# uutils coreutils
[](https://crates.io/crates/coreutils)
[](https://discord.gg/wQVJbvJ)
[](https://github.com/uutils/coreutils/blob/main/LICENSE)
[](https://deps.rs/repo/github/uutils/coreutils)
[](https://codecov.io/gh/uutils/coreutils)
---
uutils coreutils is a cross-platform reimplementation of the GNU coreutils in
[Rust](http://www.rust-lang.org). While all programs have been implemented, some
options might be missing or different behavior might be experienced.
To install it:
```shell
cargo install coreutils
~/.cargo/bin/coreutils
```
## Goals
uutils aims to be a drop-in replacement for the GNU utils. Differences with GNU
are treated as bugs.
uutils aims to work on as many platforms as possible, to be able to use the same
utils on Linux, Mac, Windows and other platforms. This ensures, for example,
that scripts can be easily transferred between platforms.
## Documentation
uutils has both user and developer documentation available:
- [User Manual](https://uutils.github.io/user/)
- [Developer Documentation](https://uutils.github.io/dev/coreutils/)
Both can also be generated locally, the instructions for that can be found in
the [coreutils docs](https://github.com/uutils/uutils.github.io) repository.
## Requirements
- Rust (`cargo`, `rustc`)
- GNU Make (optional)
### Rust Version
uutils follows Rust's release channels and is tested against stable, beta and
nightly. The current Minimum Supported Rust Version (MSRV) is `1.64.0`.
## Building
There are currently two methods to build the uutils binaries: either Cargo or
GNU Make.
> Building the full package, including all documentation, requires both Cargo
> and Gnu Make on a Unix platform.
For either method, we first need to fetch the repository:
```shell
git clone https://github.com/uutils/coreutils
cd coreutils
```
### Cargo
Building uutils using Cargo is easy because the process is the same as for every
other Rust program:
```shell
cargo build --release
```
This command builds the most portable common core set of uutils into a multicall
(BusyBox-type) binary, named 'coreutils', on most Rust-supported platforms.
Additional platform-specific uutils are often available. Building these expanded
sets of uutils for a platform (on that platform) is as simple as specifying it
as a feature:
```shell
cargo build --release --features macos
# or ...
cargo build --release --features windows
# or ...
cargo build --release --features unix
```
If you don't want to build every utility available on your platform into the
final binary, you can also specify which ones you want to build manually. For
example:
```shell
cargo build --features "base32 cat echo rm" --no-default-features
```
If you don't want to build the multicall binary and would prefer to build the
utilities as individual binaries, that is also possible. Each utility is
contained in its own package within the main repository, named "uu_UTILNAME". To
build individual utilities, use cargo to build just the specific packages (using
the `--package` [aka `-p`] option). For example:
```shell
cargo build -p uu_base32 -p uu_cat -p uu_echo -p uu_rm
```
### GNU Make
Building using `make` is a simple process as well.
To simply build all available utilities:
```shell
make
```
In release mode:
```shell
make PROFILE=release
```
To build all but a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make SKIP_UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2'
```
To build only a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2'
```
## Installation
### Install with Cargo
Likewise, installing can simply be done using:
```shell
cargo install --path . --locked
```
This command will install uutils into Cargo's _bin_ folder (_e.g._
`$HOME/.cargo/bin`).
This does not install files necessary for shell completion or manpages. For
manpages or shell completion to work, use `GNU Make` or see
`Manually install shell completions`/`Manually install manpages`.
### Install with GNU Make
To install all available utilities:
```shell
make install
```
To install using `sudo` switch `-E` must be used:
```shell
sudo -E make install
```
To install all but a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make SKIP_UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2' install
```
To install only a few of the available utilities:
```shell
make UTILS='UTILITY_1 UTILITY_2' install
```
To install every program with a prefix (e.g. uu-echo uu-cat):
```shell
make PROG_PREFIX=PREFIX_GOES_HERE install
```
To install the multicall binary:
```shell
make MULTICALL=y install
```
Set install parent directory (default value is /usr/local):
```shell
# DESTDIR is also supported
make PREFIX=/my/path install
```
Installing with `make` installs shell completions for all installed utilities
for `bash`, `fish` and `zsh`. Completions for `elvish` and `powershell` can also
be generated; See `Manually install shell completions`.
### Manually install shell completions
The `coreutils` binary can generate completions for the `bash`, `elvish`,
`fish`, `powershell` and `zsh` shells. It prints the result to stdout.
The syntax is:
```shell
cargo run completion
```
So, to install completions for `ls` on `bash` to
`/usr/local/share/bash-completion/completions/ls`, run:
```shell
cargo run completion ls bash > /usr/local/share/bash-completion/completions/ls
```
### Manually install manpages
To generate manpages, the syntax is:
```bash
cargo run manpage
```
So, to install the manpage for `ls` to `/usr/local/share/man/man1/ls.1` run:
```bash
cargo run manpage ls > /usr/local/share/man/man1/ls.1
```
## Un-installation
Un-installation differs depending on how you have installed uutils. If you used
Cargo to install, use Cargo to uninstall. If you used GNU Make to install, use
Make to uninstall.
### Uninstall with Cargo
To uninstall uutils:
```shell
cargo uninstall uutils
```
### Uninstall with GNU Make
To uninstall all utilities:
```shell
make uninstall
```
To uninstall every program with a set prefix:
```shell
make PROG_PREFIX=PREFIX_GOES_HERE uninstall
```
To uninstall the multicall binary:
```shell
make MULTICALL=y uninstall
```
To uninstall from a custom parent directory:
```shell
# DESTDIR is also supported
make PREFIX=/my/path uninstall
```
## GNU test suite compatibility
Below is the evolution of how many GNU tests uutils passes. A more detailed
breakdown of the GNU test results of the main branch can be found
[in the user manual](https://uutils.github.io/user/test_coverage.html).
See for the main meta bugs
(many are missing).
## Contributing
To contribute to uutils, please see [CONTRIBUTING](CONTRIBUTING.md).
## License
uutils is licensed under the MIT License - see the `LICENSE` file for details
GNU Coreutils is licensed under the GPL 3.0 or later.