macOS
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brew install c2rustprovider-native install command
brew / rank 5542
Install c2rust with Homebrew
Migrate C code to Rust. Version 0.22.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Migrate C code to Rust
Project links
Commands and aliases
- c2rust
- c2rust-transpile
history
Project history and usage
C2Rust is a C99-to-Rust migration toolkit. Its core transpiler produces unsafe Rust that closely mirrors the original C so functionality and tests can be preserved before humans or refactoring tools gradually improve the Rust.
Project history
The upstream Git history begins on 22 June 2017 with original C sources, Corrode-generated Rust sources, and early source-rewriting work. The README describes the project's goal as helping migrate C99-compliant code to Rust while preserving behavior first.
By the time of the README's RustConf 2018 reference, C2Rust had become a visible example of pragmatic Rust adoption for existing C codebases. The project grew beyond raw transpilation to include cross-checking translated code against the original and a refactoring tool intended to reduce the manual work of turning unsafe Rust into safer, more idiomatic Rust.
Adoption history
C2Rust is packaged both as a Rust crate installed with `cargo install --locked c2rust` and through system package managers such as Homebrew and Alpine according to source_facts. The README also documents direct Git installation for users needing unreleased bug fixes.
Adoption is mostly by developers facing migration or audit work rather than everyday end users. Its requirement for LLVM/clang, compile_commands.json, and close build-system integration places it in the serious-codebase-migration category.
How it is used
For non-trivial projects, C2Rust expects a `compile_commands.json` compilation database so libclangTooling can see the same compiler arguments used by the original C build. Users run `c2rust transpile path/to/compile_commands.json`, optionally emitting Cargo build files or specifying binary entry points.
The README also documents trivial source-file transpilation, cross-checking translated code against the original, and `c2rust refactor` tooling for follow-up transformations. Developers often need LLVM_CONFIG_PATH or related environment variables when building against specific LLVM installs.
Why package nerds care
C2Rust is significant because it packages one of the hard parts of language migration as a CLI workflow: consume a C build database, produce Rust, run tests, then iterate. It is not magic safe Rust generation; its value is making the first migration step mechanical and reproducible.
It also represents a Rust ecosystem pattern where package-manager installation is only the entry point. Real use depends on compiler toolchains, build-system metadata, test suites, and sometimes pinned nightly Rust components for advanced refactoring tools.
Timeline
- 2017-06-22: Upstream Git history begins with original C sources and Corrode-generated Rust sources.
- 2018: README points to a RustConf 2018 talk introducing C2Rust.
- 2018-11-02: 0.8.1 tag appears.
- 2020-10-20: 0.15.0 tag appears.
- 2023-02-01: v0.17.0 tag appears.
- 2024-08-30: v0.19.0 tag appears.
- 2025-02-24: v0.20.0 tag appears.
- 2026-02-10: v0.22.1 tag appears.
Related projects
- Corrode: an earlier C-to-Rust translator referenced in C2Rust's initial upstream history.
- LLVM and clang/libclangTooling: parser and compilation-database infrastructure required by C2Rust.
- c2rust-refactor: sibling tool for transforming generated Rust after transpilation.
- Compiler Explorer: the README links an online C2Rust translator integration using the current master branch.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
c2rust | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
c2rust-transpile | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version0.22.1
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:c2rust |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.22.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://c2rust.com/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/immunant/c2rust |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation