# Scode Dist Rust Setup

> Set up or standardize a Rust repository with cargo-dist release automation, Linux-focused CI with macOS release-plan tag gates, git-cliff changelog generation, Conventional Commit PR title enforcement, and Homebrew publishing to scode/homebrew-dist-tap. Use when creating a new Rust release pipeline or migrating an existing repo to this exact distribution model.

- Skill: `diegosouzapw/scode-dist-rust-setup` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add diegosouzapw/scode-dist-rust-setup`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/diegosouzapw/scode-dist-rust-setup/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: diegosouzapw (https://skillmd.com/u/diegosouzapw)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/diegosouzapw/scode-dist-rust-setup

---


# Scode Dist Rust Setup

Set up a Rust repository to match the release/distribution pattern used in juggler: dist-generated release workflow,
Homebrew publishing through `scode/homebrew-dist-tap`, Linux-focused CI, macOS release-plan gating on tags, and
git-cliff changelog governance.

## Required Inputs

Collect these values before making changes:

- `crate_name`: Required. Read from `Cargo.toml` (`[package].name`).
- `github_owner/repo`: Derive from `git remote get-url origin`. Prompt only if parsing is ambiguous.
- `cargo_dist_version`: Install/update dist first, then pin the discovered version in `dist-workspace.toml`.

## Hard Defaults

Apply these defaults unless the user explicitly asks to diverge:

- Homebrew tap repository: `scode/homebrew-dist-tap`
- Homebrew token secret: `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN`
- Homebrew install command namespace: `scode/dist-tap/<crate_name>`
- Dist installers: `homebrew` only
- Dist targets: `aarch64-apple-darwin`, `x86_64-apple-darwin`, `aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu`, `x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu`
- Dist plan hook: `plan-jobs = ["./release-plan-tests"]`
- CI platform focus: Linux for standard CI, macOS only as tag-gated release-plan test

## Workflow

### Phase A: Discover Project Facts

1. Confirm the repository root contains `Cargo.toml`.
2. Extract `crate_name` from `Cargo.toml`.
3. Derive `github_owner/repo` from `git remote get-url origin`.
4. Detect existing files that may need updates instead of replacement:
   - `dist-workspace.toml`
   - `.github/workflows/ci.yml`
   - `.github/workflows/release.yml`
   - `.github/workflows/release-plan-tests.yml`
   - `.github/workflows/conventional-commit-pr-title.yml`
   - `cliff.toml`
   - `CONTRIBUTING.md`
   - `README.md`

### Phase B: Install or Update cargo-dist and Capture Version

1. Install or update dist using your preferred method.
2. Capture the version from `dist --version`.
3. Pin that exact version string as `cargo-dist-version` in `dist-workspace.toml`.
4. Do not leave `cargo-dist-version` unpinned.

### Phase C: Configure dist-workspace.toml

1. Create or update `dist-workspace.toml` using `references/dist-workspace-template.md`.
2. Keep these values exact unless the user explicitly asks otherwise:
   - `ci = "github"`
   - `installers = ["homebrew"]`
   - `install-path = "CARGO_HOME"`
   - `install-updater = true`
   - `tap = "scode/homebrew-dist-tap"`
   - `publish-jobs = ["homebrew"]`
   - `plan-jobs = ["./release-plan-tests"]`
3. Use the discovered dist version from Phase B for `cargo-dist-version`.

### Phase D: Ensure Cargo.toml is ready for dist

1. Ensure `Cargo.toml` has `repository = "https://github.com/<owner>/<repo>"` — dist requires this for GitHub CI.
2. Ensure `Cargo.toml` has `description` and `homepage` — Homebrew publishing warns without them.
3. `[profile.dist]` will be added automatically by `dist init --yes` in Phase E.

### Phase E: Generate Dist Release Workflow with `dist init`

`dist init --yes` is the primary tool for this phase. It:

- Adds `[profile.dist]` to `Cargo.toml` if missing.
- Reformats `dist-workspace.toml` with comments (preserving values).
- Generates `.github/workflows/release.yml` — this file is **dist-managed** and must never be hand-edited.

Steps:

1. Write `dist-workspace.toml` first (Phase C).
2. Ensure `Cargo.toml` has `repository`, `description`, `homepage` (Phase D).
3. Run `dist init --yes` to generate everything. The `--yes` flag auto-accepts defaults (required for non-interactive).
4. If `dist-workspace.toml` is changed later, re-run `dist init --yes`.

### Phase F: Install Linux/macOS CI Pattern

1. Create or update `.github/workflows/ci.yml` using `references/ci-linux-macos-pattern.md`.
2. Keep standard CI Linux-focused.
3. Keep a macOS job disabled in standard CI for cost control.
4. Omit Windows baseline jobs unless explicitly requested.

### Phase G: Add Release Plan Test Workflow

This file is NOT generated by `dist init`. It is a manually-maintained reusable workflow that the dist-generated
`release.yml` calls via `plan-jobs = ["./release-plan-tests"]`. Create it AFTER running `dist init` (Phase E) so you can
verify `release.yml` references it correctly.

1. Create or update `.github/workflows/release-plan-tests.yml` using `references/release-plan-tests-template.md`.
2. Run Linux tests on workflow call.
3. Run macOS tests only when `github.ref` is a tag ref.
4. Ensure `dist-workspace.toml` includes `plan-jobs = ["./release-plan-tests"]`.
5. Verify the generated `release.yml` contains a `custom-release-plan-tests` job that calls this workflow.

### Phase H: Enforce Conventional Commit PR Titles

1. Create or update `.github/workflows/conventional-commit-pr-title.yml` using
   `references/conventional-commit-pr-title-workflow.md`.
2. Enforce these allowed types:
   - `feat`, `fix`, `docs`, `doc`, `perf`, `refactor`, `style`, `test`, `chore`, `ci`, `revert`
3. Keep scope optional.
4. Enforce classification policy in repository docs:
   - Type must reflect user-visible behavior, not implementation activity.
   - CLI interface/behavior changes (commands, flags/options, arguments, output contract, exit codes, documented usage)
     must be `feat`, `fix`, or `perf` (use `!` when breaking), not `refactor`.
   - `refactor`, `style`, `test`, `chore`, `ci`, `docs`, and `doc` are for non-user-visible changes only.
5. Update `CLAUDE.md` to require Conventional Commit style PR titles. Add a section like:

   ```
   # PR titles

   PR titles must follow [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/) style. This is enforced by CI
   and used by git-cliff for changelog generation.

   Allowed types: `feat`, `fix`, `docs`, `doc`, `perf`, `refactor`, `style`, `test`, `chore`, `ci`, `revert`.
   Scope is optional. Examples: `feat: add user login`, `fix(parser): handle empty input`.

   Type must reflect user-visible behavior, not implementation activity.
   CLI interface/behavior changes must be `feat`, `fix`, or `perf` (use `!` when breaking), not `refactor`.
   ```

   If `CLAUDE.md` already has a section about commit messages or PR titles, extend it rather than duplicating.

### Phase I: Set Up git-cliff and Release Documentation

1. If `cliff.toml` is missing, initialize it with:
   - `git cliff --init keepachangelog`
2. If `cliff.toml` already exists, avoid replacing it with a hardcoded template unless the user explicitly requests that
   migration.
3. Keep the config compatible with Conventional Commit-driven changelogs and default it to user-visible entries only.
   - Include by default: `feat`, `fix`, `perf`, `revert`.
   - Skip by default: `refactor`, `style`, `test`, `chore`, `ci`, `docs`, `doc`.
   - Parse override tags first: `changelog: include` forces inclusion, `changelog: skip` forces exclusion.
   - If both tags are present, `changelog: skip` wins.
4. Update `CONTRIBUTING.md` with:
   - Conventional Commit requirements for commit messages and PR titles.
   - Classification policy: type reflects user-visible behavior; CLI interface changes are never `refactor`.
   - Note that PR title enforcement is implemented in `.github/workflows/conventional-commit-pr-title.yml`.
   - Changelog generation uses git-cliff and root `CHANGELOG.md`.
   - Override tag behavior for `changelog: include` / `changelog: skip`.
   - An agent-centric **Releasing** section using the content from `references/release-checklist.md`. This section is
     written as instructions for an AI agent so that a user can say "cut a release" and the agent guides them through
     the entire version bump, changelog, PR, merge, tag, and release watch flow.
5. Update `CLAUDE.md` with a Releasing section that tells agents to follow CONTRIBUTING.md:

   ```
   # Releasing

   When the user asks to "make a release" or "cut a release", follow the Releasing section of `CONTRIBUTING.md`.
   ```

   If `CLAUDE.md` already has a releasing section, update it rather than duplicating.

### Phase J: Wire Homebrew Distribution

1. Ensure dist config uses `tap = "scode/homebrew-dist-tap"`.
2. Ensure the repository has secret `HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN` for release publishing.
3. Verify generated release workflow includes `publish-homebrew-formula` and checks out `scode/homebrew-dist-tap`.
4. Document installation in `README.md` as:
   - `brew install scode/dist-tap/<crate_name>`

## Verification Checklist

Run these checks after setup:

1. `rg -n 'cargo-dist-version|tap = "scode/homebrew-dist-tap"|plan-jobs' dist-workspace.toml`
2. `rg -n '^\[profile\.dist\]' Cargo.toml`
3. `rg -n 'custom-release-plan-tests|publish-homebrew-formula|HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN' .github/workflows/release.yml`
4. `rg -n 'test-linux|test-macos' .github/workflows/release-plan-tests.yml`
5. `rg -n 'action-semantic-pull-request|types:' .github/workflows/conventional-commit-pr-title.yml`
6. `rg -n 'Conventional Commits|PR titles|Releasing|CONTRIBUTING.md' CLAUDE.md`
7. `rg -n 'conventional_commits = true' cliff.toml`
8. `rg -n 'git-cliff --tag|CHANGELOG\.md|Conventional Commits|cut a release|bump' CONTRIBUTING.md`
9. `rg -n 'brew install scode/dist-tap/' README.md`

## Resources

Use these files to avoid rewriting long templates:

- `references/dist-workspace-template.md`
- `references/ci-linux-macos-pattern.md`
- `references/release-plan-tests-template.md`
- `references/conventional-commit-pr-title-workflow.md`
- `references/git-cliff-and-changelog-flow.md`
- `references/release-checklist.md`