---
diataxis_type: how-to
---
# Template Configuration Guide
> How to configure your new repository after creating it from the nsip.
This guide covers every customization point in the template, from automatic placeholder replacement to editor and AI assistant configuration.
---
## 1. Placeholder Replacement
After you create a repo from this template, replace all template placeholders
with your project's values (the automated `template-init.yml` workflow is not
included in this repository — replace manually with `sed`/`rg`, or restore a
template-init workflow to automate it).
### Placeholders
| `zircote/nsip` | `your-org/your-repo` (full path) | `acme/my-cli` |
| `zircote/nsip` | `your-org/your_crate` (full path, underscored) | `acme/my_cli` |
| `zircote` | Your GitHub org or username | `acme` |
| `nsip` | Your repo name (hyphenated) | `my-cli` |
| `nsip` | Your crate name (underscored) | `my_cli` |
### How It Would Work (if automated)
This repository does not ship a `template-init.yml` workflow, so replacement is
manual (see below). If you restore such a workflow, the typical flow is:
1. You click **"Use this template"** on GitHub.
2. You push to `main` (or the initial commit triggers the workflow).
3. The workflow detects `name = "nsip"` in `Cargo.toml`.
4. It runs `sed` replacements across all eligible files.
5. It regenerates `Cargo.lock` and commits the result.
### Files to Exclude from Replacement
Skip these paths to avoid corrupting binaries or breaking CI:
- `.git/*` -- Git internals
- `.github/workflows/*` -- CI workflow files
- `*.png`, `*.jpg`, `*.ico` -- Binary image files
- `Cargo.lock` -- Regenerated after replacement
### Manual Replacement
If you need to run replacement manually (e.g., you disabled Actions), use:
```bash
# Set your values
OWNER="your-org"
REPO="your-repo"
find . -type f \
! -path './.git/*' \
! -path './.github/workflows/*' \
! -name '*.png' ! -name '*.jpg' ! -name '*.ico' \
! -name 'Cargo.lock' \
-exec sed -i '' \
-e "s|zircote/nsip|${OWNER}/${REPO}|g" \
-e "s|zircote/nsip|${OWNER}/${CRATE}|g" \
-e "s|zircote|${OWNER}|g" \
-e "s|nsip|${REPO}|g" \
-e "s|nsip|${CRATE}|g" \
{} +
cargo generate-lockfile
```
---
## 2. Cargo.toml Fields to Update
After placeholder replacement runs, review and update these fields in `Cargo.toml`:
| `name` | `nsip` | Replace manually |
| `version` | `0.1.0` | Update for releases |
| `edition` | `2024` | Leave as-is unless you need an older edition |
| `rust-version` | `1.92` | Update if changing MSRV (see section 6) |
| `authors` | `["Your Name <you@example.com>"]` | Replace with your name and email |
| `description` | `"A Rust template crate..."` | Replace with your crate's description |
| `repository` | `https://github.com/zircote/nsip` | Replace manually |
| `homepage` | `https://github.com/zircote/nsip` | Replace manually |
| `documentation` | `https://docs.rs/nsip` | Replace manually |
| `license` | `MIT` | Change if using a different license |
| `keywords` | `["template", "rust", "example"]` | Replace with up to 5 relevant keywords |
| `categories` | `["development-tools"]` | Replace with applicable [crate categories](https://crates.io/category_slugs) |
### Post-Init Checklist
- [ ] Update `authors` with your real name/email
- [ ] Write a meaningful `description`
- [ ] Replace `keywords` with terms relevant to your crate
- [ ] Choose appropriate `categories` from the [crates.io category list](https://crates.io/category_slugs)
- [ ] Verify `license` matches your `LICENSE` file
- [ ] Remove the `[[bin]]` section if building a library-only crate
---
## 3. Optional Dependencies
The template `Cargo.toml` includes commented-out dependency blocks. Uncomment what you need:
### Async Runtime (tokio)
```toml
[dependencies]
tokio = { version = "1.0", features = ["full"] }
[dev-dependencies]
tokio-test = "0.4"
```
### Serialization (serde)
```toml
[dependencies]
serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
serde_json = "1.0"
```
### Structured Logging (tracing)
```toml
[dependencies]
tracing = "0.1"
tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", features = ["env-filter"] }
```
### CLI Argument Parsing (clap)
Add `clap` manually -- it is not pre-included in the template:
```toml
[dependencies]
clap = { version = "4", features = ["derive"] }
```
### Steps to Enable
1. Open `Cargo.toml`.
2. Uncomment the relevant lines under `[dependencies]` and `[dev-dependencies]`.
3. Run `cargo check` to verify resolution.
4. If the dependency has a restrictive license, add it to the `allow` list in `deny.toml`.
---
## 4. Feature Flags
The template includes an empty feature flags section in `Cargo.toml`:
```toml
[features]
default = []
# full = ["feature1", "feature2"]
```
### Defining Features
```toml
[features]
default = []
async = ["dep:tokio", "dep:tokio-test"]
serde = ["dep:serde", "dep:serde_json"]
full = ["async", "serde"]
```
### Using Features in Code
Gate modules and items behind feature flags with `cfg` attributes:
```rust
#[cfg(feature = "async")]
pub mod async_client;
#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
pub struct Config {
pub name: String,
}
```
### Building and Testing with Features
```bash
# Build with a specific feature
cargo build --features async
# Build with all features
cargo build --all-features
# Test with no default features
cargo test --no-default-features
# Test with a combination
cargo test --features "async,serde"
```
### CI Consideration
The template CI runs `cargo clippy --all-targets --all-features` and `cargo test --all-features` by default. If your features are mutually exclusive, update the CI workflow matrix to test each combination separately.
---
## 5. Lint Configuration
Three configuration files control code quality rules. Adjust them to match your project's requirements.
### clippy.toml
Controls Clippy lint behavior and thresholds.
| `msrv` | `"1.92"` | Minimum Rust version for lint suggestions |
| `cognitive-complexity-threshold` | `25` | Max cognitive complexity per function |
| `too-many-lines-threshold` | `100` | Max lines per function |
| `too-many-arguments-threshold` | `7` | Max function parameters |
| `excessive-nesting-threshold` | `4` | Max nesting depth |
| `max-struct-bools` | `3` | Max bool fields in a struct |
| `allow-unwrap-in-tests` | `true` | Permit `.unwrap()` in test code |
| `allow-expect-in-tests` | `true` | Permit `.expect()` in test code |
### rustfmt.toml
Controls code formatting rules.
| `edition` | `"2024"` | Parsing edition |
| `max_width` | `100` | Maximum line width |
| `tab_spaces` | `4` | Spaces per indentation level |
| `imports_granularity` | `"Crate"` | How imports are grouped |
| `group_imports` | `"StdExternalCrate"` | Import section ordering |
| `wrap_comments` | `true` | Wrap long comments |
| `format_code_in_doc_comments` | `true` | Format code blocks in doc comments |
| `trailing_comma` | `"Vertical"` | Add trailing commas in multi-line contexts |
### deny.toml
Controls dependency auditing via `cargo-deny`.
| `[advisories]` | Add crate IDs to `ignore` to suppress known advisories |
| `[licenses].allow` | Add SPDX identifiers for licenses your project permits |
| `[bans].deny` | Add crates you want to forbid (e.g., `openssl`) |
| `[bans].skip` | Allow specific duplicate dependency versions |
| `[sources].allow-git` | Add Git repository URLs for non-crates.io dependencies |
### Cargo.toml Lint Table
The `[lints.clippy]` section in `Cargo.toml` sets lint levels. Key denied lints:
```toml
unwrap_used = "deny" # Use Result instead
expect_used = "deny" # Use Result instead
panic = "deny" # No panics in library code
todo = "deny" # No incomplete code
unimplemented = "deny" # No stubs
dbg_macro = "deny" # No debug macros
print_stdout = "deny" # Use tracing/log instead
print_stderr = "deny" # Use tracing/log instead
```
To relax a lint for your project, change `"deny"` to `"warn"` or `"allow"`.
---
## 6. MSRV Policy
The current minimum supported Rust version is **1.92**.
### Changing the MSRV
Update all three locations to keep them in sync:
| `Cargo.toml` | `rust-version` | `rust-version = "1.85"` |
| `clippy.toml` | `msrv` | `msrv = "1.85"` |
| CI workflow matrix | `rust:` versions | Add your MSRV to the test matrix |
### Verification
```bash
# Install a specific toolchain to verify MSRV
rustup install 1.85
cargo +1.85 check
cargo +1.85 test
```
---
## 7. Editor Configuration
### .editorconfig
Cross-editor defaults applied automatically by editors that support [EditorConfig](https://editorconfig.org):
| `indent_style` | `space` | All files |
| `indent_size` | `4` | Default (2 for YAML/JSON) |
| `max_line_length` | `100` | All files |
| `end_of_line` | `lf` | All files |
| `charset` | `utf-8` | All files |
| `insert_final_newline` | `true` | All files |
| `trim_trailing_whitespace` | `true` | All files (except Markdown) |
### .vscode/settings.json
VS Code workspace settings:
- `rust-analyzer.check.command` set to `clippy` (lints on save)
- `rust-analyzer.check.extraArgs` includes `--all-targets --all-features`
- `editor.formatOnSave` enabled
- `editor.rulers` set to `[100]` to show the line-length guide
- `target/` directory excluded from file explorer
### .vscode/extensions.json
Recommended extensions (VS Code prompts to install these):
| `rust-lang.rust-analyzer` | Rust language server |
| `tamasfe.even-better-toml` | TOML syntax and validation |
| `serayuzgur.crates` | Inline crate version info |
| `usernamehw.errorlens` | Inline error/warning display |
| `vadimcn.vscode-lldb` | Native debugger |
### .devcontainer/
GitHub Codespaces and VS Code Dev Container configuration:
- **Base image:** `mcr.microsoft.com/devcontainers/rust:1-bookworm`
- **Post-create command:** installs `cargo-deny`, `cargo-tarpaulin`, `cargo-watch`, and runs `cargo fetch`
- **VS Code settings and extensions** mirror the workspace configuration above
To customize the dev container, edit `.devcontainer/devcontainer.json`. Common changes:
- Add system packages via `"features"` or a custom `Dockerfile`
- Add environment variables with `"containerEnv"`
- Forward ports with `"forwardPorts"`
- Install additional cargo tools in `"postCreateCommand"`
---
## 8. AI Assistant Configuration
The template includes configuration files for multiple AI coding assistants.
### CLAUDE.md
Instructions for [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code). Located at the repo root.
- Build commands, project structure, and code style rules
- Error handling patterns and documentation requirements
- Testing conventions and CI/CD pipeline details
### AGENTS.md
Instructions for AI coding agents (read by [GitHub Copilot coding agent](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/using-copilot-coding-agent) and compatible systems). Located at the repo root.
- Read by AI coding agents when they work on issues and PRs
- Shares the same project conventions as `CLAUDE.md`
### .github/copilot-instructions.md
Instructions for [GitHub Copilot Chat](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/customizing-copilot/adding-custom-instructions-for-github-copilot). Loaded automatically in Copilot Chat conversations.
- Provides project-wide context for inline suggestions and chat responses
### .github/instructions/
[Path-specific instruction files](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/customizing-copilot/adding-custom-instructions-for-github-copilot) applied when Copilot works on matching file paths:
| `rust-code.instructions.md` | Rust source files (`crates/**/*.rs`) |
| `tests.instructions.md` | Test files (`tests/**/*.rs`) |
### .github/prompts/
[Reusable prompt files](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/customizing-copilot/adding-custom-instructions-for-github-copilot) for common development tasks:
| `new-module.prompt.md` | Scaffold a new Rust module |
| `fix-clippy.prompt.md` | Fix Clippy lint warnings |
| `add-error-variant.prompt.md` | Add a new error type variant |
| `write-tests.prompt.md` | Generate tests for existing code |
### Customizing AI Instructions
- Edit `CLAUDE.md` and `AGENTS.md` at the repo root to update project-wide conventions.
- Add new `.instructions.md` files under `.github/instructions/` for path-specific rules.
- Add new `.prompt.md` files under `.github/prompts/` for reusable task prompts.
- All AI instruction files are regular Markdown -- placeholder replacement applies to them automatically.