Crates / rustc_version / Alternatives
Rust crate alternatives · data Oct 24, 2026
Alternatives to rustc_version
Short answerThe closest alternatives to rustc_version on crates.io data are version_check (3M real downloads a day), autocfg (3.8M real downloads a day), cfg-expr (348K real downloads a day). Of the 5 we list, the most used is autocfg, and 3 shipped a release in the last year. rustc_version itself gets 2,120,948 a day with 699 dependents.
Every alternative we found
| Alternative | Real downloads a day | vs rustc_version | Dependents | Last release | Why it is listed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| version_check Established | 3,006,541 | 1.42x | 170 | 2.2y | keyword "rustc", keyword "version" | compare |
| autocfg Pulled in | 3,840,273 | 1.81x | 82 | 5mo | keyword "rustc" | compare |
| cfg-expr Pulled in | 348,087 | 0.16x | 22 | 23d | keyword "rustc" | compare |
| semver-parser Pulled in | 276,382 | 0.13x | 12 | 23mo | keyword "version" | compare |
| version-compare Pulled in | 262,013 | 0.12x | 86 | 12mo | keyword "version" | compare |
How to choose
- Same job, not the same API. Each line is listed because it shares a crates.io category or keyword with rustc_version; read its description before you swap.
- More dependents means more answered questions and a smaller chance it disappears.
- Check the last release against how fast you need fixes. For rustc_version: is it still maintained?
Rules
Alternatives = tracked crates (top 1000 by downloads) that share a specific crates.io category (2 points each) or keyword (3 points each) with rustc_version, most similar first; its own parts (same name prefix) and crates it depends on or that depend on it are left out, because those are companions, not substitutes. Real downloads = quiet-day median, crates.io data Oct 24, 2026. Built when we find 3 or more.
Up next
The closest alternative: Established and quiet for years. 3,006,541 real downloads a day.version_checkRust crate. Tiny crate to check the version of the installed/running rustc. Real use: 3M downloads a day on quiet days; 170 crates depend on it.Read it next →Also worth your time