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What does this PR try to resolve?

This PR documents the behavior of the OUT_DIR environment variable, clarifying that Cargo does not clean or reset it between
builds. The contents of OUT_DIR may persist across rebuilds, which can surprise build scripts that assume a clean directory.

This behavior is intentional to support incremental builds (such as native code compilation), but was not clearly stated in the
documentation.

Fixes #16332

How to test and review this PR?

Documentation-only change.
Review the updated notes in the Build Scripts and Environment Variables sections.

@rustbot rustbot added A-documenting-cargo-itself Area: Cargo's documentation S-waiting-on-review Status: Awaiting review from the assignee but also interested parties. labels Dec 26, 2025
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rustbot commented Dec 26, 2025

r? @ehuss

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Looks generally good.

View changes since this review

> Build scripts should not assume that `OUT_DIR` is empty. If a script requires
> a clean directory, it is responsible for removing or managing any files or
> subdirectories it creates.
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I feel like the statement here is a little bit too strong. Maybe we should link to a tracking issue for this:

thought we had an issue for a build script temp dir that is independent of -Cextra-filename but not finding it.

So that we can have feedback of the potential extension?

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@dhruv-38 dhruv-38 force-pushed the docs-out-dir-persistence branch from 5bb7983 to 53f4780 Compare December 29, 2025 04:11
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rustbot commented Dec 29, 2025

This PR was rebased onto a different master commit. Here's a range-diff highlighting what actually changed.

Rebasing is a normal part of keeping PRs up to date, so no action is needed—this note is just to help reviewers.

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just check i have added the links and changed some wordings

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dhruv-38 commented Jan 4, 2026

@weihanglo do i need to do something else also?

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Thanks for the update!

View changes since this review

@weihanglo weihanglo added this pull request to the merge queue Jan 4, 2026
Merged via the queue into rust-lang:master with commit b8ba7ae Jan 4, 2026
29 checks passed
@rustbot rustbot removed the S-waiting-on-review Status: Awaiting review from the assignee but also interested parties. label Jan 4, 2026
rust-bors bot added a commit to rust-lang/rust that referenced this pull request Jan 7, 2026
Update cargo submodule

19 commits in 94c368ad2b9db0f0da5bdd8421cea13786ce4412..623444427f04292f3a3c7eac560cfa65ba0bb88e
2025-12-26 19:39:15 +0000 to 2026-01-06 21:05:05 +0000
- docs(unstable): expand docs for `-Zbuild-analysis` (rust-lang/cargo#16476)
- test: add `-Zunstable-options` with custom targets (rust-lang/cargo#16467)
- feat(report): add cargo report rebuilds  (rust-lang/cargo#16456)
- feat(test-support): Use test name for dir when running tests (rust-lang/cargo#16121)
- refactor: Migrate some cases to expect/reason (rust-lang/cargo#16461)
- docs(build-script): clarify OUT_DIR is not cleaned between builds (rust-lang/cargo#16437)
- chore: Update dependencies (rust-lang/cargo#16460)
- Update handlebars to 6.4.0 (rust-lang/cargo#16457)
- chore(deps): update alpine docker tag to v3.23 (rust-lang/cargo#16454)
- Any build scripts can now use cargo::metadata=KEY=VALUE (rust-lang/cargo#16436)
- fix(log): add `dependencies` field to `UnitRegistered` (rust-lang/cargo#16448)
- Implement fine grain locking for `build-dir` (rust-lang/cargo#16155)
- feat(resolver): List features when no close match (rust-lang/cargo#16445)
- feat(report): new command `cargo report sessions` (rust-lang/cargo#16428)
- feat (patch): Display where the patch was defined in patch-related error messages (rust-lang/cargo#16407)
- test(build-rs): Reduce from 'build' to 'check' where possible (rust-lang/cargo#16444)
- feat(toml): TOML 1.1 parse support (rust-lang/cargo#16415)
- feat(report): support --manifest-path in `cargo report timings` (rust-lang/cargo#16441)
- fix(vendor): recursively filter git files in subdirectories (rust-lang/cargo#16439)

r? ghost
rust-bors bot added a commit to rust-lang/rust that referenced this pull request Jan 8, 2026
Update cargo submodule

24 commits in 94c368ad2b9db0f0da5bdd8421cea13786ce4412..fc4c92b64d1e0046b66cbdc747cc1c17af8b35a0
2025-12-26 19:39:15 +0000 to 2026-01-08 06:54:56 +0000
- Fixed incorrect version comparision during build script dependency selection (rust-lang/cargo#16486)
- refactor: new type for unit index (rust-lang/cargo#16485)
- feat(test): Make CARGO_BIN_EXE_ available at runtime  (rust-lang/cargo#16421)
- fix(package): detect dirty files when run from workspace member (rust-lang/cargo#16479)
- fix(timing)!: remove `--timings=<FMT>` optional format values (rust-lang/cargo#16420)
- docs(unstable): expand docs for `-Zbuild-analysis` (rust-lang/cargo#16476)
- test: add `-Zunstable-options` with custom targets (rust-lang/cargo#16467)
- feat(report): add cargo report rebuilds  (rust-lang/cargo#16456)
- feat(test-support): Use test name for dir when running tests (rust-lang/cargo#16121)
- refactor: Migrate some cases to expect/reason (rust-lang/cargo#16461)
- docs(build-script): clarify OUT_DIR is not cleaned between builds (rust-lang/cargo#16437)
- chore: Update dependencies (rust-lang/cargo#16460)
- Update handlebars to 6.4.0 (rust-lang/cargo#16457)
- chore(deps): update alpine docker tag to v3.23 (rust-lang/cargo#16454)
- Any build scripts can now use cargo::metadata=KEY=VALUE (rust-lang/cargo#16436)
- fix(log): add `dependencies` field to `UnitRegistered` (rust-lang/cargo#16448)
- Implement fine grain locking for `build-dir` (rust-lang/cargo#16155)
- feat(resolver): List features when no close match (rust-lang/cargo#16445)
- feat(report): new command `cargo report sessions` (rust-lang/cargo#16428)
- feat (patch): Display where the patch was defined in patch-related error messages (rust-lang/cargo#16407)
- test(build-rs): Reduce from 'build' to 'check' where possible (rust-lang/cargo#16444)
- feat(toml): TOML 1.1 parse support (rust-lang/cargo#16415)
- feat(report): support --manifest-path in `cargo report timings` (rust-lang/cargo#16441)
- fix(vendor): recursively filter git files in subdirectories (rust-lang/cargo#16439)
rust-bors bot added a commit to rust-lang/rust that referenced this pull request Jan 9, 2026
Update cargo submodule

27 commits in 94c368ad2b9db0f0da5bdd8421cea13786ce4412..8c133afcd5e0d69932fe11f5907683723f8d361d
2025-12-26 19:39:15 +0000 to 2026-01-09 03:50:15 +0000
- Isolate build script metadata progation between std and non-std crates (rust-lang/cargo#16489)
- Add Clippy like lint groups (rust-lang/cargo#16464)
- feat: in-memory only `Manifest` (rust-lang/cargo#16409)
- Fixed incorrect version comparision during build script dependency selection (rust-lang/cargo#16486)
- refactor: new type for unit index (rust-lang/cargo#16485)
- feat(test): Make CARGO_BIN_EXE_ available at runtime  (rust-lang/cargo#16421)
- fix(package): detect dirty files when run from workspace member (rust-lang/cargo#16479)
- fix(timing)!: remove `--timings=&lt;FMT&gt;` optional format values (rust-lang/cargo#16420)
- docs(unstable): expand docs for `-Zbuild-analysis` (rust-lang/cargo#16476)
- test: add `-Zunstable-options` with custom targets (rust-lang/cargo#16467)
- feat(report): add cargo report rebuilds  (rust-lang/cargo#16456)
- feat(test-support): Use test name for dir when running tests (rust-lang/cargo#16121)
- refactor: Migrate some cases to expect/reason (rust-lang/cargo#16461)
- docs(build-script): clarify OUT_DIR is not cleaned between builds (rust-lang/cargo#16437)
- chore: Update dependencies (rust-lang/cargo#16460)
- Update handlebars to 6.4.0 (rust-lang/cargo#16457)
- chore(deps): update alpine docker tag to v3.23 (rust-lang/cargo#16454)
- Any build scripts can now use cargo::metadata=KEY=VALUE (rust-lang/cargo#16436)
- fix(log): add `dependencies` field to `UnitRegistered` (rust-lang/cargo#16448)
- Implement fine grain locking for `build-dir` (rust-lang/cargo#16155)
- feat(resolver): List features when no close match (rust-lang/cargo#16445)
- feat(report): new command `cargo report sessions` (rust-lang/cargo#16428)
- feat (patch): Display where the patch was defined in patch-related error messages (rust-lang/cargo#16407)
- test(build-rs): Reduce from 'build' to 'check' where possible (rust-lang/cargo#16444)
- feat(toml): TOML 1.1 parse support (rust-lang/cargo#16415)
- feat(report): support --manifest-path in `cargo report timings` (rust-lang/cargo#16441)
- fix(vendor): recursively filter git files in subdirectories (rust-lang/cargo#16439)
@rustbot rustbot added this to the 1.94.0 milestone Jan 9, 2026
github-actions bot pushed a commit to rust-lang/rust-analyzer that referenced this pull request Jan 12, 2026
Update cargo submodule

27 commits in 94c368ad2b9db0f0da5bdd8421cea13786ce4412..8c133afcd5e0d69932fe11f5907683723f8d361d
2025-12-26 19:39:15 +0000 to 2026-01-09 03:50:15 +0000
- Isolate build script metadata progation between std and non-std crates (rust-lang/cargo#16489)
- Add Clippy like lint groups (rust-lang/cargo#16464)
- feat: in-memory only `Manifest` (rust-lang/cargo#16409)
- Fixed incorrect version comparision during build script dependency selection (rust-lang/cargo#16486)
- refactor: new type for unit index (rust-lang/cargo#16485)
- feat(test): Make CARGO_BIN_EXE_ available at runtime  (rust-lang/cargo#16421)
- fix(package): detect dirty files when run from workspace member (rust-lang/cargo#16479)
- fix(timing)!: remove `--timings=&lt;FMT&gt;` optional format values (rust-lang/cargo#16420)
- docs(unstable): expand docs for `-Zbuild-analysis` (rust-lang/cargo#16476)
- test: add `-Zunstable-options` with custom targets (rust-lang/cargo#16467)
- feat(report): add cargo report rebuilds  (rust-lang/cargo#16456)
- feat(test-support): Use test name for dir when running tests (rust-lang/cargo#16121)
- refactor: Migrate some cases to expect/reason (rust-lang/cargo#16461)
- docs(build-script): clarify OUT_DIR is not cleaned between builds (rust-lang/cargo#16437)
- chore: Update dependencies (rust-lang/cargo#16460)
- Update handlebars to 6.4.0 (rust-lang/cargo#16457)
- chore(deps): update alpine docker tag to v3.23 (rust-lang/cargo#16454)
- Any build scripts can now use cargo::metadata=KEY=VALUE (rust-lang/cargo#16436)
- fix(log): add `dependencies` field to `UnitRegistered` (rust-lang/cargo#16448)
- Implement fine grain locking for `build-dir` (rust-lang/cargo#16155)
- feat(resolver): List features when no close match (rust-lang/cargo#16445)
- feat(report): new command `cargo report sessions` (rust-lang/cargo#16428)
- feat (patch): Display where the patch was defined in patch-related error messages (rust-lang/cargo#16407)
- test(build-rs): Reduce from 'build' to 'check' where possible (rust-lang/cargo#16444)
- feat(toml): TOML 1.1 parse support (rust-lang/cargo#16415)
- feat(report): support --manifest-path in `cargo report timings` (rust-lang/cargo#16441)
- fix(vendor): recursively filter git files in subdirectories (rust-lang/cargo#16439)
github-actions bot pushed a commit to rust-lang/rustc-dev-guide that referenced this pull request Jan 12, 2026
Update cargo submodule

27 commits in 94c368ad2b9db0f0da5bdd8421cea13786ce4412..8c133afcd5e0d69932fe11f5907683723f8d361d
2025-12-26 19:39:15 +0000 to 2026-01-09 03:50:15 +0000
- Isolate build script metadata progation between std and non-std crates (rust-lang/cargo#16489)
- Add Clippy like lint groups (rust-lang/cargo#16464)
- feat: in-memory only `Manifest` (rust-lang/cargo#16409)
- Fixed incorrect version comparision during build script dependency selection (rust-lang/cargo#16486)
- refactor: new type for unit index (rust-lang/cargo#16485)
- feat(test): Make CARGO_BIN_EXE_ available at runtime  (rust-lang/cargo#16421)
- fix(package): detect dirty files when run from workspace member (rust-lang/cargo#16479)
- fix(timing)!: remove `--timings=&lt;FMT&gt;` optional format values (rust-lang/cargo#16420)
- docs(unstable): expand docs for `-Zbuild-analysis` (rust-lang/cargo#16476)
- test: add `-Zunstable-options` with custom targets (rust-lang/cargo#16467)
- feat(report): add cargo report rebuilds  (rust-lang/cargo#16456)
- feat(test-support): Use test name for dir when running tests (rust-lang/cargo#16121)
- refactor: Migrate some cases to expect/reason (rust-lang/cargo#16461)
- docs(build-script): clarify OUT_DIR is not cleaned between builds (rust-lang/cargo#16437)
- chore: Update dependencies (rust-lang/cargo#16460)
- Update handlebars to 6.4.0 (rust-lang/cargo#16457)
- chore(deps): update alpine docker tag to v3.23 (rust-lang/cargo#16454)
- Any build scripts can now use cargo::metadata=KEY=VALUE (rust-lang/cargo#16436)
- fix(log): add `dependencies` field to `UnitRegistered` (rust-lang/cargo#16448)
- Implement fine grain locking for `build-dir` (rust-lang/cargo#16155)
- feat(resolver): List features when no close match (rust-lang/cargo#16445)
- feat(report): new command `cargo report sessions` (rust-lang/cargo#16428)
- feat (patch): Display where the patch was defined in patch-related error messages (rust-lang/cargo#16407)
- test(build-rs): Reduce from 'build' to 'check' where possible (rust-lang/cargo#16444)
- feat(toml): TOML 1.1 parse support (rust-lang/cargo#16415)
- feat(report): support --manifest-path in `cargo report timings` (rust-lang/cargo#16441)
- fix(vendor): recursively filter git files in subdirectories (rust-lang/cargo#16439)
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OUT_DIR is not cleaned

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