints suggestions; automatic mutation is not currently enabled.

5. Build an artifact

Android build is build-only: it must not require or contact a device.

cargo ferry build android

On macOS with full Xcode:

cargo ferry build ios --simulator

A zero exit from a finished platform build means the produced artifact passed the pipeline’s inspections. Dry-run output, generated manifests, or skipped CI jobs are not artifact evidence. Check Support matrix and Implementation status for the exact validated level in this revision.

Deployment is a separate, explicit level:

cargo ferry devices
cargo ferry install android --device SERIAL
cargo ferry run ios --simulator SIMULATOR_UDID

The current evidence does not include a running emulator, Simulator, or physical device.

6. Add capabilities deliberately

cargo ferry add notifications
cargo ferry add widget
cargo ferry capabilities

Permission prompts are never automatic. Application code chooses the user-initiated moment.

Slint license choice

Starter UI uses Slint and retains an accessible AboutSlint component. Before distributing binaries, choose and satisfy GPL-3.0, Slint’s royalty-free application license and attribution condition, or a commercial license. See ADR-001. This is not legal advice.

Next: Project structure, Configuration, and State and events.